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Erectile Dysfunction
Prelox
®
for Improvement of Erectile Quality
Steven Lamm
Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine, New York University School of Medicine
Abstract
Sexual desire typically persists when men grow older although their ability to attain and maintain erections sufficient to permit satisfactory
sexual intercourse gradually declines. Decreasing erectile quality is a common age-related problem affecting the lives of both men and their
partners. Lifestyle plays an important role in the onset of erectile quality problems, and timely improvements such as a healthier diet and
exercise may significantly slow the progression to erectile dysfunction with increasing age. Essentially, all cardiovascular risk factors –
including hypertension, dyslipidaemia, hyperglycaemia, obesity and cigarette smoking – impair endothelial function, which in turn directly
translates into declining erectile function. In this regard a man’s penis does indeed represent a barometer indicating his cardiovascular health
status. Once endothelial function has declined to a point where its restoration is not feasible, pharmacological interventions with
phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE5) inhibitors may temporarily bypass physiological processes so that affected men may still enjoy sexual intercourse.
A timely intervention that helps to restore endothelial function will have the advantage of preserving a man’s ability to spontaneously respond
to sexual arousal. Prelox
®
, a patented complex formulation consisting of Pycnogenol
®
and L-arginine aspartate, has been demonstrated in
four clinical trials to naturally restore healthy erectile quality in men presenting with moderate erectile problems. Pycnogenol, a key
component of Prelox, was shown in human pharmacological studies to act as a catalyst on endothelial nitric oxide (NO) synthase for amplified
synthesis of NO, the initial mediator for triggering an erection. Its combination with the enzyme’s substrate, L-arginine, synergistically increases
synthesis of NO, the key component involved in vasodilatation for improved blood flow to engorge the penis. According to reviewed clinical
trials, Prelox will help men with moderate erectile problems to regain healthy erectile function, greater confidence to initiate and sustain
erections and more frequent morning erections. As a result of higher intercourse frequency, men taking Prelox developed significantly higher
plasma testosterone values. Prelox is a safe, well-tolerated and efficacious treatment for mild to moderate cases of declining erectile quality.
Keywords
Erectile dysfunction, Prelox, L-arginine, erection problems, endothelial health
Disclosure: The author has no conflicts of interest to declare.
Received: 25 May 2009 Accepted: 21 July 2009
Correspondence: Steven Lamm, New York University School of Medicine, 550 First Avenue, New York, NY 10016, US. E:
SL10@nyu.edu
During the past two decades there has been a dramatic increase in suspected of vasculopathy until proved otherwise. Attempts at a
our understanding of the physiology of an erection, as well as of the healthier lifestyle involving diet, exercise, suitable supplements and
pathophysiology involved in the decline of erectile function. Men stress reduction have been argued to preserve healthy sexual
may suffer from erectile dysfunction (ED) as a result of psychogenic function and even improve erectile quality.
3
Decreasing erectile
factors, such as performance anxiety. Less common are quality with increasing age is not a fate men have to live with. From
endocrinological influences resulting from cases of hypogonadism the point of gradual declining erectile quality to the stage where
or hyperprolactinaemia. prescribed medication is required for compensation of insufficient
physiological function is a long stretch.
Observational and epidemiological evidence in recent years has
increasingly demonstrated a link between ED and typical Physiology of an Erection
cardiovascular risk factors. Vasculopathy is now recognised as the A penile erection is a transformation of penile tissue and vasculature
most common cause of organic ED. The role of the vascular system from a state of minimally perfused flaccidity into an engorged state.
is noteworthy as it is today generally accepted that impaired erectile Following erotic stimulation (visual, auditory, tactile or imaginary),
function results from disturbances of the vascular endothelium. This parasympathetic nerves transmit impulses to the cavernous body of
impairment of endothelial function typically develops from the penis. There the parasympathetic nerve fibres divide into two
vasculopathies such as hypertension, dyslipidaemia, hyperglycaemia different types of nerve terminal: cholinergic terminals and non-
and cigarette smoking.
1
Indeed, ED is considered one of the earliest adrenergic, non-cholinergic (NANC) terminals. The cholinergic nerve
manifestations of vascular disease. This fact has led authors to ends release acetylcholine, which stimulates endothelial nitric oxide
consider the penis as a ‘barometer’ indicating endothelial health synthase (eNOS) for enhanced synthesis of vascular nitric oxide (NO)
status.
2
A man presenting with impaired erectile function will be from L-arginine and O
2
, while the NANC terminals predominantly
70 © TOUCH BRIEFINGS 2009
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