Which ED treatments have strong evidence?

Asking which ED treatments have strong evidence usually means you are past the first round of reading and weighing real options. This page sits at that point.

What the clinic lists by name

A name on a list tells you the option exists. It does not tell you how well it works for you, and that gap is where careless decisions start. The overview of erectile dysfunction at my.clevelandclinic.org names one group of treatments, four drugs in a single class, in these words: "Oral medications that help increase blood flow to your penis, including sildenafil (Viagra®), vardenafil (Levitra®), tadalafil (Cialis®) or avanafil (Stendra®)."

Reading the P-shot claims with care

If the P-shot is on your list, read two sources side by side. One is the Cleveland Clinic page on the priapus shot, whose title promises both benefits and risks. The other is The Niche's reviews of the P shot and O shot. One is an overview and the other is a review, so they put different questions to the same treatment.

What comes after the treatment question

Choosing a treatment is one stage in a longer course. The next stage is a conversation with a clinician who knows your health history. Add one more item to your reading before that visit: the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine published an article titled Erectile Dysfunction May Be First Sign of Heart Trouble. If that headline raises a question for you, it should change the plan. Raise it before you settle on a treatment, not after.

A closing note from the long view

Strong evidence is earned one source at a time. Treat any single list, including this one, as the start of a question to your clinician and not the end of one.