Is Viagra and Alcohol safe?

by Dr. Smriti Gupta

April 17, 2023

Is Viagra and alcohol safe is the most common question asked on the internet by men suffering from ED.

The inability to achieve and maintain a firm adequate erection for sexual activity is known as ED. Every man occasionally has problems getting an erection, and as men get older, the risk of this condition increases. But if it frequently occurs for you, you might have ED.

Men with erectile dysfunction may benefit from taking the prescription medication Viagra. Research studies suggest Viagra is safe and effective, drinking but taking medication can impair its efficacy in treating ED and raise your risk of suffering.

People hunt with questions like Is Viagra and alcohol safe. Let us know and understand more about it in this blog:

Viagra and Alcohol:

On some days men intend to take Viagra, also known as the “little blue pill”, along with alcohol. One can probably drink one or two glasses of wine (or the equivalent amount of beer or spirits) while taking sildenafil, or the medication’s brand-name Viagra, as long as your alcohol use is moderate and you have discussed it with your doctor.

It is recommended to avoid combining alcohol and Viagra for a variety of reasons. Because while a glass of wine won’t harm you, consuming much more (say, more than 2-3 units) raises your risk of experiencing Viagra adverse effects as well as your likelihood of continuing to have ED.

Side Effects of Viagra and Alcohol:

To understand is Viagra and alcohol safe is a good idea to be aware of how Viagra functions and any potential adverse effects before adding alcohol to the mix. If strictly watched, however, combining alcohol and Viagra can result in severe side effects.

Use of alcohol and Viagra may result in the following side effects:

Alcohol and strong Viagra headaches
Chest pain
Dizziness
Alterations to vision
Tachycardia (an elevated heart rate)
Nausea
Heat Waves
Reduced blood pressure

Alcohol and Erectile Dysfunction:

With research over many years, scientists have analyzed how alcohol use affects the male reproductive system. These are a few of their conclusions. These side effects are not exclusive to taking Viagra and alcohol; rather, they are related to alcohol in general.

However, if you struggle with erectile dysfunction, you might want to think about how drinking might affect your performance and sexual health.

Effects on Estrogen and Testosterone: The levels of testosterone and estrogen can be impacted by both binge drinking and prolonged alcohol use.

Men’s testes are where testosterone is produced: It is involved in a variety of bodily processes. It is also the hormone most closely associated with male sexuality, and it is in charge of sperm and sexual organ development.

More than a moderate amount of alcohol consumption can cause your testosterone levels to drop and your estrogen levels to rise in men. Your body may become more feminized if your testosterone levels are low and your estrogen levels are high. You might have larger breasts or stop having body hair affecting your male hormone balance.

Effect on the testicles: Alcohol has severe side effects on the Testicles. According to sources, drinking excessive amounts of alcohol over time might cause testicles to shrink. Your sperm’s quantity and quality are decreased as a result.

Prostate-specific effects: Some research suggests that alcoholism and prostatitis may be related. (inflammation of the prostate gland). There may be swelling, discomfort, and urine issues as symptoms.
Whisky Dick: It is a typical name for ED following alcohol consumption. Alcohol will have a variety of effects on a man’s erectile function. Alcohol generally has a depressive effect. By adversely impacting some of the pathways involved in sexual arousal, blood flow, and nerve sensitivity which might lead to erection issues.
For instance, drinking too much alcohol can inhibit the signals that the brain sends to the penis that cause an erection. Dehydration, which is a side effect of drinking alcohol, decreases blood flow and makes it harder to achieve an erection.

Can you drink alcohol with Viagra?

After drinking too much alcohol, taking Viagra may cause erectile dysfunction. A continued pattern of binge drinking also lowers sperm count, drive, and libido. It’s generally okay to have a little amount of alcohol on nights when you plan to use Viagra, even though excessive alcohol consumption isn’t advised.

A “small” amount of alcohol can mean different things to different people. The CDC’s Dietary Guidelines for Alcohol recommend men limit their alcohol consumption to two drinks per day.

When combined with Viagra or other ED medications, a mild or minimum amount of alcohol, when combined at a normal rate, is unlikely to have any adverse effects on a healthy individual.

Sildenafil interactions with alcohol:

The branded form of the medication sildenafil citrate is called Viagra. Drug absorption by your body is impacted by alcohol. Alcohol in your system alters how Viagra interacts with your body.

Alcohol can lessen the amount of blood flowing to the penis, which obstructs the effectiveness of Sildenafil indirectly.
Secondly, your body uses the same enzymes to metabolize alcohol and certain medications. Your body creates more of these enzymes the more alcohol you have in your bloodstream. You will break down more of any drug you are taking and absorb less of it if there are more enzymes present.
Because less of the active substance is absorbed
into the bloodstream, they are consequently less likely to be effective. Therefore, the more alcohol you consume, the quicker your body will break down the Sildenafil in Viagra, resulting in less of it reaching its intended location.

Viagra and Alcohol heart attack:

Is Viagra and alcohol safe together? Well, not really, the link between Viagra and heart attacks has not been established directly. However, according to the American Heart Association, long-term alcohol consumption or recurrent excessive drinking can raise the risk of a heart attack.

Viagra administration reduces your blood pressure. Similarly, alcohol consumption also does so in the short term. This means that using Viagra and alcohol together might cause potentially dangerous rapid reductions in blood pressure, especially if your blood pressure is already low. There is a chance of falling and abrupt dizziness as a result which can lead to cardiovascular disease or heart attack.

Viagra or Cialis with alcohol:

Chronic drinking or consumption may interfere with good erection function whether you’re taking an ED medication or not. Since excessive drinking is one of the main causes of ED, taking Viagra, Cialis, or any other Ed medication during excessive drinking is not recommended as it declines the efficacy of the medicine.

Occasionally, even moderate drinking might make it difficult to erect. People with erectile dysfunction of any kind, regardless of whether they are taking medication for it, may find it beneficial to abstain from alcohol.

Is Viagra And Alcohol safe?

It is a dilemma to find a conclusive answer to is Viagra and alcohol safe. Moderate alcohol consumption appears to be safe when using Viagra. There doesn’t seem to be any concrete evidence that Viagra increases the risks associated with alcohol usage.

Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics presented a study that identified no serious adverse interactions between red wine and Viagra. There isn’t much research on this subject, though.

However, just because alcohol and Viagra don’t seem to interact does not suggest that using them together is a good idea. This is so because ED is frequently brought on by prolonged alcohol usage. Brewer’s droop is a common phrase for ED in the United Kingdom since it is so prevalent there. Therefore, by using Viagra with alcohol while treating ED, you can be harming yourself.

ED treatments that aren’t affected by alcohol:

While it is still unclear is Viagra and alcohol safe, people look for other options for ED treatment that may not be affected by the consumption of alcohol.

In earlier days men suffering from ED were frequently advised to abstain from alcohol while taking the meds. But today, alcohol and several ED drugs are compatible. Many studies reveal that Levitra is generally safe to use with alcohol. There are no appreciable side effects when using the two simultaneously.

In addition to Levitra, Edex, and Viagra are also considered safe to use when drinking. Some non-oral Ed treatments are not affected by alcohol. They include vacuum erection devices, testosterone replacement, penile injections, etc. Although these treatments are quite safe many people may not be convinced enough to use them.

Along with this regular exercise, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, getting complete sleep, and reducing stress and anxiety are also a few options that are safe and help to get a proper erection.

Takeaway:

To seek a precise conclusion on is Viagra and alcohol safe, a glass of wine is safe to drink if you plan to take Viagra with alcohol. It could induce relaxation and improve sexual activity. However, keep in mind that drinking excessively or moderately might exacerbate ED, which is why using Viagra is counterintuitive.

While having a few drinks before using Viagra is perfectly acceptable, it’s important to drink in moderate amounts with lots of water if you want to get the best benefits of erectile dysfunction drugs like Avanafil, Vardenafil, and Cialis (Tadalafil).

Once more, if you’re using drugs like Viagra, see your doctor before consuming alcohol. Additionally, your healthcare professional can go over lifestyle modifications, potential underlying reasons, and other ED treatment choices that might be suitable for you.

FAQs:

How long after taking Viagra can you drink alcohol?

It is usually advised to wait until the drug completely gets out of the body. The body retains Viagra and Levitra for roughly a day. Therefore it is ideally recommended not to drink alcohol on a day while planning to take Viagra.

However, taking a small moderate amount of alcohol or limiting yourself to one or two drinks with a good amount of water is considered safe with no adverse effects while taking Viagra.

Can you take Viagra after drinking alcohol?

While using Viagra, it is thought to be safe to consume a small, moderate amount of alcohol or to limit yourself to one or two drinks with plenty of water. Therefore one can take Viagra medication after drinking alcohol.

Can you take blue chew with alcohol?

BlueChew is an FDA-approved Ed medication with active ingredients of Sildenafil, Tadalafil, and Vardenafil. It is a discrete chewable form of ED drugs.

Alike with other ED medication alcohol should be avoided while taking Bluechew. Alcohol not only reduces the effectiveness of the drug but also exacerbates the side effects, such as flushing and headaches. Therefore, if you’re using Ed medication, speak to your doctor before consuming alcohol.

Does alcohol kill Viagra?

Alcohol does kill or make the medication less effective as less of the active substance is absorbed into the bloodstream. Therefore, the more alcohol you consume, the quicker your body will break down the Sildenafil in Viagra, resulting in less of it reaching its target.

Are certain people more at risk when combining alcohol and ED medications?

The effects of alcohol on ED medications may differ from person to person, even among those who consume the same amount. As you age, for instance, you might become more sensitive to the effects of alcohol.

Aging increases the side effects of alcohol because the likelihood of having ED also increases with age. This can increase your risk of suffering problems if you combine alcohol and prescription drugs.

However, if you are suffering from any cardiovascular disease, kidney disease or any illness speak to your doctor before taking ED medication.

Is Viagra and alcohol safe?

If taken in small and moderate quantities you can take Viagra and alcohol after speaking with your healthcare physician.