Disclaimer: None of the information in this article constitutes medical advice, and is just the opinion of the writer(s) and published for informational purposes only. We recommend that patients follow their doctor’s guidance in regard to erectile dysfunction treatment.
Peak Performance for Men is an erectile dysfunction (ED) treatment that’s getting a lot of attention for its bold claims. The brand claims on their website that their treatment has an 80% success rate for men ranging from their 30s to their 80s.
The procedure performed at Peak Performance for Men is called focused linear compression therapy (FLCT). In this article we’ll review published medical research on this type of procedure to determine if we believe it’s likely to be safe and effective. We’ll also highlight some natural compounds that consumers may want to consider for ED treatment before surgery.
What Is FLCT?
FLCT is a legitimate medical term, and this procedure does have medical backing. It’s alternatively referred to in medical research as “low-energy linear shockwave therapy” and “linear low-energy extracorporeal shockwave therapy,” but these terms appear to refer to the same procedure.
This type of medical treatment for ED is so early-stage that even researchers are unclear on exactly how it works. A medical review of FLCT published in the International Urology and Nephrology journal stated the following:
“The precise mechanism of action of low-intensity shockwave therapy (LISWT) is not fully understood; however, it is believed that the compression and subsequent negative pressures created from the shockwave energy, the so-called cavitation phenomenon, is an important factor.”
What’s proposed by the researchers as a potential explanation for why the treatment works is that the shockwaves promote increased expression of a growth factor in blood vessels in the penis, which causes the growth of new blood vessels. The medical terminology for this process is called neovascularization.
This type of therapy has been proven effective not only for ED, but also for other soft tissue disorders. A medical review from 2014 found that FLCT is effective for plantar fasciitis and calcific tendonitis.
Will Peak Performance Work for ED?
The technology behind Peak Performance for Men’s treatments appears to be effective for ED based on early research. A clinical trial published in the well-respected Therapeutic Advances in Urology journal examined the efficacy of shockwave treatment for ED.
The study authors concluded that this type of therapy “is a revolutionary treatment of ED, and probably possesses unprecedented qualities that can rehabilitate erectile tissue.” The researchers found that shockwave treatment not only improved “subjective measures” of ED (meaning that patients noticed improved erections), but also objective (measurable) results like improved blood flow in the penis.
Peak Performance for Men maintains a Science resource page on their site which links out to the above-linked study as well as other studies published in medical journals backing the effectiveness of this treatment. This is a sign of a high-quality brand that respects their customers, and we’ve been urging more consumer health brands to link out to scientific research proving or suggesting why their products are effective.
A more recent medical review backed the results from the previous study. Patients who underwent shockwave therapy for ED reported both subjective improvements and objective improvements to their erectile quality on average.
We can conclude from the available research that Peak Performance for Men is likely to work on average, assuming the clinics use the same intensity and duration of shockwaves as used in the medical studies.
A medical device brand called “Venn Healthcare Ltd” published a useful animated video on this type of therapy which has reached over 12 million views:
How Much Does Peak Performance for Men Cost?
Peak Performance for Men doesn’t appear to publish a pricing schedule on their main site. However, one of their regional clinics has published rates. Peak Performance’s Michigan locations charge $150 per 60 minutes for an initial evaluation and follow-up, and $1,200 for a 10 visit package.
Based on the medical research, continual treatment seems to be needed to maintain the maximum benefit from this type of therapy, so we would recommend calling your regional office to ask them what the average recommended frequency of visit is. This could help with budgeting. If you only need to receive treatment once every 6 months, then a 10 visit package could theoretically last 6 years.
Since ED is a legitimate medical condition, we also recommend that patients contact their health insurer prior to scheduling an appointment with Peak Performance for Men. The insurance company may cover or subsidize the cost. It would also be worth contacting your local Peak Performance office and checking if they take your health insurance.
Peak Performance for Men Side Effects
Peak Performance’s website claims that their treatment has a lack of side effects. While the side effect profile seems very mild, we do note that medical research indicates that there may be a potential for side effects with this type of treatment.
A medical review of side effects caused by extracorporeal shock wave therapy to treat tennis elbow noted that reddening of the skin was experienced by 22% of patients (but this effect was not permanent), pain was experienced by 4.8% of patients and haematomas (small blood vessel injuries) was experienced by 3% of patients.
Similar side effects and rates were noted by researchers in a review of shock wave therapy for plantar fasciitis.
Since Peak Performance for Men uses the exact same type of technology, it seems logical that the side effect profile would be similar to that seen in these studies. If their clinics use lower-intensity shock waves, then perhaps they can truly be side-effect-free, but we don’t see any evidence of that.
Even if Peak Performance for Men has similar side effects to FLCT for other conditions, it’s still a relatively mild side effect profile, and less concerning than side effects for commercial treatment of ED in our opinion. As we documented in our Bluechew review article, upwards of 30% of men taking that popular ED medication report side effects that last 12 hours or longer.
Natural Alternatives for ED
While Peak Performance for Men seems promising for patients with ED that requires medical intervention, it may make sense for patients with more mild ED to try some natural products which come at a lower cost and which are research-backed to improve ED.
Red ginseng (botanical name Panax Ginseng) is one of the most well-studied herbs for ED. We recently published a thorough red ginseng benefits article that documented how this herb can improve erectile function. A clinical trial published in an Asian medical journal found that red ginseng extract at a daily dose of 3,000 milligrams (mg), split into 1,000 mg three doses throughout the day, significantly improved symptoms of mild-to-moderate ED.
Specifically, patients taking red ginseng extract noted improved penile rigidity, improved penetrative ability, and improved erection quality.
Another supplement proven in medical research to aid patients with ED is l-citrulline. This is an amino acid which is a nitric oxide precursor. Nitric oxide is a vasodilating compound, meaning it relaxes and widens blood vessels.
L-citrulline has been shown in a medical trial to improve erection hardness in men with mild erectile dysfunction. A full 50% of men taking l-citrulline reported an improvement in erectile hardness, while only 8.3% of men on placebo reported improved erectile hardness. The dose used in the study was only 1.5 grams (g) per day, but we typically recommend a dose of 10 g/day which appears to be the maximally-effective dose for both improving athletic performance and improving ED symptoms.
