Pandemic, andrologist prof. Fabrizio Iacono: “Not just Covid, wrong behaviors, undermine kids” health

Nearly 100 million tablets sold in 22 years, data to 2019. Italy was confirmed second only to Great Britain, to the ranking of consumption of drugs to combat erectile dysfunction.

The percentage of men aged between 18 and 44 in less than 4 years it has grown by the 312%, That between the ages of 45 and 55, on the other hand, has grown by 216 percent, say data collected by Salugea, a company that produces 100% natural dietary supplements. A remarkable percentage.

Viagra, Cialis, Levitra: these are names of drugs (to be taken under medical supervision), intended for those who, due to particular pathologies or advanced age, has erection deficits.

Current studies, however, have found that consumption of these drugs in Italy has spread to younger and younger age groups and not for therapeutic purposes but for "recreational purposes", as an enhancer and adjuvant in sexual performance.

"Pandemic and isolation are fostering the wrong behaviors, more and more young people are using products purchased on the web to enhance their sexual performance, with sometimes dangerous consequences on their health".

Sounding the alarm is Professor Fabrizio Iacono, Andrologist and urologist, full professor at the Federico II University, inventor of an innovative and noninvasive method for improving male sexual function.

Professor, how the pandemic is affecting patients' behaviors?

"Fear of contagion is also driving away from specialist clinics many young people who shy away from andrological checkups, underestimating problems with the sexual and reproductive system. More and more people are looking for shortcuts by buying products on the Web, but I urge everyone not to do so because sometimes you harm yourself. In most cases when relying on unidentifiable sites, substances other than those advertised are sold online. Sometimes these products are also taken together with drugs, and at that point

Health risks are greatly increased.".

Is it true that he is finding an increase in alcohol consumption even among kids since lockdowns began?

"Unfortunately, yes, the reaction to lack of sociality is a heavy problem among boys. The consumption of alcohol and so-called soft drugs is also increasing among young people, and unfortunately the undesirable effects on the sexual sphere are also growing. Instead, a specialist visit would be enough to brilliantly solve problems that are often easily addressed by.

Today we have many non-invasive weapons against erectile dysfunction, with the "Risani" technique for example we treat the cause is not only the symptom".

Professor, for many over 50s there are instead the issues related to benign prostatic hypertrophy, a completely innovative and still little-known method developed by you addressed the problem in a completely different way, what is it?

"we use a non-invasive method, through two instruments, green laser and Thulium to reduce the volume of the prostate gland endoscopically. We are recently employing a technique with high-temperature water vapor, with the advantage of being able to perform the procedure on an outpatient basis and perfectly preserving the patient's sexual and reproductive functions.".

And women? Urologist is often regarded as a specialist reserved only for men?

"Not so, even for women a urological checkup is appropriate. There are, for example, the problems of urinary incontinence, stones, simple cysts or, in rarer cases, bladder and kidney neoplasms.".

Professor it is well known that pollution or even wrong lifestyle habits can have effects On urological and sexual diseases, there is also an impact related to the pandemic?

"Many studies link environmental and food pollution with decreased sperm count and thus reduced male fertility. Even, an all-Italian study published in the journal Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology"-Iacono adds – "managed to measure the’impact of pollution on male health by analyzing only sperm fluid. And the result is clear: those living in severely polluted areas such as the Terra dei Fuochi, straddling the provinces of Naples and Caserta, have an average sperm DNA fragmentation rate of more than 30 percent.

Thus with a clear damage on fertility.

As for the pandemic, of course we don't have evidence yet to understand how it is affecting, we will need specific research in the coming years."