Not everything you’ve heard about Viagra is true. Even after 22 years on the market, some myths about the little blue pill are still circulating, but we’ll do our best to set the record straight.
Introduction
Introduced in 1998 by Pfizer, Viagra has revolutionized the treatment of erectile dysfunction. Designed specifically to temporarily improve blood flow to the penis, this iconic little blue pill has given millions of men a new lease on their love lives.
Actually, sildenafil citrate, the active ingredient in Viagra (and also its generic equivalent), was originally researched by Pfizer as a potential new treatment for the chest pain of angina and also intractable high blood pressure.
While it failed to impress when tested against those cardiovascular health issues, the medication did give rise (pun intended) to a most unusual side effect. It seems as though all the male participants in the early clinical trials suddenly found it very easy to get an erection. For some of those men, this was a welcome surprise because they had been suffering from symptoms of erectile dysfunction.
Taking note of this intriguing side effect, pharmaceutical chemists at Pfizer’s research facility in Sandwich, England, decided to take a new direction in their study of sildenafil. Those efforts resulted in the development of the first oral medication for the treatment of ED. While not a cure for ED, it did offer at least temporary relief from its symptoms, allowing impotent men to engage once again in sexual activity.
Over the more than two decades that it’s been on the market, Viagra has managed to accumulate more than its fair share of myths, misinformation that can mislead potential users into expecting more — or less — from the drug than it can realistically deliver.
Here is our take on some of the most widespread myths about Pfizer’s little blue pill.
#1: Viagra Fires Up Your Libido
Neither Viagra nor any of the other PDE5 inhibitors stakes any claim to aphrodisiac-like properties. These drugs won’t boost your libido, according to WebMD.com. This family of medications is designed to temporarily sideline the phosphodiesterase-5 enzyme, which can interfere with optimal blood flow to the penis. Your sex drive has to do with brain chemistry and not blood flow to the genitals.
A key regulator of your libido is testosterone, the primary male sex hormone. A deficiency of this important hormone could lead to a decrease in sexual desire. In such cases, testosterone replacement therapy could help.
Men who are clinically depressed may also lose their interest in sex. If you suspect that depression or some other mental issues are the cause of your listless sex drive, psychological counseling might be in order.
#2: The More the Better
Viagra is sold in tablets of 25, 50, and 100 mg. The recommended starting dose (the amount that produced the desired results for the majority of men during clinical testing) is 50 mg. And the maximum dosage in any 24-hour period is 100 mg. Taking more than that could be hazardous to your health.
Take only as much Viagra — up to 100 mg — as you need to enable you to get and keep an erection suitable for intercourse. According to SDMensHealth.com, taking more than your doctor prescribes increases the risk of some very unpleasant side effects. These include blurred vision; diarrhea and vomiting; increased heart rate; and optic nerve damage.
You should also avoid using Viagra or any other PDE5 inhibitor if you’re taking a nitrate-based medication for the treatment of angina pectoris or intractable high blood pressure. Both these medications lower blood pressure, so taking them together could cause a potentially life-threatening drop in blood pressure.
_900x.jpg)
#3: Take Viagra Only on an Empty Stomach
Viagra.com, the official website for Pfizer’s groundbreaking ED drug, makes clear that Viagra can be taken with or without food. However, if you should take the drug after a high-fat meal, “such as a cheeseburger and french fries,” you should be prepared to wait a little longer for it to take effect.
For the record, Viagra usually begins working 30 to 60 minutes after you take it. Its effects most often last from three to five hours.
#4: Viagra Produces Instant Erections
Wrong! You still have to get your erections the old-fashioned way. That means self-stimulation of your genitals or a little help from your partner, along with a healthy helping of thoughts of sexual desire.
Interviewed by TheSun.co.uk, Lloyds pharmacist Francesca Brenca explained that Viagra will only work for you if you’re sexually aroused. And she also debunked the myth that taking Viagra leads to an erection that lasts for hours. That, she said, “is simply not true. The erection will usually go away after sexual intercourse.”
Brenca hedges her bet here a little by saying “usually,” because a very rare side effect of Viagra use is priapism, an erection that lasts for four or more hours. That would constitute a medical emergency, but it is, we repeat, a very rare side effect.
#5: Viagra Is Addictive
Viagra is definitely not physically addictive, meaning that you won’t begin to suffer withdrawal symptoms if you stop using it. However, it is possible to become psychologically dependent on the drug, according to UCLA urologist Jesse Mills, M.D. He told MensHealth.com that some men “can certainly become psychologically dependent on them, where they fear lack of performance without the drug.”
Especially vulnerable to this sort of psychological dependence are younger men who abuse Viagra and other ED medications by taking them recreationally. This often involves using more than the recommended maximum daily dose of the drug. In almost all cases, these young men don’t need Viagra in the first place and should really not be taking it at all.
* * *
If the convenience and privacy of ordering your Viagra or other ED drugs online appeals to you, you owe it to yourself to check out all that eDrugstore.com has to offer. In business since the late 1990s, eDrugstore is an online medical facilitator based in Tempe, Arizona.
The prices posted at eDrugstore include not just the drugs you’re ordering but a bundle of time- and money-saving services as well. Shipping is free, sparing you the bother of trips to and from your local pharmacy.
Another popular service from eDrugstore is its complimentary online consultation service, tailor-made for men who find it difficult to fit a doctor’s visit into their busy schedules. The service will match you up online with a physician licensed to practice in your state. If the doctor finds that you’re an appropriate candidate for an ED drug, a prescription will be authorized. To learn more, pay a visit to eDrugstore’s Erectile Dysfunction page.
We specialize in providing our over 1,000,000 customers with relevant product and condition information created by our professional editorial staff which includes our team of medical writers, medical practitioners, and health educators. eDrugStore.com Staff on Facebook