Herbal Levitra

Many people with erectile dysfunction (ED) are interested in "herbal Levitra" as an alternative treatment for their condition. However, at this point, no supplements or herbs have been shown to be effective at treating erectile dysfunction. If you have erectile dysfunction, see your healthcare provider for a diagnosis. He or she can recommend treatment that is right for your particular situation.

An Overview of Herbal Levitra

Because of the high cost of Levitra^®(vardenafil HCL) and the fact that the drug is "not natural," there are many people looking for alternatives to Levitra. One alternative is "herbal Levitra." If you search the Internet for "herbal Levitra," you are bound to find many people selling products that claim to have similar effects to Levitra. However, at this point, no supplements or herbs have been shown to be effective at treating erectile dysfunction (ED). If you suffer from erectile dysfunction, visit your doctor so that the problem can be diagnosed. Your doctor can recommend treatment that is right for your particular situation.

 

Other Things to Consider Before Using an Herbal Levitra

Before taking an herbal medicine (including herbal Levitra), it is important to be informed about that particular herb -- the same way that you would want to be informed about a licensed prescription medicine you were taking. This is especially true for people with erectile dysfunction because, in many cases, they are taking other medicines that could interact in a negative way with an herbal supplement. Here are some things to keep in mind regarding any herbal medicine:

 

• The fact that an herbal supplement is labeled "natural" does not mean it is safe or without any harmful effects. For example, the herbs kava and comfrey have been linked to serious liver damage.
   
• Herbal supplements can act in the same way as drugs. Therefore, they can cause medical problems if not used correctly or if taken in large amounts. In some cases, people have experienced negative effects even though they followed the instructions on a supplement's label.
   
• If you use herbal supplements, it is best to do so under the guidance of a medical professional who has been properly trained in herbal medicine. This is especially important for herbs that are part of an alternative medical system, such as the traditional medicines of China, Japan, or India.
   
• In the United States, herbal and other dietary supplements are regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as foods. This means that they do not have to meet the same standards as drugs and over-the-counter medications for proof of safety, effectiveness, and what the FDA calls Good Manufacturing Practices.
   
• The active ingredient(s) in many herbs and herbal supplements are not known. There may be dozens, even hundreds, of such compounds in an herbal supplement. In fact, some herbal supplements have been found to be contaminated with metals, unlabeled prescription drugs, microorganisms, or other substances.
   

Many herbs have a long history of use and claimed health benefits. However, some herbs have caused health problems for users. If you are considering taking an herbal Levitra, talk with your healthcare provider. Together you can come up with a treatment plan that works for your particular situation.

Generic Levitra

There is currently no generic version of Levitra available. Levitra is protected by a patent that prevents any generic versions from being manufactured. However, it is expected that once Levitra goes off patent, several companies will start manufacturing a generic form of the drug. The first patent for Levitra currently expires in 2018.

An Overview of Generic Levitra

Levitra® (vardenafil HCL) is a prescription medicine that is licensed for treating erectile dysfunction (ED). Levitra is manufactured by Bayer Pharmaceuticals and is currently protected by a patent that prevents any generic Levitra from being manufactured. Yet, if you search the Internet for "generic Levitra," you may find a number of companies selling it. The fact is that these medicines are fake, substandard, and potentially dangerous. There may be generic Levitra available from another country, but there is really no way of knowing if you are getting genuine Levitra or not. You should not buy any generic Levitra until there is an approved generic available.

 

When Will There Be a Generic Version?

The first patent for Levitra currently expires in 2018. This is the earliest possible date that a generic version of Levitra could become available. However, there are other circumstances that could come up to extend the exclusivity period of Levitra beyond 2018. These circumstances could include such things as other patents for specific Levitra uses or lawsuits. Once Levitra goes off patent, there may be several companies that manufacture a generic Levitra drug.

 

Is Vardenafil HCL a Generic Levitra?

No. Vardenafil HCL is the active ingredient in Levitra, not a generic version of the drug. Although people often refer to a drug's active ingredient as its "generic name," the generic name of a drug is different than a generic version of it. In order for there to be a generic version of a medicine, the original medicine must have gone off patent, and another company (besides the original manufacturer) must have made the product.

HOW DOES LEVITRA WORK?

Like Viagra and Cialis, Levitra is a phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitor (PDE-5). All of these drugs function in essentially the same way. In smooth muscle cells, cGMP (cyclic guanosine monophosphate) mediates smooth muscle relaxation. The more cGMP, the more the muscles can relax, the more blood can flow in, and the better the erection. PDE-5 breaks down cGMP, so PDE-5 inhibitors like Levitra keep this from happening, helping to maintain high levels of cGMP.

Levitra's strong point is that it is very selective in attacking PDE-5 without affecting other isoenzymes. This allows a smaller dose of Levitra to have the same effect as a larger dose of Viagra (an average Levitra dose is 10mg while an average Viagra dose is 50mg), even though the two drugs essentially function the same way.


Does Levitra Work Without Stimulation?



Many men wonder if Levitra works without any stimulation. The answer is no. This is because the chemicals that cause an erection are released only when a person is aroused. Levitra has no effect on these chemicals being released. It only keeps the chemicals in the penis longer.


How Long Does It Take for Levitra to Start Working?



Many men wonder, "How long do I have to wait for Levitra to work?" The amount of time it takes will vary depending on the individual. In clinical studies, Levitra began to work in most men in under an hour. It is generally recommended that you take Levitra an hour before sexual activity.

What will the future bring for erectile dysfunction?

Combination therapy for the treatment of erectile dysfunction has been under investigation. Most of these studies have been small trials, and long-term data regarding their effectiveness and safety are lacking. However, with thorough evaluation and counseling, there may be a use for combination therapy for certain individuals with ED.

Yohimbine is an older medication used for erectile dysfunction, but the data to support its effectiveness remain mixed. In practice, clinicians sometimes choose yohimbine in the setting of psychogenic erectile dysfunction.

Melanocortin receptor agonists are a new set of medications being developed in the field of erectile dysfunction. Their action is on the nervous system rather than the vascular system. PT-141 is a nasal preparation which appears to be effective alone or in combination with PDE5 inhibitors. The main side effects include flushing and nausea. These drugs are currently not approved for commercial use.

Several other medications are being studied for treating erectile dysfunction; these include IC351 (another PDE5 inhibitor), sublingual apomorphine, and the combination of yohimbine and L-arginine. Scientists also are researching gene therapy to treat erectile dysfunction.

Erectile Dysfunction At A Glance

Erectile dysfunction (ED), also known as impotence, is the inability to achieve or sustain an erection for satisfactory sexual activity.

Erectile dysfunction is common; experts have estimated that erectile dysfunction affects 30 million men in the Untied States.

The causes of erectile dysfunction include aging, high blood pressure, diabetes mellitus, cigarette smoking, atherosclerosis, depression, nerve or spinal cord damage, medication side effects, alcoholism or other substance abuse, and low testosterone levels.

Erectile dysfunction is treatable in all age groups.

Treatments include psychotherapy, adopting a healthy lifestyle, oral PDE5 inhibitors (Viagra, Levitra, and Cialis), intraurethral medications, intracavernosal injections, vacuum devices, surgery, and working with doctors to avoid medications that can impair erectile function.

New research is ongoing in the field of erectile dysfunction to find more improved and effective therapies.

Erectile Dysfunction Raises Red Flag for Heart Disease

Apress releaseby the American College of Cardiology (ACC) reveals that erectile dysfunction may mean more than a troubled romance. According to two new studies of men with type-2 diabetes, erectile dysfunction is a very strong indicator of heart disease. Published in theJournal of the American College of Cardiology (JACC)in May, the research makes clear the need for men with erectile dysfunction to not only get treatment to surmount their sexual difficulties but also for the related cardiovascular issues.

This is a matter to be taken seriously. "The development of erectile dysfunction should alert both patients and healthcare providers to the future risk of coronary heart disease," advised Peter Chun-Yip Tong, Ph.D., an associate professor in the Department of Medicine & Therapeutics at The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Hong Kong. "Other risk factors such as poor blood glucose control, high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, smoking and obesity should be reviewed and addressed aggressively," he added.

Men usually experience erectile dysfunction more than three years before coronary heart disease rears it head. Diabetes, erectile dysfunction, and heart disease are all related to damage of the blood vessels caused by high blood sugar levels. Men should be aware that if the blood flow required for maintaining an erection isn't happening, this could mean even more severe consequences for the heart.

In one Hong Kong-based study involving 2,306 men with type-2 diabetes, slightly more than one fourth of the subjects had erectile dysfunction at the start of the study, and none of the participants had any signs or history of heart disease, stroke or vascular disease. After four years, 123 of these men either experienced a heart attack, died from heart disease, developed chest pain caused by clogged arteries, or needed bypass surgery or a catheter procedure to restore blood flow to the heart. Men who had erectile dysfunction at the beginning of the study were much more likely to experience one of these coronary heart disease (CHD) events. A statistical analysis revealed that out of every 1,000 diabetic men with erectile dysfunction, 19.7 could be expected to experience a CHD event each year, as compared to only 9.5 of 1,000 diabetic men without erectile dysfunction. After a complete analysis of many other factors, the study concluded that erectile dysfunction is an early warning sign for heart disease and that it indicated a 58% increase in the risk for CHD.

In a second study based in Italy, researchers from four medical centers recruited 291 men who had both type-2 diabetes and silent CHD discovered by stress testing and confirmed by x-ray angiography. Of these subjects, 118 had erectile dysfunction at the beginning of the study. The study subjects were followed for four years with all instances of major adverse coronary events (MACE) documented. Results of the study indicated that those who had erectile dysfunction at the beginning of the study were twice as likely to experience a major adverse coronary event. This particular study also happened to conclude that taking a cholesterol-lowering statin drug reduced the risk for an adverse major coronary event by one third.

While many doctors may use this to try to push statins and other drugs on patients, there are many natural approaches that include dietary changes, quitting smoking, and exercise that can be tried to lower cholesterol and blood pressure and improve heart health without the awful side effects of medications. Unfortunately, guys who smoke cigarettes generally aren't "smokin' hot" in the boudoir due to the fact that smoking increases the risk of coronary heart disease and the build-up of those fatty substances in the arteries that can lead to erectile dysfunction, according to anarticleby the American Heart Association. Concerning drugs that treat erectile dysfunction, pharmacist Suzy Cohen cautions in her nationally-syndicatedcolumnthat sometimes the reason for erectile dysfunction is that men have too much estrogen in their cells which can't be solved by male enhancement pills. She jokingly compares using these pills in this situation to a guy jump-starting his car every two miles when he really needs a new battery!

Of course, there are certain side effects of traditional medications that guys should discuss with their doctors. For example, in her bookThe 24-Hour Pharmacist, an excellent read, Suzy Cohen notes that a decreased sex drive is a common side effect of many medications which include statin cholesterol drugs and almost all blood pressure medications. If the wifey is unhappy about the erectile dysfunction, she's just going to be thrilled about the lack of libido.

The good news is that there is no reason that a man in good physical condition can't enjoy sex at least into his nineties and experience passion hotter than a Pablo Nerudapoem. In anarticlecalled "An Affair to Remember" featured atSlate.comby Melinda Henneberger, it is reported that an 82-year-old woman was caught orally pleasuring her 95-year-old boyfriend at an assisted living facility. Since both people suffered from a bit of dementia, the son of the older gentleman decided to remove his father from the facility to break up the torrid love affair. Afterward, the grieving woman lost twenty one pounds, was treated for depression and was then hospitalized for dehydration. Ain't love grand?

Learn more:http://www.naturalnews.com/024116_erectile_dysfunction_disease_heart.html#ixzz1jjQ366Dm