What Happens If A Woman Takes Viagra?

Globally, Viagra (Sildenafil) is considered as the most effective way to treat erectile dysfunction in men. It is prescribed for people who may have trouble getting an erection or sustaining it for the required duration. While Viagra works efficiently on men, it makes us wonder what will happen if a woman takes Viagra. Can women experiencing low sex drive can benefit from Viagra? To answer such questions, here are some important things to know about effects of Viagra on women.

How Viagra works?

To understand what happens if a woman takes Viagra, we first need to understand how the medication works. Viagra contains Sildenafil, which belongs to a class of drugs known as phosphodiesterase (PDE) inhibitors. It works by dilating blood vessels, which increases blood flow to the male sex organ. With increased blood flow, it becomes easier to achieve an erection and sustain it. Viagra works to improve sexual performance and does not have any impact on sexual arousal.

What happens if a woman takes Viagra?

Just like men, a woman taking Viagra will also experience increased blood flow to the genitals. This in turn could improve things like lubrication, sensitivity and orgasmic function. However, as compared to men, a woman's sexual desires are a lot more complex. Viagra only fixes the plumbing, so it may not be useful for sexual arousal. A woman's sexual arousal can be impacted by various factors such as stress, relationship issues, a specific medical condition and use of other drugs that limit sexual desire.

Not FDA approved

Due to these reasons, Viagra is not officially approved by FDA for treatment of low sex drive among women. However, if your doctor feels that Viagra can be useful in your specific case, they can write a prescription for off-label use. Till date, a number of research studies have been conducted to examine the effects of Viagra on women.

Results have been a mixed bag, which is why Viagra is not usually recommended for women. However, in some studies, evidence has been found that women taking certain antidepressants like SSRIs and SNRIs can benefit from Viagra. There are also studies that have found no significant difference between women taking Viagra compared to the ones on placebo.

Is there a female Viagra?

In case of women experiencing low sex drive, the medication options include Flibanserin (Addyi) and Bremelanotide (Vyleesi). Both of these are approved by FDA. While Addyi is a daily medication, Vyleesi can be taken as per requirement. Vyleesi is injected under the skin and can be taken around 8 times per month. These drugs influence neural pathways in the brain that are linked to sexual desire.