Viagra lowers dementia and Alzheimer's risk, British scientists find

Researchers first observed the positive impact of Viagra on reducing the risk of Alzheimer's disease two years ago.

The theory was confirmed recently in a new study by scientists from University College London. The study involved almost 270,000 men diagnosed with erectile dysfunction who hadn't previously reported cognitive issues.

The researchers concluded that men who were prescribed erectile dysfunction medication like Viagra and Cialis were 18 percent less likely to develop Alzheimer's disease.

Doctors also found that the correlation between the medications and a reduced risk of Alzheimer's disease was stronger among those prescribed them most frequently.

Further research is needed to confirm these findings, understand more about the potential benefits and mechanisms of these drugs, and explore the optimal dosage, stressed Dr. Ruth Brauer from University College London School of Pharmacy.

She also mentioned that further investigations are necessary to understand how the drugs influence both genders. Experts cautioned that at this point, the study's findings cannot confirm whether Viagra and similar medications protect against Alzheimer's disease, but they found the results promising.

Similar conclusions were drawn by scientists from the University of Oxford. "This signifies a substantial progress, as the repositioning of existing drugs to prevent dementia is a promising strategy," explained Dr. Ivan Koychev, a senior clinical researcher from the institution.