Testosterone and erectile dysfunction

The role of testosterone on sexual desire, interest and motivation is well established, but its effects on erectile function remain controversial. Animal data show that experimental or medical castration results in loss of the intracavernosal pressure, smooth muscle/connective tissue balance, and penile tissue concentration of nitric oxide synthase-containing nerves, which alter the fibroelastic properties of penile tissue compliance, leading to veno-occlusive dysfunction and therefore erectile dysfunction. Castration also induces apoptosis of penile erectile tissue, and new DNA synthesis is induced by treatment with testosterone. In an animal model of venogenic erectile dysfunction, intracavernous vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), in addition to testosterone, restores the smooth muscle/connective tissue balance, endothelial cell hypertrophy and hyperplasia and normalizes the diameter of the dorsal nerve fibres, thereby preventing veno-occlusive dysfunction. There is some evidence that treatment with testosterone may be beneficial to men with erectile dysfunction who have low baseline testosterone levels. Androgens may also control the expression and activity of phosphodiesterase type-5 (PDE-5) in the penile corpus cavernosum. Oral drug therapy with PDE-5 inhibitors fails in some patients with erectile dysfunction. However, when testosterone is used together with a PDE-5 inhibitor, sexual function is restored in these patients, creating the potential for pharmacological combination therapy with testosterone for the treatment of erectile dysfunction.