6 million Pinoys suffer from erectile dysfunction

Unhealthy and stressful lifestyles have taken a toll on the love life of the Pinoy macho as around six million Filipinos are now reportedly suffering from erectile dysfunction (ED) or impotence.

Dr. Jaime Songco, secretary of the Philippine Society of Urologic Oncology, said the figure was based on "post-marketing surveys" conducted by pharmaceutical companies dealing with ED.

Songco said that the lifestyle of Filipinos nowadays places them in conditions that affect their sexual functions.

"Diabetes is on the loose while hypertension is on the rise and these can cause erectile dysfunction," he noted. ED may also manifest itself among men with high cholesterol levels.

Citing the records of the World Health Organization (WHO), Songco maintained that ED is projected to affect 185 million worldwide by 2020. At present, the number of cases is pegged at 130 million.

Songco added that Southeast Asia topped the list of ED cases, presumably because of the social situation in the region.

The WHO estimates that Asia alone could account for 20 million ED cases by 2020.

Dr. Jose Albert Reyes III, president of the Philippine Society for the Study of the Aging Males Foundation Inc., said that aside from health concerns, there are social conditions that could lead to ED.

These include job-related stress and marital discord that could cause a man to be distracted and lose his ability to perform in bed.

Reyes dismissed the misconception that ED only affects the elderly, citing impotency related to juvenile diabetes. "Erectile dysfunction is associated with overall health and happiness," he said.

Reyes urged those who have sexually malfunctioned to consult a doctor because ED could cause depression, anxiousness and diminished self-confidence.

"The emotional and mental stress caused by erection problems can mean that men avoid intimate situations with partners," Reyes added.

He warned, however, that even Viagra — which goes by the generic name of sildenafil citrate — is no longer being spared by drug counterfeiters. Viagra is the first medicine used to successfully treat ED.

In 1991, Viagra was first developed by Nicholas Terret, known as the father of Viagra, to treat heart ailments. But three years later, the medicine was incidentally discovered to increase the blood flow to the penis, causing erection.

In 1991, the drug was formally approved by the United States’ Food and Drug Authority (FAD)as a treatment medicine for ED.

Health experts warned that unlike the authentic products, fake Viagra does not cause an erection. The side effects of the long-term use of counterfeit products, however, are not yet known.

Compared with legitimate tablets, fake Viagra is cheaper and comes in different colors and shapes. In some instances, the real product has the imprint VGR 100 while the counterfeit one has KGR 100.

A 50-milligram authentic Viagra tablet costs as much as P560.

Reyes said the public must exercise caution in buying medicines because fake products do not only cause and prolong illnesses but could also lead to death.

The WHO estimates that counterfeit drugs are now a $35-billion illegal business, accounting for six to 10 percent of the existing pharmaceutical products.

"Medicines are essential to the maintenance of health and survival of life… while counterfeit drugs are (a) threat to public health. We should always be careful in buying medicines," he added.