Giving a man a single injection of his own blood could be a new treatment for erectile dysfunction.
In a recent study, researchers gave the injection to men undergoing shockwave therapy (already used to help those suffering from erectile dysfunction (ED)) and found that it significantly increased their effectiveness.
Six weeks after receiving the combination treatment, the men, some of whom had had ED for as long as 19 years, reported that their sexual performance scores nearly doubled on average, compared with just 25 percent of those who received shockwave therapy alone.
Erectile dysfunction is often caused by a narrowing of the blood vessels supplying the penis, resulting in insufficient blood flow to achieve an erection. This can occur as a result of cardiovascular disease or diabetes, for example.
The theory is that growth factors stimulate the growth of new blood vessels, repair penile muscle cells, and reduce inflammation (a contributing factor to erectile dysfunction).
PRP injections are gaining popularity for conditions ranging from sports injuries to hair loss.
First-line treatment is with medications such as sildenafil (brand name Viagra), which improve blood flow to the penis.
But around a third of men find these drugs unhelpful. They are also not suitable for men taking heart medications that dilate blood vessels (as blood pressure could drop too low, for example).
Shockwave therapy (where painless shock waves are fired into the penis) is thought to help repair damaged tissue and blood vessels – it is not offered on the NHS but is available in private clinics.
A review in The American Journal of Men’s Health in 2022 found that the treatment worked best for moderate cases.
In the new trial, 160 men received either two sessions of shockwave therapy per week for six weeks, or shockwave therapy plus an injection of their own blood.
A blood sample was spun in a machine to produce platelet-rich plasma (PRP), which has a high concentration of growth factors, and then injected into the base of the penis at the start of the six-week trial.
PRP injections are gaining popularity for a variety of conditions, from sports injuries to hair loss.
The theory here is that growth factors stimulate the growth of new blood vessels, repair penile muscle cells, and reduce inflammation (a contributing factor to ED).
In addition to an improvement in symptoms, men who received the combination treatment significantly improved penile blood flow, compared with those who received shock waves alone, urologists at RUDN University in Moscow reported, writing in the journal European Urology Supplements earlier this year.
Testosterone levels also increased slightly in the combined group.
Previous research has found that PRP may also have an effect on hormone production.
Professor Raj Persad, consultant urologist at Bristol Urology Associates, described the new approach as “groundbreaking”, adding: “Testosterone drives male libido, while blood flow and nerve regulation are important for the ‘mechanics’ of erectile function. It will be interesting to see the long-term effects of this approach.”