What Happens If A Woman Takes Viagra?

Viagra, the well-known little blue pill, is an erectile dysfunction medication. However, what would happen if someone who didn’t have a penis took this medication?

First and foremost, the US Food and Drug Administration has not indicated or approved Viagra for use in women (FDA). In the United States, Viagra is only available by prescription, and the FDA’s approval is limited to use under the supervision of a licensed healthcare professional. In the United Kingdom, a form of Viagra is available without a prescription over the counter for men over the age of 18, but the pharmacist should ask a few personal questions before handing over the medication. In other words, don’t try this at home — never take Viagra unless you meet the recommended criteria and have the approval of a healthcare professional. Seriously.

Let’s go exploring with that in mind.

HOW DOES VIAGRA ACTIVATE?

Sildenafil citrate is the active ingredient in the Viagra medication. Pfizer scientists discovered sildenafil in the 1980s while looking for a treatment for heart-related chest pain. The drug was designed to inhibit the action of an enzyme known as PDE5. Sildenafil relaxes blood vessels by inhibiting PDE5, increasing blood flow and lowering blood pressure.

A strange side effect of the drug, however, became apparent: it gave guys boners. PDEs come in a variety of forms, but PDE5 — the one on which sildenafil acts — is abundant in the corporal erectile tissue of the penis. This means that the drug is especially effective at increasing blood flow to the penis, which results in an erection. Because erectile dysfunction affects people of all ages, there was a clear market for an oral pill that produced erections safely, and the drug was approved for medical use to treat male impotence in the United States and the European Union in 1998.

WHAT HAPPENS TO WOMEN WHEN THEY TAKE VIAGRA?

Although the FDA has not approved Viagra for general use in women, a number of scientific studies have been conducted to investigate the effect of its active ingredient, sildenafil, on women.

PDE5 inhibitors, such as sildenafil, are known to increase blood flow to the vagina and clitoris, resulting in a clitoral erection. This is because PDE5 is expressed in vaginal, clitoral, and labial smooth muscles, as well as the penis’ corporal erectile tissue. One area of research has looked into whether it could help women who have low sexual libidos. A small study published in 2008 discovered that sildenafil may benefit women who struggle to feel sexually aroused while taking antidepressants.

More evidence that it can help women with low libidos is inconclusive and lacking. A larger randomized clinical trial in 2002, for example, looked at whether sildenafil could help women with female sexual arousal disorder, but it found no significant benefit.

In addition to the lack of evidence, the drug can cause headaches, hot flushes, dizziness, nausea, stuffy nose, and visual disturbances. Furthermore, because the drug is predominantly used by men, there is a lack of data on whether it is safe for women. This means that, in this scenario, the drug was most likely only tested on men to treat erectile dysfunction, and the true impact the drug might have on women, particularly in the long term, is unknown.

However, given the potential benefits of sildenafil for other conditions, there is a real need to better understand its effects on women. A study published earlier this year discovered that Viagra can significantly reduce the risk of another heart attack and extend the life of men who have already been diagnosed with cardiovascular disease. Another promising study recently suggested that it could help prevent Alzheimer’s disease.

IS THERE A WOMEN’S “FEMALE VIAGRA”?

You may have come across articles referring to a “female Viagra,” but this is a little misleading. Discussions about “female Viagra” generally refer to drugs like flibanserin, which comes in little pink pills marketed as Addyi, or bremelanotide, marketed as Vyleesi. Both of these medications have been approved by the FDA in recent years to treat “acquired, generalized hypoactive sexual desire disorder,” or a lack of libido in premenopausal women.

However, there is considerable controversy surrounding these drugs. Unlike Viagra, which produces a purely physiological response, these two drugs affect brain chemistry associated with mood and cognition (flibanserin was initially developed as an antidepressant). It is unclear how effective they are because the results are mixed and they are associated with negative side effects. The lack of directly comparable drugs for women with proven results and easy access has sparked debate about how science treats female sexuality, as well as the medicalization of low sex drives.

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