Viagra and Women - Health Issues Investigated

Viagra and Women's Health

Not often is there a medication introduced to the public that has such fast market growth as the drug Viagra. Pfizer's drug, Viagra, was introduced in 1999 and quickly became one of the most widely prescribed medications of our time. But until recently, its use was limited to males.

In the past few weeks, however, The Journal of American Medical Association released a publication, which studied the erectile-dysfunction drug and stated that Viagra use in women can lessen unfavorable sexual effects that may result from antidepressants.

And as expected, the sales of Viagra, which have pretty much remained stale for almost a decade, could increase after the news of this revelation was released to the public.

Researchers Probe Viagra Use For Women

The doctors who conducted the query, from the University of New Mexico School of Medicine, deduce that antidepressant regime-associated sexual dysfunction occurs in nearly thirty to seventy percent of patients who are seeking help for major depression. The JAMA passage said it is credible that no trial study has proven an adequate treatment for women suffering from sexual dysfunction resulting from antidepressant drugs.

And researchers revealed that comparatively twenty-eight percent of the women who were administered Viagra showed no improvement, likewise seventy-three percent of women taking a placebo. The study showed no grave adverse effects, however it was noted that up to forty-three percent of the women who took Viagra complained of headaches. Researchers stated that this was worrisome.

The authors recognized women suffer from excessive depressive disorder at almost double the rate of men and also suffer more subsequent sexual dysfunction. The researchers noted that by focusing treatment on the treatment-associated issue it could reduce the likelihood of these women prematurely discontinuing the medication use and increase the possibility of improving the depression disease management.

Pfizer, the world's largest drug producer when measured by sales worldwide, has been battling substantial generic competition that exists for its most widely purchased drugs.

What Can Cause Women's Lack of Sexual Interest?

A woman's deficient sexual enthusiasm is frequently tied to her relationship with her companion, according to Sandra Lieblum, who is the professor for sexual and marital health at the UMDNJ Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in Piscataway, N.J. Lieblum states that women's sexual desire lies in the area between her ears. While men need an occasion for having sex — women need a reason and this evokes the importance of sexual interest for women. But disinterest in sex for women can also be set in motion by family concerns, sickness or death, monetary or job worries, childcare roles, managing a career and children, prior or existing physical and emotional abuse, tiredness and sadness.

Actually, female sexual dysfunction is more often than not psychologically, instead of physically established. Women's desire to have sex is often not due to genital arousal, according to Cindy Meston, assistant professor of clinical psychology at the University of Texas at Austin. Meston continues by stating that she does not think there is an aphrodisiac that will shape women's desire to have sex all of the time.

Physical Issues That Reduce Women's Sexual Desire

Lieblum at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in New Jersey also stated that the causes could be physical, such as hypertension, heart disease, cancer, diabetes, thyroid disorders, neurological diseases and autoimmune disorders like lupus can all evoke a reduction in women's neglect of sexual desire. Additional factors fall under the umbrella of prescriptions drug usage, above all anti-hypertensive and depression medication, including over-the-counter medications and illegal drugs and alcohol misusage.

Is the Use of Viagra by Women Oversimplified?

At New York University School of Medicine, psychologist Leonore Tiefer stated that "industry-funded" studies such as this might oversimplify a women's sexual desire. She stated that the new investigation, which was funded by a Pfizer grant, discovered more side effects than benefits.

Other Studies Involving Antidepressants and Sexual Desire

A previously conducted study involving men who follow an antidepressant regimen discovered more pronounced sexual benefits with Viagra than the benefits found for women, according to senior study author Dr. George Nurnberg, who is a leading psychiatrist at the University of New Mexico School of Medicine in Albuquerque.

But the point is that both men and women who require antidepressants and suffer from sexual disinterest may benefit from Viagra, he said. Nurnberg continued that this issue is not about a lifestyle need, but instead about a medical necessity. The drug company, Pfizer, had little or no influence on the design or results of the study, according to Nurnberg. He and many of the other authors disclosed financial ties to Pfizer and varied drug makers.

Women, Antidepressants and Viagra

Women who suffer from sexual side effects during an antidepressant regimen are nearly three times more likely to abruptly stop taking SRIs, serotonin reuptake inhibitors, as are other women on these antidepressants, earlier research showed. And women who participated in the new study continued with their regimen of SRI antidepressants during the eight-week test period. Some SRIs consist of medications such as Prozac, Paxil, Zoloft, Lexapro, Celexa and Anafranil.

Study Reviews Mixed

Clinical psychologist and director of the Kinsey Institute at Indiana University, Julia Heiman, noted that this study was somewhat small with important but moderate effects. It doesn't disclose a broad new prototype for women who have sexual troubles. Within this group of women, this avenue could be somewhat helpful, and could be sufficient to make a change.

Pink Viagra and Women's Health

Meantime, various other studies persist to search for a "pink Viagra," centering on women's prescription usage for testosterone patches, a combination estrogen-testosterone dosage of an antidepressant that acts differently from the SRIs.

If you have questions about women and Viagra, consult your physician for a more detailed health analysis.

Scientists Probe Physical Exercise and Alzheimer's Disease Progression

Can Physical Exercise Decreases Alzheimer's Disease Progression?

It has long been known that physical exercise is a pro-active way to maintain health, but recent studies have indicated that exercise has a health benefit for elderly people that may be plagued with Alzheimer's disease. In spite of the fact that Alzheimer's disease has no known cure, it has been suggested by researchers that physical exercise decreases Alzheimer's progression.

Physical exercise appears to reduce the development of Alzheimer's disease according to a recent study released by the Journal of Neurology. The study conducted showed that elderly people who were more sedentary showed four times more indications of brain shrinkage than those who were physically active.

The ramifications of the study were in line with various studies, which discovered that exercising cuts the chances of developing dementia, a chronic disorder or injury of the brain, which can lead to memory disorders. In the study conducted by the Journal of Neurology, one hundred and twenty-one seniors were asked to exercise on treadmills and then their peak oxygen consumption levels were documented. This was done because the peak oxygen level is often used as a benchmark to measure cardio respiratory fitness.

The debate exists and at issue is the possibility that there is a connection amid low cardio respiratory fitness levels and Alzheimer's disease such that an underlying state of health favors both conditions. Researchers probed the possibility that greater brain volumes in people with more cardio strength may not possibly be directly linked to exercising. There is also the chance that Alzheimer's itself causes lower cardio respiratory fitness.

The Human Brain - A Marvel

The human brain is capable of constantly adjusting and regulating itself. Indeed, also in the elderly, the human brain can gain strength by producing new neurons. Uncompromising mental descent is usually a result of disease, while beyond compare age-related losses in memory or motor skills comparatively result from inaction and a lack of mental work or stimulation. Researchers call this the "use it or lose it" theory.

Moderate Physical Exercise Impacts Alzheimer Patients

An unparalleled method of reducing the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease is via physical exercise. By kicking off and maintaining a consistent exercise program, one can actually reduce chances of developing the disease. This is difficult for many, however, because of the demands and responsibilities of modern life. For example, many people work in an office forty hours a week, manage a household, and often do not get enough sleep. The positive message from researchers is that in order to benefit mental activity, physical activity does not necessarily need to be extremely strenuous or constitute a big time commitment. The major point is that although moderate exercise can benefit mental capacity, it is necessary that it be done on a consistent basis.

By strengthening the heart, exercise increases blood flow to the brain, which increases tolerance to exercise, prunes body weight, and lowers blood pressure. In addition, exercise lowers the bad cholesterol (LDL) and raises good cholesterol (HDL) with the added benefit of increasing sensitivity to insulin, which reduces likelihood of developing a disease that could negatively affect brain function.

Research Points to Exercise and Brain Health

Moderate Alzheimer's disease patients with greater physical fitness had larger brains in comparison to those with mild Alzheimer's disease that are more sedentary, according to a research study released in the July 15, 2008 publication of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. The study documented brain scans of Alzheimer's disease patients after fitness exercise tests. Among the group, nearly half were in the pre-stages of Alzheimer's disease and the remaining patients did not have dementia.

The study was conducted by Jeffrey M. Burns, MD, at the University of Kansas School of Medicine who is also a member of the American Academy of Neurology. Dr. Burns stated that people with mild pre-Alzheimer's disease who were also less physically active had four times more shrinkage of the brain in comparison to patients who were physically active.

The consequences were the same despite the level of physical activity, the patient's age and gender or dementia severity. There was no relationship between higher fitness levels and brain changes in the group of people without dementia. Patients with a mild case of Alzheimer's may possibly be able to preserve brain health longer by maintaining a mild but consistent exercise program. Further, Dr. Burn's said, this study is one of the primary research studies to examine the complex bond between exercise and brain performance.

Dr. Burns continued by emphasizing that people should be careful when trying to unscramble the results of these studies because scientists surveyed the benchmark statistics of fitness one patient and one point at a time.

Mild Exercise Probed as a Means to Counter Dementia

What type of physical activity is recommended?

Modest physical activity, which ranges from around thirty minutes a day, is recommended. If there are any health issues or concerns, then it is highly recommended that a professional health care advocate be consulted prior to beginning any new exercise regimen.

Conclusion

Although the scientists brought to light an important relationship between Alzheimer's and exercise, a markedly important point of the results show that vascular dementia, which is the second most frequent type of the disease, were shown to have been impacted by increased yet moderate physical exercise.

News Reports: Red Wine and Health

Red Wine Could Lower Chances of Heart Disease

Over the past several decades, scientific reports and studies have been released in educational journals which address the question of whether or not drinking alcohol, specifically red wine, is linked to extended life span because of lower incidences of heart disease. Some researchers have suggested that there are health benefits associated with red wine. Others are examining the potential benefits of components in red wine such as flavonoids and other antioxidants in reducing the risk of heart disease. Some scientists argue, on the other hand, that the link published in many of these studies may be due to other cultural and lifestyle factors instead of alcohol consumption. Some factors, for example, may involve additional physical activity and a diet with considerable higher levels of fruits and vegetables. Also, lower saturated fast in the diet may have a considerable influence on these studies regarding the effect of red wine and the risk of developing heart disease or stroke.

Healthy Red Wine

A diet rich with resveratrol, especially for those within the age range in the mid thirty's and forty's, has been shown to provide heart benefits as well as other health benefits such as strong bones and healthy eyesight as demonstrated with a lower incidence of cataracts, according to scientists.

This theory was supported by a recent study, which involved mice. The mice that were in their middle age were fed a diet supplemented with resveratrol and they showed considerable improvement in health compared to the mice that were not fed the resveratrol-supplemented diet.

The study found that daily intake of the compound resveratrol improves the quality of life in middle-aged mice. Despite that, the age-benefits of resveratrol were similar to those previously linked to adhering to a rigorous calorie-restricted diet, which raised hopes for a more simple and desirable way to fight off age-related decline. Indeed, restricting caloric intake is not a lifestyle that many people prefer, while red wine consumption seems to some as a more attractive option.

Red Wine and Antioxidants

Red wine is an especially rich origin of antioxidants and many studies have revealed a cause for the positive effects of red wine - resveratrol and flavonoids. Resveratrol, which is prominent in grape skins, grape seeds and blueberries as well as the curst of peanuts and walnuts, has been documented as a factor that increases HDL cholesterol - which prevents blood from clotting. Meanwhile, flavonoids have been shown to exhibit antioxidant resources which help to prevent blood clots and dangerous plaque formation in the arteries.

Scientists Probe Red Wine Health Benefits

A study conducted at Harvard Medical School led by De Cabo and David A. Sinclair recently published their findings in the July issue of Cell Metabolism. The results lead credence to the theory that suggests resveratrol found in red wine can actually slow the aging process in men and minimize the chances of developing heart disease. David Sinclair contends that the study showed health can be increased and life span can be lengthened.

Additional studies were conducted at the National Institute of Aging as part of the National Institute of Health as a continuance to a previous study in 2006 which showed that resveratrol improved health and longevity of overweight mice. The continuance study reported support for the theory that the compound had similar effects as calorie restriction, which to date is one of the most sure way documented to alleviate diseases which are age-related.

How Much Red Wine is Healthy?

One glass of red wine daily can establish benefits, according to the study. And moderation is the key. Pregnant women, however, should never drink alcohol in any form.

Other Benefits to Health

In addition to being called an age-defying chemical which can reduce heart disease, resveratrol has been linked to a reduction in breast cancer by suppressing the creation of tumor cells and production. Breast cancer is the most prevalent type of cancer in women, afflicting nearly forty-five thousand women per year in the UK.

Resveratrol and Breast Cancer

Resveratrol is a chemical that actually blocks the way that oestrogen joins with the DNS in women's bodies to create cancer, specifically breast cancer.

Red Wine Compound Slows Aging Process In Men

Researchers suggest that a glass a day of red wine can help slow down the aging process in men, as well as improving their quality of life.

Not all Studies Show Positive Health Benefits

Studies also show that alcohol may increase triglycerides, a blood lipid which is not beneficial to health and can have the side effect of weight gain due to the empty calories. And some studies indicate that alcohol consumption may lead to an increased risk in cancer.

A study released by The American Heart Association indicates that people who do not already drink alcohol should not start. If, on the other hand, you already drink alcohol, do so in moderation. The Association recommends one to two glasses per day for men and only one glass per day for women. Again, it is stressed that pregnant women should not drink alcohol under any circumstance.

Consult a Health Professional

If you have any concerns about the health benefits of red wine, it is recommended that you consult a health care professional for a private consultation. And check back each week for more health, science news.