Popular erectile dysfunction pill may deliver additional boost to aging men
Researchers in Italy have found that tadalafil, the active ingredient in Cialis, may affect processes involved in muscle repair. The early results could point to a future research avenue for age-related muscle loss, but they do not show that the drug builds muscle or improves strength in people.
In a seven-day laboratory study of mouse muscle cells, tadalafil increased the number and survival of muscle precursor cells, while delaying their development into mature muscle cells. The researchers and an outside expert said further animal and human studies would need to assess muscle mass, strength, function and safety. Tadalafil can also cause a dangerous drop in blood pressure when taken with nitrates, and experts advised against using it for muscle building.
- Tadalafil increased mouse muscle precursor cells in a lab study.
- The effect on people’s muscle strength or recovery is unknown.
- Experts warn against taking it for muscle building.
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Tadalafil is a medicine used to treat erectile dysfunction and, in some cases, symptoms of an enlarged prostate. It is also sold under the brand name Cialis and works by widening blood vessels, which can increase blood flow.
As people age, they can lose muscle mass and strength, a process that may affect mobility and independence. Muscle repair involves precursor cells, which can develop into mature muscle cells; laboratory findings about these cells can suggest ideas for research but do not show how a treatment works in people.
The reported study used mouse muscle cells in a laboratory for seven days, so it does not establish that tadalafil builds muscle or improves strength. Further studies would need to assess its effects and safety in animals and people; taking it with nitrate medicines can cause a dangerous drop in blood pressure.