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Viagra Is Linked to Almost 70% Lower Risk of Alzheimer's

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Re: Viagra Is Linked to Almost 70% Lower Risk of Alzheimer's

#72
post #65

It's the third option: I guess we all know it's not the viagra, but I would suggest it's also not the sex but rather what is associated with a lifestyle that includes the potential for sex: a lifestyle with connection, a partner and possibly friends. A bigger social group is pretty tightly related to better health outcomes

The neurological effect of physical intimacy are probably second to none.. surely it triggers a massive positive side effect on your neurons everytime it happens.

Re: Viagra Is Linked to Almost 70% Lower Risk of Alzheimer's

#73
post #51

Earlier quoted context omitted.

do people who use viagra have a lower sex drive or simply erectile disfunction? after all they go and buy viagra and then do have sex. it's not like they pop viagra to have the urge to have sex, right?

Correct, it helps with blood flow, not libido. Although of course there could be a psychological component to it.

That's a question I'm deeply interested in. The pre biomechanical aspects of sexuality. I found some niche papers about somatosensory and self/other perceptions but not much.

Re: Viagra Is Linked to Almost 70% Lower Risk of Alzheimer's

#76
My hypothesis is that this might be indirectly related to the drug. Because sex increases blood circulation to the whole body, including the brain, this circulation helps the brain cells. Taking Viagra regularly for sexual pleasure has this positive side-effect of regular blood flow to the brain, thus reducing the chances of damage to the cells.

Re: Viagra Is Linked to Almost 70% Lower Risk of Alzheimer's

#77

My hypothesis is that this might be indirectly related to the drug. Because sex increases blood circulation to the whole body, including the brain, this circulation helps the brain cells. Taking Viagra regularly for sexual pleasure has this positive side-effect of regular blood flow to the brain, thus reducing the chances of damage to the cells.

There are many correlative factors associated with taking viagra. The fact that older people that take viagra have a partner introduces a myriad of lifestyle differences. Being sexual active is another myriad of differences.

Of all the studies I've seen recently, this one scream Correlation != Causation.

Re: Viagra Is Linked to Almost 70% Lower Risk of Alzheimer's

#78
post #51

Correlation not [necessarily] causation! Lots of people suggesting having sex might be a prophylactic but also consider that a lower "sex drive" might also be a factor here. We don't know because we're looking at insurance claim data. You only see links. And only in people with insurance! You have to go much further to show causation.

do people who use viagra have a lower sex drive or simply erectile disfunction? after all they go and buy viagra and then do have sex. it's not like they pop viagra to have the urge to have sex, right?

Some even have too high of a sex drive and as a result it slowly makes them less sensitive to normal intercourse.

Re: Viagra Is Linked to Almost 70% Lower Risk of Alzheimer's

#79

Misleading title: "Notably, we found that sildenafil use reduced the likelihood of Alzheimer's in individuals with coronary artery disease, hypertension, and type 2 diabetes,..."

Reading that I think of general improvement on oxygen levels as a side effect which would be a link to Alzheimer.
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