Study conducted by American researchers suggested that erectile dysfunction, in men suffering from obstructive sleep apnea syndrome, is curable. The study conducted on mice raised hope for men who suffer from Ed due to obstructed breathing.

“Although this study was performed in research animals, chronic intermittent hypoxia has profound effects on multiple organ systems and a strong biologic plausibility exists that similar findings will be observed in humans. Early identification and effective therapy of OSA is critically important, especially considering the high prevalence of this disorder,” said John Heffner, past president of the American Thoracic Society.

In the study, Mice were subjected to chronic intermittent hypoxia (CIH)-oxygen deprivation for a week. The condition that sleep apnea sufferers often experience during episodes of obstructed breathing. It was found that there was 55% decline in the spontaneous erections of these mice. On further subjection to the same condition for four more weeks, the mice showed degradation on their condition. There was an increase of 60% on average in the time gap when the mice tried attempted mating. Also there was 40 fold decrease in the time of insertion. The research also found that it took the mice six weeks to recover by 74% when they were placed in normal oxygen level.

"The disparity in responses among mice is very similar to the heterogeneity of the magnitude of end-organ morbidity in sleep apnea among patients, and shows that not everyone will be affected to the same extent," said Dr. Gozal.