Viagra is the brand name of sildenafil, a class of drugs that are designed for the treatment of erectile dysfunction (ED).
Men who suffer from ED struggle with starting and maintaining their erections. Depending on the case, it may be a short-term or a chronic problem. This can have a serious impact in the self-esteem and sex lives of affected males because it affects both you and your partner’s sexual satisfaction. It can be short-term or a chronic problem, depending on one’s age, and overall mental and physical health. However, it’s extremely common: in the United States alone, some 30 million men suffer from ED.
Is Viagra A Viable Cure For Erectile Dysfunction?
Back in the late nineties, a drug called Sildenafil was developed by Pfizer, originally for the treatment of high blood pressure as well as angina pectoris. The drug was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1998. During clinical trials, researchers accidentally discovered that sildenafil was more effective in treating erectile dysfunction. Twenty years later, Pfizer record a whopping $41.6 million in sales per year in the United States, as men from all around North America were finally able to find a drug to cure their ED.
Viagra works by relaxing the arteries and muscles in the penis, enabling more blood to flow efficiently. As a result, men are able to maintain and keep their erections. Take note, taking the drug itself doesn’t give you erections because you have to already have one, though once achieved, Viagra can help keep you aroused for as long as five hours.
That’s not to say that Viagra has no side effects. Just like all pharmaceutical drugs, there have been many well-known side effects that can occur, though they are usually mild. These include indigestion, headaches, nausea, back pain, muscle pain, dizziness, temporary vision changes, and rashes. These effects usually go away on their own.
Some more serious side effects have also been noticed. These include sudden hearing problems, such as loss of hearing, tinnitus, non-arteritis anterior ischemic optic neuropathy, allergic reactions, extremely long and painful erections known as priapism, low blood pressure, and heart problems. Men with existing heart disease conditions should carefully consult their doctor since Viagra may cause irregular heartbeats or a heart attack.
Additionally, Viagra should not be taken together with a number of other medications due to potentially dangerous interactions.
Is Cannabis A Natural Alternative To Viagra?
More people these days are discovering the benefits of integrating cannabis with their sex lives. Based on anecdotal evidence, both men and women seem to find numerous uses for cannabis in the bedroom. There are even a number of cannabis-infused sexual products on the market, such as lubricants and massage oils.
There are very few studies of cannabis and libido, as well as erections. However, there is some surprising and promising evidence and cases that cannabis may actually do a great job at naturally enhancing erections and libido.
Back in 2020, there was a case published detailing the story of a 32-year-old man who had a persistent, albeit painful, erection - priapism. The man’s case was published in the Journal of Cannabis Research; he had an erection lasting 12 hours long. He disclosed to doctors that he had been using cannabis before the erections started.
While priapism should not be the goal, this is surely not the only case of cannabis inducing erections in men.
A 2009 study confirmed that humans have endocannabinoid receptors found in our sexual organs, including the testicles. There’s no reason why cannabis can’t have a positive impact on erections.
In 2017, the results of a population-based study was released in the Journal of Sexual Medicine. The researchers analyzed the link between cannabis consumption and sexual frequency. They found that both male and female respondents reported more daily and monthly sex compared to individuals who didn’t consume cannabis. Additionally, the researchers noticed a pattern suggesting that individuals who consumed more cannabis also had more sex.
“Marijuana use is independently associated with increased sexual frequency and does not appear to impair sexual function,” said the researchers. THC for better sex? Let's see...
Another study polled 216 cannabis users who were also sexually active. Out of that pool, 52.3% said they used cannabis to change their sex lives while 38.7% said they observed improvements in their sexual experience. Furthermore, 119 of 202 participants said that marijuana use was effective in increasing their sexual desire, while 149 out of them said they were more sexually satisfied afterwards. A majority of participants also noted that they were more sensitive to touch after cannabis, and 65.7% said their orgasm increased.
Men who struggle with anxiety or stress can also benefit from the stress-relieving and relaxing properties of cannabis, specifically CBD. It may be an indirect effect of CBD, but it’s a known fact that anxiety and stress can make it difficult to achieve erections and can cause erectile dysfunction.
However, this is an area that needs significantly more research. There are some reports of men also saying that cannabis use makes it difficult to achieve and maintain erections, while others say that dosage and mood plays an important role. It makes sense, because if a man is far too stoned from too much THC, it can have the opposite effect while just the right amount of THC can heighten the sexual experience and improve erections. Historically speaking, cannabis has been used for centuries to increase libido in men as well as women, but perhaps experts haven’t yet discovered what the right dosage and product works best.
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