Doctor says increased public awareness of premature ejaculation issues can’t come soon enough

If you were born before 1980, you probably remember the often-mocked Viagra commercials from the late 1990s.

In the ad, 75-year-old Bob Dole explained how it took courage to discuss erectile dysfunction (ED), and even more courage to do something about it.

Well, as Bob Dylan would say, the times they are a changin’. It doesn't take much courage to discuss ED anymore.

However, it's not just ED causing problems for millions of men across America. There's another, lesser known but more prevalent issue of male sexual dysfunction called premature ejaculation (PE). Experts say PE may impact up to one-third of men.

This begs the question: How can an issue so prevalent be discussed so little in mainstream society?

First, it doesn't stop procreation. Unlike ED, couples can still have intercourse with PE; it just may not be as sexually satisfying.

So how can one treat PE effectively? First you have to understand what it is. The ejaculatory response, and premature ejaculation specifically, are complex and not very well understood.

However, most researchers believe that there are two neuro-biological functions in men that dominate the time to ejaculation.

One is the nervous system, with the brain being the most important.

Scientists have determined that one specific neurotransmitter, serotonin, greatly affects the onset of ejaculation. So much so, that many urologists prescribe off-label selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, commonly called SSRIs and used routinely for depression, to increase serotonin levels in the brain and, therefore, reduce the symptoms of PE.

And they work for some men, but not without numerous side effects, including loss of libido. Talk about ironic!

The other neuro-biological function is penile stimulation, meaning the more stimulation, the faster a man reaches ejaculation.

Over the years, the most effective solutions for PE have been topical desensitizing agents applied directly to the penis in the form of a spray or cream. These products delay ejaculation but greatly reduce male sexual sensation and often transfer to his partner.

In the case of a female partner, this transference will reduce her sexual pleasure as well, making it difficult for her to achieve orgasm. The net result is lack of sexual pleasure for both partners.

Promescent is a revolutionary topical agent that deploys a unique absorption technology, enabling the man to attain ejaculatory control while maintaining great sexual sensation and without transference to his partner.

It was developed by a urologist and manufactured in the U.S. by Absorption Pharmaceuticals, of which I am the Chief Medical Officer. I support this product so much that I wanted to become involved.

More than 1,300 urologists now recommend Promescent to their patients and several notable medical institutions have gone on record suggesting Promescent as a viable solution for PE.

But the best thing about Promescent is that it's not just for PE. Just like with Viagra, many men have started using Promescent recreationally — not to solve a sexual health problem, but to increase sexual satisfaction for both himself and his partner.

Bob Dole introduced the term "erectile dysfunction" to the world in 1998, and single-handedly replaced the term "impotence." At the time "impotence" was just as embarrassing as "premature ejaculation" is today.

It took only about 10 years of TV commercials and jokes by late-night comics about ED to completely wipe out the word "impotence" from modern vocabulary.

In a few years I suspect we will be seeing a Super Bowl commercial for Promescent and we won't be calling it "premature ejaculation" any longer.

Dr. Levine is a professor and an attending surgeon in the Department of Urology at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, Illinois, and Director of the Male Sexual Function and Fertility Program. He is the Chief Medical Officer for Absorption Pharmaceuticals, which makes Promescent.