THINGS ARE on the up for men taking anti-cholesterol drugs. Scientists have found that statins taken to reduce cholesterol may give men a boost in the bedroom by improving erections.
According to Greek researchers, the drugs, used by thousands of people in Australia every day to help reduce the potential for heart disease, were found to act in a similar way to Viagra.
The team of boffins from Elpis Hospital in Athens found erectile function improved in men with high cholesterol levels who took statins during a three-month study.
But it also found the drugs were not likely to boost the sexual performance of men who had healthy levels of cholesterol.
The study examined 100 men aged between 40 and 70 with high levels of cholesterol and a history of impotence.
Lead researcher Alexios Samantzas said participants experienced a 43 per cent improvement in their erections - around half of that of Viagra.
"The important thing is that by improving cholesterol levels, patients were also benefiting from better erections. It is a win-win," Mr Samantzas told the UK's Daily Telegraph.
He said the findings offered an "extra motivation" for patients considering whether to take statins, adding: "We hoped to see some small improvement, but it was much larger than expected."