Cialis, the erectile dysfunction medication known to help men get ready for sex, may also help encourage ejaculation and orgasm, a new study suggests.

"There are many men who have, at most, very mild problems achieving an erection but who cannot easily ejaculate. Our study shows Cialis works very well for these men with problems ejaculating," lead researcher Dr. Darius Paduch, director of Sexual Health and Medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York City, said in a college news release.

In the study, which was funded by Cialis' maker, Eli Lilly and Company, Paduch's team analyzed data from 17 clinical trials involving men with erectile dysfunction and/or trouble ejaculating or achieving orgasm. The trials included almost 3,600 men averaging about 55 years of age. The men typically took Cialis for 12 weeks, at varying doses.

As reported in the February issue of the British Journal of Urology International, Paduch and his colleagues found that about 70 percent of the men who used Cialis (tadalafil) for sexual activity were able to ejaculate most of the time and to reach orgasm, compared with 30 percent of men who did not take the drug.

The improved ability to ejaculate and achieve orgasm was seen despite the severity of a man's erectile dysfunction, according to the researchers.

Paduch noted that up to 18 percent of men have a normal erection but don't ejaculate, or take a long time to do so. The problem is more common in older men, but affects those of all ages.

"Many of my patients are young men who want to have children and so they want to solve their issues with ejaculation," said Paduch, who is also a urologist and male sexual medicine specialist at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center. "We don't know why this occurs. Every internist faces this problem in his male patients and has no options to offer. Our study shows Cialis may help."

He said that many men have trouble ejaculating and reaching orgasm, but few talk about it. "For decades it was believed that only women had problems with orgasm, but our research shows that orgasmic dysfunction could be as prevalent among men as it is among women," Paduch said.

"More study is needed, but we are hopeful our findings may lead to a treatment for many men who cannot now achieve sexual satisfaction," he added.

Some of the researchers involved in the study are employees of the company and others are consultants for Eli Lilly.