Once solely deemed “an older man’s drug,” Viagra and other erectile dysfunction medications are becoming commonplace in younger men’s lives. But why are these young men relying on this little blue pill when they clearly have no physiological impediment?
It’s been over two decades since Viagra—the little blue pill— came onto the market to change the lives of millions of males. Although its initial intention was to treat anginaTrusted Source and high blood pressure, it soon became a hit in the bedroom after showing its ‘magic’ as an erectile dysfunction (ED) drug, especially for older males.
However, in the last few years, more and more young males have been turning to this pharmaceutical solution despite not having age-related ED issues. For some, it’s something new to try and a bit of fun. But when we look into the many personal reasons behind this trend, we can see it’s a lot deeper and emotionally rooted than thought.
So, is Viagra a harmless quick fix, or are young males now relying on these pills too much, creating a wider cause for concern? And what can this tell us about the relationship between the physical and mental health of men?
In the latest installment of our In Conversation podcast, Medical News Today seeks answers to these questions and more while addressing the stigma surrounding male psycho s e x u a l health.
Joining this conversation as our guests are Dr. Edward Ratush, board certified psychiatrist and co-founder of telepsychiatry and psychotherapy practice SOHOMD in the United States, Dr. Peter Saddington, an accredited psychotherapist specializing in s e x u a l addiction, counseling, and psycho s e x u a l therapy at Relate, and three guests who frankly (but anonymously) shared their personal experience with using Viagra.
You can listen to this episode of our podcast in full below or on your preferred platform.
Editor’s note: This podcast includes commentaries that mention the use of illegal drugs. Medical News Today does not condone or encourage their use.
Viagra’s over-the-counter journey
Initially named compound UK-92,480Trusted Source, sildenafil (sold under the brand name Viagra) was developed to treat hypertension and angina, when reduced blood flow to the heart causes chest pains.
In the 1980s, Pfizer biologists started testing the drug for its anti-angina and anti-hypertensive potential. However, patients soon began reporting other effects the drug had been having on their body. One such effect was improved blood flow to the cock, which gave a boost to their s e x lives.
Dr. Ratush said Viagra’s potential as a treatment for erectile dysfunction was discovered serendipitously.
“The history of the pharmacology of these products [t]hat started with Viagra was initially intended for the use of cardiac patients because the hope was that they were going to be able to dilate small cardiac vessels and allow for the heart to have oxygen. [They later] noticed that whether or not it had a cardiac effect, a lot of the men reported having erections that they might not have otherwise had normally because they might have had problems in more than one place with their blood flow,” he said.
In 1998, the FDA approved the drug for use as a first-line oral treatment for erectile dysfunction (ED). For the following years, patients would have to go to their physician to get it prescribed.
In 2018, however, Viagra Connect hit the U.K. market as a consumer-ready over-the-counter version. Within its first year, according to the company, seven million pills were sold in the U.K. About two-thirds of the customers were between the ages of 25 and 54.
To Be Continue Next Part -2
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