Endorphins in male impotence: Evidence for naltrexone stimulation of erectile activity in patient therapy

doi:10.1016/0306-4530(89)90059-0

Psychoneuroendocrinology

Volume 14, Issues 1–2, 1989, Pages 103-111

https://doi.org/10.1016/0306-4530(89)90059-0 Get rights and content

Abstract

In the present study we evaluated whether naltrexone administration could stimulate sexual function in 30 male patients, ages 25 to 50 years, with idiopathic impotence of at least one year's duration and not of organic etiology.

The patients received naltrexone (50 mg/day) or placebo, on a random basis for two weeks. Sexual performance, expressed as the number of full coitus/week, was assessed before (time 0) and during (on days 7 and 15) each treatment. The naltrexone therapy significantly increased the number of successful coitus compared to placebo after 7 and 15 days of treatment: improvement of sexual performance was evident in 11 out of the 15 treated patients. All the patients experienced a significant increase in morning and spontaneous full penile erections/week. No significant side effects were reported. Endocrine studies revealed no significant modification of plasma LH, FSH or testosterone by naltrexone, suggesting that the positive effect of the drug on sexual behavior was exerted at a central level. A two-month follow-up, at which time patients were off treatment, erectile capacity had returned to baseline in 10 patients, while five reported complete recovery of their sexual ability.

We hypothesize that an alteration in central opioid tone is present in idiopathic impotence and is involved in the impairment of sexual behavior.

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ReportEndorphins in male impotence: Evidence for naltrexone stimulation of erectile activity in patient therapy

Abstract

Effect of testosterone undecanoate on sexual potency and the hypothalamic pituitary gonadal axis of impotent males

Arch Sex Behav

Inhibition of luteinizing hormone release by morphine and endogenous opiates in cultured pituitary cells

Endocrinology

Beta-endorphin: cellular localisation, electrophysiological and behavioral effects

Alpha-2-adrenergic and opiate receptor blockade

Arch Gen Psychiatry

A clinical study of “coital anxiety” in male potency disorders

Psychosom Res

Methadone dose and human sexual behavior

Int J Addict

Sexual behavior in heroin addiction and methadone maintenance

NY State J Med

Opiate receptor binding sites in human spinal cord

Brain Res

A double blind cross over trial of gonadotropin releasing hormone (LHRH) in sexually impotent men

Clin Endocrinol

Psychopathology and endorphins

Adv Biochem Psychopharm

Penile blood pressure in the evaluation of erectile impotence

Fertil Steril

Sistemi a radioligandi in endocrinologia

Physical exercise stimulates marked concomitant release of beta-endorphin and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) in peripheral blood in man

Experientia

Naloxone increases bioactive LH in men: evidence for selective release of early LH pool

J Endocrinol Invest

Induction of copulatory behavior in sexually inactive rats by naloxone

Science

Evidence against involvement of endorphins in sexual arousal and orgasm in man

Arch Gen Psychiatry

Vasculogenic impotence: role of the pelvic steal test

J Urol

Erectile function and naltrexone

Ann Intern Med

Sex and drugs in the 16th century

Br J Addict

Marital sexual dysfunction: erectile dysfunction

Arch Intern Med

Stress induced parallel changes in central opioid levels and pain responsiveness in the rat

Nature

Evidence that a benzodiazepine receptor mechanism regulates the secretion of pituitary beta-endorphins in rats

Endocrinology

Report
Endorphins in male impotence: Evidence for naltrexone stimulation of erectile activity in patient therapy