Erectile Dysfunction

Efficacy of Alternative and Other Treatments According to GRADE* Ranking:

Six Flavor Tea (Liu Wei Di Huang Wan, Rehmannia Six) [1, 11, 12]:

Please note, this management does NOT treat the condition itself. It may mildly help with some of the symptoms, and even then has insufficient evidence to back up this claim at present.

Recommendation: No Recommendation (There is insufficient evidence to show that Six Flavor Tea helps in any way in the treatment of erectile dysfunction)

Grade of Evidence: Very Low Quality of Evidence

Molybdenum (Mo, Sodium Molybdate) [1, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10]:

Please note, this management does NOT treat the condition itself. It may mildly help with some of the symptoms, and even then has insufficient evidence to back up this claim at present.

Recommendation: No Recommendation (There is insufficient evidence to support claims that Molybdenum has any affect on the treatment of erectile dysfunction)

Grade of Evidence: Very Low Quality of Evidence

Ginseng [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]:

Please note, this management does NOT treat the condition itself. It may mildly help with some of the symptoms, and even then has insufficient evidence to back up this claim at present.

Recommendation: No Recommendation  (There is insufficient evidence to support claims that ginseng helps to treat erectile dysfunction. More studies are needed.)

Grade of Evidence: Low Quality of Evidence

Red Pepper (Capsaicin):

Please note, this management does NOT treat the condition itself. It is proposed only as a weak supportive symptomatic support, and even then, has insufficient evidence to back up this claim at present.

Recommendation: No Recommendation (There is insufficient evidence to support claims that red peppers help to treat or prevent erectile dysfunction)

Grade of Evidence: Very Low Quality of Evidence

Qi Gong:

Recommendation: No Recommendation (there is insufficient evidence to show that Qigong can help treat erectile dysfunction)

Grade of Evidence: Very Low Quality of Evidence

Meditation:

Recommendation: No Recommendation (there is insufficient evidence to show that meditation can help treat erectile dysfunction)

Grade of Evidence: Very Low Quality of Evidence

Gingko Biloba [13, 14]:

Recommendation: Weakly in Favor (Studies show that gingko biloba may be able to help treat those with erectile dysfunction)

Grade of Evidence: Low Quality of Evidence

Pine Bark [15, 16]:

Recommendation: Weakly in Favor (Studies show that pine bark may be able to help treat those with erectile dysfunction)

Grade of Evidence: Low Quality of Evidence

Epimedium (Horny Goat Weed) [17, 18, 19]:

Recommendation: Weakly in Favor (Studies show that epimedium may be able to help treat those with erectile dysfunction)

Grade of Evidence: Low Quality of Evidence

Lepidium Meyenii (Maca Root) [20, 21]:

Recommendation: Weakly in Favor (Studies show that lepidium meyenii may be able to help treat those with erectile dysfunction)

Grade of Evidence: Low Quality of Evidence

Serenoa Repens (Saw Palmetto) [22, 23]:

Recommendation: Weakly in Favor (Studies show that saw palmetto may be able to help treat those with erectile dysfunction)

Grade of Evidence: Low Quality of Evidence

Cloves (Caryophyllum Aromaticum, Eugenia Caryophyllata):

Recommendation: No Recommendation (There is insufficient evidence to show that cloves can help treat erectile dysfunction)

Grade of Evidence: Very Low Quality of Evidence

Zinc [24, 25, 26]:

Recommendation: Weakly in Favor (Studies show that zinc may be able to help treat those with erectile dysfunction)

Grade of Evidence: Low Quality of Evidence

Copper:

Recommendation: No Recommendation (There is insufficient evidence to show that copper can help treat erectile dysfunction)

Grade of Evidence: Very Low Quality of Evidence

* www.gradeworkinggroup.org

 

 

Summary References

Treatments:

1. Ades T, Alteri R, Gansler T, Yeargin P, "Complete Guide to Complimentary & Alternative Cancer Therapies", American Cancer Society, Atlanta USA, 2009

2. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/patient-ginseng.html

3. http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/TreatmentsandSideEffects/ComplementaryandAlternativeMedicine/HerbsVitaminsandMinerals/ginseng

4. Shin HR, Kim JY, Yun TK, Morgan G, Vainio H (2000). "The cancer-preventive potential of Panax ginseng: a review of human and experimental evidence". Cancer Causes Control 11 (6): 565–576.

5. McElhaney JE et al. (2004). "A placebo-controlled trial of a proprietary extract of North American ginseng (CVT-E002) to prevent acute respiratory illness in institutionalized older adults". J Am Geriatr Soc 52 (1): 13–19

6. http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/TreatmentsandSideEffects/ComplementaryandAlternativeMedicine/HerbsVitaminsandMinerals/molybdenum

7. http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocenter/minerals/molybdenum/

8. Hassouneh B, Islam M, Nagel T, Pan Q, Merajver SD, Teknos TN. Tetrathiomolybdate promotes tumor necrosis and prevents distant metastases by suppressing angiogenesis in head and neck cancer. Mol Cancer Ther. 2007;6:1039-1045.

9. Cassileth B. The Alternative Medicine Handbook: The Complete Reference Guide to Alternative and Complementary Therapies. New York, NY: W.W. Norton; 1998.

10. Nakadaira H, Endoh K, Yamamoto M, Katoh K. Distribution of selenium and molybdenum and cancer mortality in Niigata, Japan. Arch Environ Health. 1995;50:374-380.

11. Shen JJ, Lin CJ, Huang JL, Hsieh KH, Kuo ML. The effect of liu-wei-di-huang wan on cytokine gene expression from human peripheral blood lymphocytes. Am J Chin Med. 2003;31(2):247-57.

12. http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/TreatmentsandSideEffects/ComplementaryandAlternativeMedicine/HerbsVitaminsandMinerals/six-flavor-tea

13. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9611693

14. https://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/condition/sexual-dysfunction

15. http://menfertility.org/pine-bark-extract-benefits-male-fertility-study/

16. http://www.drugs.com/npp/maritime-pine.html

17. http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-699-epimedium.aspx?activeingredientid=699&activeingredientname=epimedium

18. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3551978/

19. http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/erectile-dysfunction/in-depth/erectile-dysfunction-herbs/art-20044394

20. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19260845

21. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3184420/

22. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3175703/

23. http://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/saw-palmetto/safety/hrb-20059958

24. http://www.healthline.com/health/erectile-dysfunction/zinc#WhatIsZinc?1

25. http://drlwilson.com/Articles/SEXUAL%20PROBLEMS.htm

26. http://www.nature.com/ijir/journal/v16/n1s/full/3901205a.html