Viagra is widely known as a treatment for erectile dysfunction in men, but a new study suggests that it can actually have other health benefits as well.

The study, now published in the journal Cancer Prevention Research and supported by the National Cancer Institute, suggests that small daily doses of Viagra may actually reduce the risk of developing colorectal cancer. Colorectal cancer affects both the colon and the rectum, and according to Medical News Today, is “the third most commonly diagnosed form of cancer overall; around 1 in 22 men and 1 in 24 women are likely to develop it at some point.”

The study was conducted on a group of mice that received very small doses of sildenafil (generic Viagra) in their water daily. Over time, the size of their tumors decreased about 50%. Researchers found that sildenafil actually raises levels of cyclic guanosine monophosphate, or cGMP, which allows muscle cells, pituitary cells and retinal cells to function properly. This “suppressed some of the cells that were proliferating in excess in the gut. A second beneficial effect of the Viagra increased cGMP was that it aided the natural process of abnormal cell death and elimination,” as described by Medical News Today.

Though human trials have yet to be conducted, doctors have high hopes that these findings can reduce the number of people suffering with colorectal cancer. Learn more about Viagra and how to find out if it’s right for you here: https://www.kwikmed.com/