Off-Label Viagra Benefits in the Treatment of Crohn’s Disease
The majority of people view Viagra as the medication that is only effective for a single purpose, which is treating erectile dysfunction – the inability to achieve or maintain erections. While it is absolutely true that it is the most widely used drug to treat the mentioned problem, it may be a lot more effective than we suspect. Over the years, researchers have discovered amazing properties of Viagra, which allow it to be used to treat pulmonary hypertension, altitude sickness, Raynaud’s phenomenon, and now, potentially, Crohn’s disease. The reason why this drug is helpful in the abovementioned conditions is because it isn’t designed to exclusively trigger erections but it affects the blood circulation in the body, allowing more blood to be delivered to the genitals.
Crohn’s disease: what is it?
Crohn’s disease is referred to the chronic inflammation that leads to the formation of ulcers in any part of the gastrointestinal tract. The symptoms of this condition usually include diarrhea (which becomes bloody in untreated cases), fever, and abdominal pain. A lot of patients also experience weight loss, fatigue, and skin rashes. According to the research conducted by the professors of the University College London, this bowel disorder can be improved with the help of the famous Viagra.
Another factor that should be mentioned is that scientists disagree when it comes to the nature of the Crohn’s disease, as there are those that support the weak immune system theory and those who are on the opposite side and blame the overactive one. Suppressing immune system with the help of medication has been practiced for a while to treat Crohn’s disease, but, potentially, there is a better way to deal with the problem.
The role of the immunity problems
Crohn’s disease is an extremely painful and also dangerous condition that requires professional medical attention, which is why resorting to the self-treatment should never be an option. According to the most widely accepted theory of the development of Crohn’s disease, this condition is linked to the abnormal reactions of the immune system, which causes the occurrence of the injuries in the bowels. A person suffering from Crohn’s disease experience the penetration of the bowel contents to the walls, which means that a patient gets an inflammation as a result of the bacterial influence. Because of the immune system problems, the body doesn’t react in a normal way i.e. removing the bacteria but rather it allows it to fester in the bowel, making this condition chronic.
Researchers from the University College London, which are in favor of the weakened immune system theory, conducted several experiments by measuring the production of white blood cells in people diagnosed with Crohn’s disease and healthy individuals. The experiment involved injecting the killed gut bacteria into the arms of both people suffering from the condition and those who are not in order to see how the immune system would respond. As a result of this experiment, the UK researchers were able to conclude that the bodies of the Crohn’s patients produced a significantly lower number of proteins and white blood cells in the reaction to the inflammation when compared to healthy people. In such a way, people who are predisposed to developing Crohn’s disease are especially prone to developing this condition if their immune system is weak.
How can Viagra help those diagnosed with Crohn’s disease?
As it was already mentioned, Viagra is full of surprises so it’s likely that scientists will find more and more uses for this medication over the years. When it comes to the Crohn’s disease, the researchers of the University College London suspected that this ED medication, which promotes the increase in the blood circulation, can be helpful. The theory was tested by administering 50 mg of Viagra to ten patients suffering from Crohn’s disease after they were injected with the killed gut bacteria. Taking the pill of Viagra improved the flow of blood to the infected area, which is a desirable response when there is an inflammation in the body. At the same time, this theory requires more extensive testing to see whether the medication can be used effectively to ease the symptoms of the Crohn’s disease.
As with any potential use of the medication, including Viagra, it’s important to ensure extensive testing before starting to take the drug for the off-label purposes. Being a reliable and safe drug that can be taken for a long time, Viagra has a chance to become a great tool in treating other conditions that can be improved by the increase in the blood flow. Blood circulation problems are the cause of the numerous health problems, which is why it’s important to test Viagra properly to see if it can be useful elsewhere.