Blueberries and red wine can boost sex life

Blueberries may only be a tiny fruit, but having a handful of this sweet and nutritious ‘superfood’ each day has long been known to potentially have huge benefits for the body, working to neutralise free radicals linked to the development of cancer, cardiovascular disease, and other age-related conditions.

Blueberries are actually believed to be comprised of the largest antioxidant capacity of all commonly consumed fruits and vegetables, and if new research is anything to go off, washing them down with a glass of red wine could be nearly as effective for treating erectile dysfunction as the little blue pill Viagra!

The new study by researchers at the University of East Anglia and Harvard University claims that snacking on fruit can improve sexual function as much taking brisk walks for 5 hours per week, in particularly due to the natural compounds called flavonoids and anthycyanins. Combining both walking and a flavonoid rich diet is even better, reducing erectile dysfunction by 21%.

The compounds can be found in blackberries, blackcurrants, blueberries cherries, radishes and citrus fruits contain chemicals called flavanones and flavones, which have a similar benefit. According the the findings of the study, the flavonoids contained in these fruits can help to ease male impotence by as much as 14%.

Lead researcher Professor Aedin Cassidy, from the University of East Anglia, said: “We already knew that intake of certain foods high in flavonoids may reduce the risk of conditions including diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

“This is the first study to look at the association between flavonoids and erectile dysfunction, which affects up to half of all middle-aged and older men.

“Flavonoids are present in many plant-based foods and drinks including fruits, vegetables, tea, herbs and wine.”

The findings were published on Wednesday in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, and involved monitoring the health of over 50,000 middle-aged men from 1986 onwards. Data on their dietary intake was taken after every 4 year period.

Factors were taken into account, such as weight, the amount of exercise participants engaged in, how much caffeine each person consumed, and if they were smokers. Only men who were otherwise in generally good health were actually tracked for the study.

Over a third of the men stated they had suffered erectile dysfunction, but it was discovered that people with a diet rich in anthocyanins, flavones and flavanones were less at risk of experiencing impotence.

Professor Cassidy said: “The top sources of anthocyanins, flavones and flavanones consumed in the U.S. are strawberries, blueberries, red wine, apples, pears, and citrus products. We also found that the benefits were strongest among younger men.”

Dr Eric Rimm, a professor of epidemiology and nutrition at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, added: “As well as improving sexual health for middle-aged men, there is another important benefit linked to heart health.

“Erectile dysfunction is often an early barometer of poor vascular function and offers a critical opportunity to intervene and prevent cardiovascular disease, heart attack and even death.

“Men with erectile dysfunction are likely to be highly motivated to make healthier lifestyle choices, such as exercising more and eating the right foods – which would greatly benefit their long-term cardiovascular health as well.”

Overall, Citrus fruits, blueberries and red wine are all believed to have significant benefit to men under the age of 70.

‘Female Viagra’ Addyi (Flibanserin) hits the American market

American women rejoiced on Saturday 17^th October after the commonly touted ‘female Viagra’ finally launched in the United States.

Addyi (known generically as Flibanserin) finally received the required approval from the Food and Drug Authority (FDA) on 18 August, albeit reluctantly, with the little pink pill previously facing two rejections on account of concerns about just how effective it was and any potential side effects – especially when alcohol is consumed.

The FDA have strongly warned that women should never drink alcohol while taking Addyi as the risk of fainting is high. This also poses a higher risk for drivers.

However, women that have lost their sexual desire can now go to their doctor and ask for Addyi (it is available on prescription only), and should find that they will be quizzed about their current method of birth control, prescribed medications, relationship with their partner, as well as if they have previously suffered from depression or other mental health problems.

The National Institute of Health claim that around 40% of women in America suffer from female sexual dysfunction, but Addyi is targeted at the estimated 10% of premenopausal women – around 16 million American women – who suffer from hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD). HSDD is characterised as a constant lack of sexual thoughts and interest in sexual activity, resulting in a state of distress and cannot be explained by another medical condition or substance, such as anxiety or relationship issues.

Addyi becomes the first pill-based treatment of any type of low sexual desire, and many women will be unaware it has launched. Moreover, American women will not be inundated with advertisements on television, radio, print or digital advertising for at least 18 months.

The drug’s manufacturer’s – Sprout Pharmaceuticals - has agreed to forgo all paid advertising for more than a year to slightly ease the FDA’s worries about Addyi’s safety.

The promise to FDA will not prevent Sprout from promoting Addyi via various other popular mediums, with Sprout’s eagerness to engage with women through social media, in addition to holding interviews with media outlets and other influential organisations, demonstrating a new way forward for pharmaceutical marketing strategy.

“I think what they’re doing is pretty clever, actually,” Dan Leinweber, president at a boutique PR firm called Leinweber Associates, said. “This is a much less costly way to get their word out in a much more credible way.”

Widely popular erectile dysfunction treatment Viagra also happened to be a completely new treatment within a new class of sexual medicine upon its introduction to the world back in 1998. In the subsequent 17 years, ‘the little blue pill’ Viagra has easily become one of the most heavily advertised drugs in the world, bringing in massive amounts of profit for its maker Pfizer. An incredible $232 million was spent on advertising Viagra by Pfizer in 2014, and Viagra brought in a record $2 billion in revenue in 2012.

Thus far, it remains to be seen if Sprout will begin to look at the UK and other European countries for a release of Addyi, with no word yet on their future plans for the drug. Before any drug is sold in Britain though, it has to receive a license from the European Medicines Agency. Keep checking the Medical Specialists® Pharmacy website for further updates.

Forged Viagra prescription lands conman with fine and suspended prison sentence

A clumsy man learned the hard way that forging prescriptions does not pay, although his careless actions landed him with £85 costs, a £80 victim surcharge and he was also sentenced to four months in prison, suspended for a year.

Mahfooz Ulhaq, 45, of Aspley Park Drive, Aspley, attempted to add the popular erectile dysfunction medication Viagra to his two prescriptions for other drugs. The somewhat ludicrous mistakes made it immediately obvious though that something was suspicious to the sceptical pharmacists.

Not only had Ulhaq tried to scribble something resembling his doctor’s handwriting – and failing miserably – but he had comically misspelt Viagra and had actually scribbled “100ml” instead of the correct dosage of 100mg. As most people know, Viagra is manufactured in a tablet form, shaped like a diamond, and is often referred to as ‘the little blue pill’.

Falsifying prescriptions for prescription-only medication is no laughing matter however, and Ulhaq’s suspended prison sentence reflects this.

Ulhaq stood up in the dock at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court and admitted the two charges of making false prescriptions with the intention of gaining pharmaceutical drugs.

Neil Hollett, prosecuting, described how Ulhaq had first attempted to obtain the drugs from the City Hospital’s outpatients’ pharmacy and failing that, then from a nearby Boots pharmacy.

“On the first occasion a member of staff brought to the attention of the pharmacist that the defendant was back to collect some medication he already had,” he said.

“They could see the doctor’s handwriting had been overwritten and other medication added on the prescription. It also contained spelling errors. It was shown to the doctor who had prescribed it and found to be fraudulently altered.”

Mr Hollett also commented how another member of staff had said Ulhaq asked for disguised bottles to be used in the dispending of his medication as ‘he didn’t want his family knowing what he was diagnosed with’.

The second attempted acquisition of Viagra saw Ulhaq drop off a prescription and say he would be back the next day to collect his medication.

However, upon closer inspection of the prescription given by Ulhaq, the member of staff noticed a glaring error – it stated 100ml instead of 100mg (an actual Viagra dosage). “They believed it had been altered”, said Mr Hollett.

The next day when Ulhaq returned to collect his medication he was met with a firm refusal after the prescribing doctor had confirmed suspicions that the inclusion of Viagra had indeed been falsified.
Unsurprisingly, Ulhaq was arrested, admitting to police he had written on both prescriptions but bizarrely claimed he had no intention of getting the Viagra.

His excuse was flimsy at best, claiming he had lost another prescription and had written on those ones to remind himself what had been on there.

Chris Brewin, in mitigation, said: “Mr Ulhaq is extremely unwell. He has spinal problems which affect his mobility. Daily life for Mr Ulhaq is extremely difficult. He was prescribed Viagra but what happened was the separate prescription became soiled, and the solution was to add Viagra to another prescription. He knows this was wrong. He is very disappointed to find himself back before the court.”

Magistrate Patricia Boyce-Forgenie concluded: “It is very serious. You are on a lot of medication and do not know how Viagra would have interacted with the other medication. It was very risky thing to do.”