Scientists have a reason to believe that erectile dysfunction and Viagra could now be the thing of the past. A new therapy where 20 million stem cells can be injected into the base of the penis is said to not only cure erection but also help in enlarging the manhood, something Viagra has not been able to achieve. Recent trials have suggested that the stem cells will help in invigorating the nerves and blood cells, which will pump more blood into the organ and even increase the size of the penis. More importantly, it will help sufferers break free from dependence on Viagra.

According to a report in the Sunday Times, the research was done primarily for men who have had their prostates removed because of cancer. The procedure leads to the degeneration of nerve cells and blood vessels in the penis, making it limp. Calling prostate cancer the most prevalent cancer in men, the study mentions that removal of the prostate results in erectile dysfunction and reduced quality of life. The current interventions, treatment with PDE-5 inhibitors don’t help in restoring the sex lives of men who have undergone prostatectomy. The research aimed to respond to this unmet medical needed. The study says that using stem cells derived from adipose or fat tissues can help in treating erectile dysfunction and that the treatment has shown promising results in the past.

The study enrolled 17 men suffering from erection dysfunction after prostate removal who had not responded to conventional therapy. The researchers used cells freshly isolated from fat tissues that were removed from the patient’s abdomen. The stem cells were then isolated by spinning the adipose in a centrifuge. They were then injected into the participants’ penis. How does lack of sleep cause erectile dysfunction?

Professor Søren Paludan Sheikh, director of the Danish Centre for Regenerative Medicine, extolled the virtues of the stem cells, saying that the cells can grow into any of the body’s main tissues, such as nerves, blood, kidney or heart. The cells will breathe life into the dead blood vessels and nerve cells of the penis, and help men regain their sexual functions even after a prostate removal surgery.

The data derived from the study suggests that a single intracavernous injection taken from fat cells is a safe and potentially effective treatment for ED after radical prostatectomy. It indicates that the therapy can restore erectile functions and such therapies may go on to restore the normal erectile function. But further studies will be required to find out about its other benefits.

(Reference: Safety and Potential Effect of a Single Intracavernous Injection of Autologous Adipose-Derived Regenerative Cells in Patients with Erectile Dysfunction Following Radical Prostatectomy: An Open-Label Phase I Clinical Trial)

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 14, 2018 04:15 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).