The abuse of drugs as seductive and dangerous as amphetamines has an effect on male sexual function, but it is not clear how specifically these affect men . Now, a new study carried out by a team of scientists from the National Yang-Ming University in Taipei (Taiwan) and the Shu-Te University of Kaohsiung (Taiwan) has wanted to deepen this aspect.
Although some type of amphetamine can be used effectively in the treatment of narcolepsy or ADHD, these stimulant drugs carry a high risk of addiction and abuse . Apart from medical complications, its side effects regarding sexual function have been studied previously: spontaneous erections after an injection, decreased libido, impaired ejaculation or difficulty reaching orgasm . However, these studies were limited either by a small sample or by unwanted variables such as the subjects taking more drugs than the study object.
To introduce some more light and scientific evidence into the relationship between amphetamines and sex, the researchers involved 1,159 participants taking amphetamines (and only amphetamines) and a control group of healthy men.
The results regarding their sexual functions were controversial: half of the users reported not having suffered any impairment in their sexual functions; the other half reported both positive and negative consequences: a reduction in erection rigidity, a greater intensity of orgasm, and a need for more time to ejaculate. What was common to all was erectile dysfunction.
” Compared to 211 control subjects, amphetamine users were twice as likely to suffer from erectile dysfunction, ” says study leader Bang-Ping Jiann.
The study has been published in The Journal of Sexual Medicine .
