Peyronie's disease, sometimes a consequence of diabetes mellitus or trauma, is a painful disorder caused by the accumulation of plaque on the upper and lower sides of the penis in the erectile tissue. The tissue first becomes inflamed, and later scarred. This plaque and scarring reduces the flexibility of the organ and makes sexual intercourse painful. Sometimes the plaque and scarring are so severe that they cause the penis to bend in an arc during an erection. Plaque that accumulates on the top of the shaft, the most common form, can result in the penis bending upwards, while plaque occurring on the underside causes the penis to bend downwards. Of the men who suffer from this disease, 30 percent also have some other form of fibrosis or hardened cells, such as Dupuytren's contracture of the hand. While there is currently no cure for the disease, some medicines help with pain, and surgery can be beneficial in some cases. Of course, there are those who seek natural cures for the disease. While some may claim that they get relief from special herbs or foods, there has be no accepted documentation proving any natural cures for Peyronie's disease.
Vitamin Treatments
There have been a few studies in which researchers have studied the effects of vitamins on men afflicted with Peyronie's. Vitamin E has been tested as a treatment in small studies, and researchers have reported that some patients did receive some relief. Unfortunately, there have been no controlled studies of the effects of vitamin E on Peyronie's disease.
Para-aminobenzoate, a substance akin to vitamin B-complex vitamins, has also been studied as a treatment for Peyronie's, but results were inconclusive. Vitamin C has also been researched, but has not proven to be effective, and athough some men believe that vitamins E and C as well as the B vitamins help reduce symptoms, none has been proven to be effective.
Antioxidants
Acetyl-L-carnitine, a powerful antioxidant, has been shown to be of some help in relieving symptoms, but again, there is no scientific proof that this is truly effective. Those who wish to try this method should use less than 300 mg since higher doses can cause insomnia.
Potassium Para-Aminobenzoate (POTABA)
Researchers conducted studies of trials using potassium para-aminobenzoate. Results showed that although it did not cure the disease, it appeared to prevent further penile curvature.
Peyronie's Treatment Pills
There are several marketed "cures" for Peyronie's, but non to date contain any fibrin-dissolving substances, and therefore cannot cure the disease.
Massage
While some promoters attempt to market their vitamin-enriched creams and oils meant to be massaged into the skin of the penis to "cure" Peyronie's disease, none has proven to be effective.
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