The female partner plays an important role in curing ED using Phosphodiesterase (PDE5) inhibitors like tadalafil. In a study published in the Urology journal, it was found that female partners show a high satisfaction rate when their partners use PDE5 inhibitors like tadalafil.
While it is well established that tadalafil helps cure erectile dysfunction (ED) on an as-need basis, what is the impact when tadalafil is taken daily? A research paper published in Urology journal in 2010 carried out clinical trials with 505 couples, where some men were given 5mg tadalafil once every day, and some others were given a placebo. All the men in the study had reported at least 3 months history of ED, and were part of the clinical trial for 12 weeks. Sexual Encounter Profile (SEP) diary technique was used to record observations, where the couples recorded their observations after the sexual encounter.
What were the conclusions from this research?
1. Tadalafil enables significantly higher sexual satisfaction for the couple by providing better erections
2. It is the female partner who can more accurately perceive the level of improvement that her male partner provides, after being administered tadalfil
3. The above two conclusions are similar to impact studied for ‘take tadalafil on as-needed basis’
4. However, the men who were given once a day 5 mg tadalafil were younger in age compared to as-needed tadalafil studies.
The authors of this research paper conclude that “tadalafil 5 mg once daily, similar to tadalafil taken as needed, can benefit both the male being treated as well as his female partner”
Under normal circumstances, sexual stimulation leads to production and release of nitric oxide in the penis. Nitric Oxide then activates guanylate cyclase enzyme which then produces cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP). This cGMP controls the level of erection by deciding the amount of blood delivered to the penis. There is, however, the enzyme PDE5 that puts a spanner in this scheme of things, and destroys cGMP. Destruction of cGMP leads to poor blood flow in the penis, thus becoming the reason for erectile dysfunction (ED). PDE5 inhibitors like tadalafil prevent the destruction of cGMP and enable blood flow into the penis, thus enabling better erections.
