Researchers find Viagra can reverse certain types of hearing loss

Researchers may have discovered a way to reverse a type of hearing loss.

A new study found that hearing loss caused by mutations in a certain gene at birth can be reversed by a common supplement combined with Viagra (sildenafil), an erectile dysfunction drug.

Researchers identified mutations in a gene known as CPD, which produces the enzyme carboxypeptidase D, among three unrelated families from Turkey in which several people were born deaf.

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These families all suffered from a form of hereditary sensorineural deafness, a condition caused by damage to the tiny hair cells in the inner ear that convert sound vibrations into electrical signals sent to the brain, according to the National Institutes of Health.

To better understand the link, scientists compared the genetic data of affected and unaffected parents within these families. They then extended their analysis to other groups.

A new study has found that hearing loss caused by mutations in a certain gene at birth can be reversed by a common supplement combined with the erectile dysfunction drug Viagra. (iStock)

“We subsequently discovered that CPD mutations are present in people with hearing loss in a large genome sequencing cohort from England,” study author Dr. Mustafa Tekin, professor of human genetics and chair of the department of human genetics at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, told Fox News Digital.

Laboratory and animal tests

After turning off the CPD gene in human cells in laboratory tests, researchers noted reduced levels of three substances: arginine (an amino acid), cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP, an important signaling molecule), and nitric oxide, which provides vital signals to the nervous system.

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Although the study began with humans, the reversal experiments were also performed in mice and fruit flies.

When levels of nitric oxide and cGMP were low, the hair cells in the mice’s inner ears, which transmit sound signals to the brain, became overworked and eventually died.

The authors emphasized that they are not proposing Viagra as a treatment for hearing loss. (Alex Segre/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

In fruit flies, researchers found that turning off the CPD gene equivalent led to defects in the organ that helps them detect sounds and stay balanced.

But when researchers gave arginine to human cells, nitric oxide levels returned to normal, causing fewer cells to die.

They also found that Viagra, which acts on the nitric oxide pathway, reversed some of the deficits caused by CPD mutations, Tekin added.

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These findings suggest that a deficiency of nitric oxide in the cochlea – the part of the inner ear that converts sound vibrations into nerve signals – could be a key factor in hearing loss. The CPD gene appears to regulate this process by maintaining appropriate levels of arginine and nitric oxide in hair cells, which are essential for healthy signal transmission and protection against noise-related damage.

“Nitric oxide is vital for many tissues and must be kept in balance,” Tekin said.

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The authors emphasize, however, that they are not proposing Viagra as a treatment for hearing loss.

“We used it to strengthen the argument that nitric oxide deficiency in the ear was the underlying cause of deafness,” Tekin noted.

Experts urge caution

Outside experts have also warned of a significant unwanted side effect of Viagra.

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The drug has been linked to rare but serious cases of sudden hearing loss as well as irreversible tinnitus, highlighting the need for caution, Dr. Nooshin Parhizkar, an ENT physician practicing in the San Francisco Bay Area, told Fox News Digital.

“At this point, it is neither appropriate nor safe for the general public to use Viagra for hearing problems,” she added.

Although scientists have identified more than 200 genes linked to hearing loss, commercial genetic screening tests can focus only on the most common mutations. (iStock)

Hearing loss is usually temporary and reversible after stopping treatment, research shows.

The Food and Drug Administration added a warning label to Viagra and other PDE5 inhibitors regarding the possible risk of sudden hearing loss after rare reports among those using the same class of drugs.

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It’s unclear whether this side effect is directly caused by PDE5 inhibitors, because affected patients may have other medical problems or take other medications that could have caused hearing loss, experts say.

Limitations of the study

The study focused on a small group of genetically defined patients, so it is unlikely to apply to most of the population, Parhizkar pointed out.

“At this point, it is neither appropriate nor safe for the general public to use Viagra for hearing problems.”

As research has also focused on reversing hearing loss in mice and flies, more studies are needed to evaluate the treatment in humans.

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“It is important to do a genetic test to find the cause of hearing loss,” Tekin advised.

Although scientists have identified more than 200 genes linked to hearing loss, commercial genetic screening tests can focus only on the most common mutations.

Fox News Digital has contacted Viagra’s manufacturer for comment.