Taking erectile dysfunction medication with alcohol

While it may be safe to drink alcohol in moderation while taking erectile dysfunction medication, alcohol has the potential to alter the effectiveness of ED drugs and possibly make side effects worse. Alcohol in moderation is considered less than 3 drinks in a day for men, or less than two drinks for a woman.

You should not take Viagra when drinking more than this because both alcohol and Viagra tend to lower blood pressure. The risks of low blood pressure are dizziness, weakness, risk of fainting or falling. It leaves your body without enough oxygen to perform critical functions possibly leading to heart or brain damage.

What about if you only drink moderately as stated above? Instead of considering whether or not consuming alcohol and Viagra is safe, you may be interested in whether or not Viagra remains as effective. The lower blood pressure caused by taking both alcohol and Viagra can limit how effective Viagra is. Low blood pressure can make it more difficult for blood to remain in your penis. This can be anti-intuitive if your main goal is to achieve an erection.

ED Medications

There are three main erectile dysfunction tablets available in the UK, Viagra, Cialis, and Levitra. The generic names are sildenafil, tadalafil, and vardenafil. All three are PDE5 inhibitors and so function approximately the same, but have slightly different side effects and durations they remain effective in your body.

What is Viagra?

Viagra needs little introduction, as it is the most popular and widely-known ED drug in the world. Its generic name is sildenafil. It is a medication that helps men achieve an erection long enough to have sex. It becomes active in the body from between a half-hour and hour, and remains fully effective for up to four hours, becoming less effective up to twelve hours.

There are various potential side effects when taking Viagra. The side effects of Viagra can worsen when taken with alcohol. While not everyone will experience these, potential side effects include headaches, nasal congestion, light sensitivity, indigestion, and impaired vision. Viagra taken with alcohol can cause you to experience these side effects if you wouldn't normally have them, or make them worse if you were already experiencing them.

The list of side effects above is not complete. For more information on Viagra side effects (as well as Cialis and Levitra), check out our article that compares the three ED medications.

Viagra works by stopping the breakdown of a chemical messenger known as "cyclic guanosine monophosphate", or cGMP. This action causes arteries to dilate and assists a man in getting an erection. You can buy Viagra online here at UK Meds by clicking the Viagra button below this article.

What is Cialis?

Cialis is an alternative to Viagra. While it is similar in many aspects, it differs slightly in side effects and duration. Cialis can remain active in the body for up to 36 hours. You can buy Cialis here at UK Meds.

When it comes to alcohol, the risks are the same. Do not take Cialis if you are drinking heavily. While you can drink alcohol (in moderation) while taking Cialis, it may lessen the effectiveness of Cialis as well as worsen any side effects you may experience.

What are the dangers of alcohol abuse and taking Viagra?

Moderation of alcohol can be considered less than three drinks per day. If you consume more than this, there are health impairments you may experience. Some of these include lowered immune system function, a decrease in overall wellness, poor sleep, poor nutrition, and dehydration. Alcohol abuse can lead to osteoporosis, nerve damage and vitamin deficiencies.

The drop in blood pressure when drinking too much alcohol can render Viagra completely useless, as it is more difficult to achieve an erection when experiencing low blood pressure. Long term abuse of alcohol while taking Viagra can have the opposite effect of making erectile dysfunction worse.

Inflammation of the prostate gland (prostatitis): Long-term use of alcohol in some people is linked to inflammation of the prostate gland, a condition that can also be linked to erectile dysfunction. In other words, mixing alcohol and Viagra, especially repeatedly and over a long period of time, can increase a person’s chances of developing this condition.

What alternative forms of ED treatments are available?

There are also alternative treatments for ED available to men suffering with sexual dysfunction than just typical oral PDE5 inhibitor medication such as Viagra and Cialis. These include penis creams for erectile dysfunction such as Alprostadil cream (also referred to in it's branded form as 'Vitaros cream'). However, it is still not recommended to drink alcohol when using topical ED treatments like Vitaros cream.

What do people who use ED medications say about them?

Here are some reviews from real people who use erectile dysfunction medications.

Cialis User - "If you suffer from mild to moderate erection issues like I had. Don't hesitate to give it a try."

Viagra User - "I would definitely recommend viagra to anyone that suffers from erectile dysfunction."

To read more reviews from erectile dysfunction medication users, check out drugs.com

Summary

Ultimately, most doctors agree that taking Viagra with alcohol is safe when drinking in moderation, assuming a person does not have an already-existing problem with low blood pressure. If you experience side effects when taking Viagra that become worse, consult your doctor. Many people choose to continue taking Viagra, even when they experience mild side effects because the benefits of taking Viagra outweighs the unpleasantness of the side effect.

If you need a prescription to buy regular Viagra, our online doctor's service can assist you in getting one. There is also a version of Viagra that does not require a prescription. It is a 50mg tablet taken once a day and is branded as "Viagra Connect". It is essentially the same medication as regular Viagra, but delivered in a 50mg dose.