Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a prevalent issue that impacts men across all age groups. According to data from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), over 30 million men in the United States, nearly a third of the entire adult male population, grapple with varying degrees of ED. Fortunately, ED is a highly treatable condition. Medications like Viagra® (sildenafil) have been developed to enhance erections and sexual function. However, combining Viagra with alcohol can influence its efficacy as an ED treatment and heighten the risk of certain side effects. This blog post will delve into the potential outcomes of mixing alcohol and Viagra or similar ED medications, and provide guidance on safe practices if you're considering using ED medication while consuming alcohol.
Viagra and Alcohol: The Fundamentals
While it's not advisable to consume large amounts of alcohol with Viagra, it's generally safe to have a small amount of alcohol if you intend to use Viagra. As with any alcohol consumption, the standard rules apply, whether you're drinking alcohol alone or with ED medication:
- Understand your limits. Everyone's tolerance for alcohol varies. Recognize your limits and know when to stop drinking. If you start to feel tipsy, slow down and switch to a non-alcoholic beverage to give yourself time to recover.
- Pace your drinking. Your body requires time to metabolize alcohol. Slow your drinking by savouring your drink instead of downing it all at once, and aim to finish only one drink per hour.
- Alternate between alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. If you're out on a date or at a party, limit your alcohol intake by having a non-alcoholic drink between each beer, wine, or cocktail. If you start to feel drunk, take a break from drinking. The effects of alcohol can accumulate over time and then hit you suddenly. If you start to feel drunk, take a break and switch to a non-alcoholic drink for the rest of the evening.
- Remember that Viagra and sildenafil are the same. Sildenafil is the active ingredient in Viagra, meaning you'll need to take the same precautions while drinking if you opt for generic sildenafil over brand-name Viagra.
What Occurs When You Combine Viagra With Alcohol?
Drinking a small amount of alcohol with Viagra is typically safe. In fact, some research has even found that men who drink a moderate amount of alcohol with Viagra don’t appear to show many concerning issues. For instance, a 2004 study published in the journal Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics found that men who were given a 100mg dose of sildenafil (the active ingredient in Viagra) and 750mL of red wine over three hours didn't show any clinically significant interaction between the sildenafil pill and the alcohol.
However, it's still best to avoid drinking alcohol in large quantities while using Viagra (or any other type of ED medication). It’s also worth noting that this study didn’t look at the men’s sexual performance after combining alcohol and Viagra — an issue we’ll address further down the page.
How Long After Taking Viagra Can You Drink Alcohol?
Actually, there's no waiting period. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) package insert for Viagra, in clinical trials, Viagra and alcohol didn’t have any adverse interactions.
How Many Beers Can You Have With Viagra?
Drinking alcohol with Viagra isn’t wildly dangerous, provided you stick to drinking in moderation. “Moderation” can mean different things for different people. However, when it comes to alcohol, a good limit is two standard drinks per night, which is the Centers for Disease Control's (CDC's) Dietary Guidelines for Alcohol recommendation.
A standard drink is defined as:
- 12 ounces of 5% ABV (alcohol by volume) beer.
- 8 ounces of 7% ABV malt liquor.
- 5 ounces of 12% ABV wine.
- 1.5 ounces of 40% ABV spirits, such as rum, vodka, gin, or whiskey.
In other words, a beer or two throughout a night out with your friends or a date isn’t likely to cause any issues if you plan to use Viagra once you get home. However, you’ll probably want to put the shot glasses away and avoid high-alcohol cocktails, as the alcohol content of these drinks can quickly add up over time.
Potential Side Effects of Using Viagra With Alcohol
Although having a small amount of alcohol with Viagra usually isn’t cause for concern, excessive drinking may increase your risk of developing side effects. Common side effects of Viagra include:
- Headaches
- Flushing
- Dyspepsia (indigestion)
- Low blood pressure
- Abnormal vision
- Nasal congestion
- Muscle soreness
- Back pain
- Dizziness
- Nausea
- Rash
Research shows that your risk of experiencing side effects from Viagra can increase if you drink a significant amount of alcohol. For example, a study published in the journal Sexual Medicine, which involved more than 300 men with ED, found that men who consumed above-average amounts of alcohol were more likely to develop headaches and flushing from ED medications than men who don’t drink.
What’s more, according to the NIH, drinking an excessive amount of alcohol, even on just one occasion, comes with its own set of side effects. These include but are not limited to:
- Changes in your mood or behavior
- Confusion and/or clouded thinking
- Hypertension (high blood pressure)
- Cardiomyopathy (changes in the heart muscle)
- Liver issues and inflammation
- Weakened immune system
- Irregular heartbeat
- Pancreatitis
- Stroke
Alcohol is a depressant to your central nervous system that has the potential to constrict blood vessels and reduce blood flow throughout your body. Viagra is a phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitor, or PDE5 inhibitor, that makes getting an erection easier. Viagra works by improving blood flow to your penis. Because these two substances have very different effects on blood flow, the Viagra-alcohol mix may actually cancel out the positive sexual performance effects of Viagra and make it harder to get and maintain an erection.
In other words, not only are you more at risk of side effects if you drink a lot of alcohol while you use Viagra — you might also be more at risk of dealing with ED.
What’s the Risk of a Viagra and Alcohol Heart Attack?
Viagra has not been proven to be a direct cause of heart attacks. However, according to the American Heart Association, long-term abuse of alcohol and chronic binge drinking can increase your risk of experiencing a heart attack. Also, seek medical advice if you have a history of heart conditions and plan to drink with your dose of Viagra. They may be able to share some different, safer treatment options for your erection problems.
Alcohol and Viagra Interactions: Grapefruit Juice
While it’s generally alright to drink a small amount of alcohol with Viagra, you may need to be extra cautious if you like drinks containing grapefruit juice. Grapefruit juice increases the bioavailability of sildenafil, the active ingredient in Viagra. It also delays your body’s absorption of sildenafil. The effects and side effects of Viagra may be more long-lasting and if it’s combined with drinks that contain grapefruit. As such, it’s best to avoid cocktails that contain grapefruit while you use Viagra, generic Viagra or generic sildenafil.
Alcohol and Erectile Dysfunction
While it’s generally safe to drink a small amount of alcohol with Viagra, it’s worth remembering that alcohol usually isn’t a great choice for optimal sexual performance. Although a glass of wine or two can help to set the mood for a romantic night, research shows that alcohol is associated with several negative effects on sexual function.
In a study of alcohol-dependent men published in the Indian Journal of Psychiatry, researchers found that 72 percent had one or more forms of sexual dysfunction. The most common types of sexual dysfunction were erectile dysfunction, reduced sexual desire (low libido), and premature ejaculation.
Other research into the effects of alcohol on sexual activity and performance tends to show the same patterns. Long-term alcohol use is highly associated with ED, although there’s less of a link in occasional drinkers. Interestingly, this link isn’t present in men who only drink a mild to moderate amount of alcohol.
In a study published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine, researchers found that men who drink a moderate amount of alcohol (defined as one to 20 standard drinks per week) were less likely to have erectile dysfunction than men who completely abstain from drinking.
While excessive drinking is clearly associated with reduced sexual performance, the link between mild alcohol consumption and issues such as ED isn’t so clear. As such, moderation is essential if you like to drink alcohol and want to lower your risk of sexual health issues such as ED.
Does Alcohol Make Viagra Less Effective?
While using Viagra with a small amount of alcohol doesn’t seem to have any immediate health risks, it could make the medication less effective as a treatment for erectile dysfunction for several reasons.
Viagra, Alcohol, and Blood Flow
First, as we briefly mentioned earlier, Viagra and alcohol both affect blood flow throughout your body, but in different ways. Research published in the journal Heart and Circulatory Physiology shows that drinking a small amount of alcohol can positively affect your cardiovascular health. However, this effect reverses as the amount of alcohol you consume increases. When you drink an excessive amount of alcohol, this may counteract the effects of Viagra and make it harder for you to get and maintain an erection when you’re aroused.
Alcohol and Testosterone Production
Second, research shows that alcohol can suppress your body’s testosterone levels. Since your levels of testosterone are closely linked to sexual desire, this might reduce your level of interest in sex and prevent you from becoming aroused. In a review published in the journal Alcohol Research, experts found that alcohol consumption is associated with reduced testosterone levels.
This means that despite the common belief that alcohol increases your level of interest in sex, you might actually feel less interested in having sex if you drink frequently.
Alcohol and Whiskey Disk
Third, alcohol is infamous for causing a sexual performance issue known as whiskey dick, or alcohol-induced erectile dysfunction. This temporary form of ED may pop up after you’ve had too much to drink and ruin what could have otherwise been an enjoyable night.
Combined, these factors may make ED medications like Viagra slightly less effective if you’ve consumed alcohol.
The Bottom Line on Alcohol and Viagra
While there’s nothing wrong with enjoying a drink or two before you use Viagra, it’s important to drink responsibly if you want to stay safe and enjoy good sexual performance. This is also true if you use other medications for erectile dysfunction, such as Cialis® (tadalafil), Levitra (vardenafil), or Stendra® (avanafil).
If you use ED medication and like to enjoy a drink every now and then, make sure you keep the following in mind:
- Mild drinking with Viagra is okay, but heavy drinking isn’t. Stick to one or two drinks when you’re taking Viagra. Exceeding this amount may increase your risk of side effects, both from Viagra and from alcohol.
- Drinking might make your ED symptoms worse. We’ve all heard of whiskey dick. To avoid disappointment once you get home with your partner, understand your limits when it comes to alcohol and stop drinking before you plan to have sex.
- If you find yourself in a situation where you have consumed a significant amount of alcohol, consider using a herbal alternative to Viagra such as Untitled
If you think you might have ED, you can get help online using a range of evidence-based ED medications. You can also learn more about your options, from medication to healthy habits, in our full guide to maintaining an erection. Remember, it's always important to consult with a healthcare provider before starting any new medication or treatment plan.