Viagra Question
A year or two ago, I read an article about a study that found that Viagra could help to prevent or at least delay the onset of type 2 diabetes. Is that true?
Answer
A small-scale study at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine found promising evidence that sildenafil citrate, Viagra’s active ingredient, can improve insulin sensitivity in both men and women who have been diagnosed as prediabetics.
A research team, led by Nancy J. Brown, M.D., a professor of medicine and pharmacology, recruited 42 prediabetic volunteers for the study. Half of the study participants were given 25 milligrams of sildenafil citrate three times daily, while the other half got a placebo.
At the conclusion of the three-month study period, those who were given sildenafil showed a 20% improvement in insulin sensitivity, compared with those who got a placebo. Although further study remains to be done, this study indicates that Viagra could delay the onset of type 2 diabetes or even prevent it altogether.