Study shows male erectile dysfunction drug enhances fetal growth in female sheep

AgriLife Communications ^ | Feb 3, 2010 | Blair Fannin

[decimon]

Findings could have important implications for human health, ag

COLLEGE STATION – A joke among two Texas AgriLife Research scientists later turned into a fully-funded study found Viagra can aid fetal development in female sheep. Female sheep (ewes) are an agriculturally important species, which can serve as an excellent animal model for studying the physiology of human pregnancy, the researchers said.

Viagra (sildenafil citrate), which is used to treat male erectile dysfunction, enhanced blood flow in pregnant female sheep, helping send vital amino acids and other nutrients needed in fetal development. The study’s results not only will assist with solving fetal development problems in other livestock, but possibly in humans, said Dr. Guoyao Wu, AgriLife Research animal nutritionist and Senior Faculty Fellow in the Department of Animal Science at Texas A&M University.

“Because 5 percent to 10 percent of infants are born as low birth-weight babies worldwide, and because fetal-growth retardation is also a significant problem in livestock species, our findings have important implications for both human health and animal agriculture,” Wu said.

[musicman]

"Study shows male erectile dysfunction drug enhances fetal growth in female sheep"

[SunkenCiv]

The whole FReeper community beat me to it. :’)

[tflabo]

Expected stimulus growth in the sheepskin condom industry.

[decimon]

So, if this enzyme inhibitor opens up the ewe's uterine blood supply, bigger baby lambs are the outcome.

Do you know if there's a downside? Some reason to not try it with humans?

[decimon]

The whole FReeper community beat me to it. :’)

A whole lotta beaters in there.

[decimon]

Stimulus Dollars???

A trillion dollars for mutton.

[SampleMan]

Viagra can aid fetal development in female sheep.

This is only true when the sheep are real lookers and the men in the study got bored.

[dr_who]

My, that’s helpful.

[Erasmus]

Aggies. Sheep. Viagra. What could go wrong?

[andy58-in-nh]

Ewe belong to me.

[yefragetuwrabrumuy]

This seems to be a new mechanism, since it is currently being used to improve blood circulation within an infant, but in this new case, helping a fetus receive vital nutrition, critically, without harming the mother.

As such, it might be a bombshell.

http://jn.nutrition.org/cgi/content/full/133/5/1747S

“An inadequate supply of nutrients forces the fetus to adapt, down-regulate growth and prioritize the development of essential tissues. Adaptations include preferential blood flow to the brain and reduced flow to the abdominal viscera, altered body composition (reduced muscle mass) and reduced secretion of and sensitivity to the fetal growth hormones (insulin-like growth hormone and insulin). These adaptations enhance immediate survival but may carry a long-term price.”

Major micronutrient shortage around the world is found with vitamin A, carotene, vitamin C, D, E, B1, B2, B3, B6, B12, folic acid, iron, zinc, iodine, calcium, magnesium, copper, selenium, chromium, manganese, and molybdenum.

[decimon]

Thanks.

I love stuff like this. Simple, easy and cheap.

[SunkenCiv]

And actually, this kind of discovery using female sheep probably wouldn’t have been made in a Moslem country.

[scoobysnak71]

[GSWarrior]

It will never stand up under scrutiny.

[Pharmboy]

With a developing human in utero, we don't need any more reasons not to try this. The FDA has very strict regulations on drugs used on pregnant women as it should. Extensive testing must be done before this is ever attempted in humans...

[neverdem]

Sildenafil Citrate Treatment Enhances Amino Acid Availability in the Conceptus and Fetal Growth in an Ovine Model of Intrauterine Growth Restriction

[bert]

.....Do you know if there’s a downside?......

Yes there is. Big head, dead mom

[gleeaikin]

Yes, if it enhances blood flow in the male member, why shouldn’t it enhance blood flow (more oxygen and nutrients) to the female analog. Now all we have to worry about is unintended consequences. Remember Thalidomide?