Has someone told you that Viagra is not for women? Has someone said that it can cause blindness? Has someone said that it’s only good for, you know, opening up arteries and whatnot? Has someone said that it causes baldness? Has someone said that it’s only effective when taken with food? Has someone said that it’s not advisable to take more than one dose per day? Has someone said that it can only be purchased in larger quantities than what you need?
If you’re reading this, I assume you didn’t hear any of those things, because they’re all untrue. In fact, the drugmaker Pfizer has made huge investments in research and development of Viagra, and it shows. They know exactly what they’re doing when they make a drug, and they know how to use R & D to get the most out of every new drug they make.
But even if you do know a lot about Viagra, it’s still probably safe to assume that you don’t know exactly how powerful this drug is. The pharmaceutical industry disguises the true strength of many of their drugs in fantastical, humorous, or simply made-up names. Not so with Viagra. The people who make it knew what they were doing when they gave it that cool name. It stands for “viagra” – “oh, so you want to have sex, huh?” But it also stands for “accelerate growth.” And you better believe they meant it.
How Does It Work?
Well, it’s time for some science! When you take a look at how pharmaceutical companies make their money, you’ll soon discover that they don’t make drugs to help people. They make drugs to help their bottom lines. So let’s take a quick look at how Viagra works:
- It relaxes the muscles in your gastrointestinal tract, allowing more nutrients to be absorbed from the food you eat. Your body also produces more saliva, which helps food to stay in your mouth for longer. That means you eat less and you digest more effectively. All these things add up to fewer trips to the bathroom, which is nice for people with frequent bathroom visits. Especially since the drug is supposed to be taken on an empty stomach. So that’s why it’s often referred to as a “stomach relaxant.”
- The drug increases blood circulation in your genitals, preparing you for sexual activity. So if you’ve been wondering what the point of Viagra is if it doesn’t actually have any direct effects on the body, that’s your answer. It’s for sexual activity. Specifically, it’s for increasing the sensitivity of your penis in preparation for vaginal intercourse. And the drug works in just 10 minutes. Which is practically instant. Which is why they call it “super-ingestible.”
- The drug’s main active ingredient, sildenafil, has been shown to improve blood vessels’ function, which is great for your heart. In fact, researchers have suggested that sildenafil may help to reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke. So while many people think that Viagra is just for giving guys an advantage in bed, there are actually some medical benefits to taking the drug. For example, if you’re one of the millions of people who suffer from erectile dysfunction, you may be doing your body a favor by taking it. Because the drug allows your body to produce more blood throughout your erection, it may actually be improving the quality of your orgasm. Or it could just be making you more relaxed, which is always a good thing. The point is that Viagra is not one-dimensional. It may not be the most useful drug out there, but it is definitely more useful than most people give it credit for.
What’s The Big Deal?
Again, we come back to this question: Has someone told you that Viagra is not for women? Has someone said that it can cause blindness? Has someone said that it’s only good for, you know, opening up arteries and whatnot? Has someone said that it causes baldness? Has someone said that it’s only effective when taken with food? Has someone said that it’s not advisable to take more than one dose per day? Has someone said that it can only be purchased in larger quantities than what you need?
Well, if you didn’t hear any of those things, consider yourself extremely lucky. Because those are just a few of the alleged side effects of Viagra. According to the New York Times, between 1997 and 2010, there were over 900 reported cases of adverse side effects from taking Viagra. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg, as far as Viagra’s side effects are concerned. Because it’s a relatively new drug, there aren’t that many good studies on the long-term side effects of taking it. However, it’s estimated that about 10% of people taking the drug experience serious side effects. That’s something to worry about.
Now, in fairness, not all of those side effects are caused by Viagra itself. A lot of them are caused by the many fake or substandard copies of the drug that are floating around the Internet. Fortunately, the effects of those drugs usually appear only after a very long time (often months or years). So in most cases, people are not suffering from temporary side effects while taking them. Which brings us back to square one: Has someone told you that Viagra is not for women? Has someone said that it can cause blindness? Has someone said that it’s only good for, you know, opening up arteries and whatnot? Has someone said that it causes baldness? Has someone said that it’s only effective when taken with food? Has someone said that it’s not advisable to take more than one dose per day?
Again, if you didn’t hear any of those things, you’re lucky. But chances are, you will eventually hear them if you keep reading articles like this one. Because people will inevitably want to know, “Is it safe for me to take Viagra?” And that’s a question we’ll get to in a bit.
Is It Safe For Me To Take Viagra?
Yes, it’s safe for you to take Viagra. At least, as safe as any prescription drug can be. The problem is, no one knows for sure why Viagra is considered relatively safe. Some people think that it’s because it’s been on the market for a while and we’ve mostly learned to tolerate it. But that could also be a load of hooey. The truth is, no one knows for sure.
Well, what they do know for sure is that Viagra is a PDE-5 inhibitor. Which, you might remember, was one of the four classes of drugs discussed in the Fun Facts section of this guide. As I mentioned before, all four of those drugs are relatively safe, as long as you don’t try to self-diagnose and treat yourself with natural remedies or other unconventional cures. So if you’re wondering about the long-term effects of Viagra, rest assured that it’s not your fault. As with all prescription drugs, you’re only as safe as your doctor knows how to make you. And in the case of Viagra, he probably doesn’t know that much. Because the drug is relatively new, there aren’t that many good studies on its side effects. But if you’re taking it, chances are, you’re not going to experience any serious side effects. For example, most people who take Viagra experience only mild side effects, like nausea or vision problems. But if you do experience something more serious, like liver damage or heart failure, then that would be a sign that you need to discontinue use of the drug. Because there are no safe alternatives, you’ll have to learn to live with the side effects. And maybe even try to find a way to cope with them. Like any other medication, it’s all about doing your research and finding the right answer for you. Because, you know, nobody wants to end up in the hospital or worse. But it’s important to remember that if you’re doing your research online, there are many shady characters out there who’ll try to trick you into buying fake or substandard medications. So if you do happen to come across something that feels off, then it’s usually best to assume that it’s not safe and discard it. Or at least, warn yourself about it. As previously mentioned, many of those side effects are caused by fake or substandard medications. So if you do come across such a medication, then it’s usually best to assume that it’s not safe and discontinue use of it as soon as possible. But again, that depends on how serious you want to make sure that your side effects are. Of course, even the best medication can have side effects, so you always need to be wary of those, too.