Viagra, Cialis May Help Lower Alzheimer’s Risk, New Study Finds

Prescription drugs that enhance men’s sexual performance may also reduce their risk of the most common form of dementia.

In a new study, erectile dysfunction meds like Viagra, Cialis and Levitra were linked to lower odds of Alzheimer’s disease.

The study included about 270,000 men recently diagnosed with ED who had no signs of memory problems at the start.

After five years of monitoring, researchers found participants who took ED drugs were 18% less likely to develop Alzheimer’s.

And the findings held even after adjusting for age, alcohol consumption and smoking status.

The researchers stress this study does not prove cause-and-effect, though the results are promising.

One author says, “More research is needed to confirm these findings, learn more about the potential benefits and mechanisms of these drugs and look into the optimal dosage.”

She also says it’s important to include women in future investigations to see if the drugs have the same benefit for them.