Viagra Could Reverse Deafness, New Study Finds

According to a study published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation on November 14, 2025, the erectile dysfunction drug Viagra and the common supplement L-arginine may hold promise for treating a rare genetic form of deafness. Researchers from the University of Chicago and Turkiye have identified a gene mutation, known as CPD, that disrupts the inner ear's sensory cells and leads to permanent hearing loss.

The scientists conducted experiments on mice and fruit flies to better understand how the CPD gene influences hearing. They found that the gene is crucial for maintaining the production of nitric oxide, an important neurotransmitter that helps transmit signals through the nervous system. Mutations in the CPD gene disrupt this pathway, causing the death of the delicate hair cells in the ear that detect sound waves.

To address this issue, the researchers tested two potential treatments: arginine supplements to make up for the lost arginine, and sildenafil, the active ingredient in Viagra, which can stimulate the affected pathways. In both mice and fruit flies, the treatments were able to reduce cell death and restore hearing-related behaviors, suggesting they could be effective in treating this form of genetic deafness.

The researchers plan to conduct further studies to determine how common these CPD mutations are and whether the findings could apply to other types of hearing loss, including age-related hearing problems, which are far more prevalent. If the treatments prove successful in human trials, they could offer a new way to address a condition that currently has no cure.