BRITISH scientists have invented a non-drug gel for erectile dysfunction that could be on the market later this year.
It contains only alcohol and water and works in just five to 10 minutes, according to researchers who trialled it on 1,000 men across Europe.
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Experts have been trying to make a cream or gel for men who struggle to get an erection for years.
Now they claim to have found the solution, with men needing just a pea-sized blob of gel to fix mild, moderate and serious erectile dysfunction.
Scientists and doctors were stunned that such a basic combination could solve a problem for millions of men.
The original gel contained a small amount of the explosive nitro glycerine, which is also used in some heart drugs.
But a new trial confirmed that alcohol and water is all that is needed to give men a boost in bed.
While Viagra and Cialis pills are the usual treatment for erectile dysfunction, both take at least an hour to take effect.
Some men also can’t use the pills because of their side effects, and a significant number say they don’t work.
Med3000, made by a company based in Guilford, works in less time than pill treatments and will be available in pharmacies without the need for a prescription.
Over 60 per cent of men who took part in the trial achieved an erection within 10 minutes.
Men get an idealised impression of what sex should be like from porn and they find it difficult to live up to those ‘role models’
Ken James, Futura Medical
Ken James, a senior manager in the firm, said: “Because there is no active drug part of our gel we are applying for it to be approved as a medical device.
“We hope to get the go ahead either for later this year or early next year. There have been 12,000 acts of intercourse using it and it has been very well received by people in the trial. It works well on mild, moderate and severe erectile dysfunction.
“You put a small blob of it on the end of the penis and rub it in for 15 seconds. First the user feels a cool sensation, then it warms up. In a few minutes men report that they start to get an erection.
“About a third of couples used it as a normal part of their love-making with the woman rubbing the gel in.”
The company plans to sell the product for just a few pounds in small discreet tubes, similar to those used for travel toothpaste.
Mr James said the problem of erectile dysfunction was now affecting younger men because of the increased availability of porn on the internet.
“They get an idealised impression of what sex should be like from porn and they find it difficult to live up to those ‘role models’. They get hangups and start struggling to perform. Hopefully using our gel will restore their confidence in having sex.”
Professor David Ralph, an erectile dysfunction expert at University College London Hospital, said: “The company could be on a winner here. Viagra was an accidental discovery. I have not been involved in the trials. But it’s fascinating that just rubbing alcohol and water into the tip of the penis works. It’s a mystery.
“There must be something in the cold then hot effect that creates the right conditions for an erection.
“It’s good that there is no active drug in the gel. That means it could be safely taken in combination with Viagra for instance.
“It will also be beneficial for men with heart and blood pressure problems who can’t take drugs like Viagra.
Professor Ralph specialises in implants for the condition. He added:”I always favour the non-surgical approach where possible. For some men surgery offers a solution. But for the majority of men with impotence this gel should do the trick.”
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