Medicines work best when used within the expiration date, similarly using an expired Viagra may not work to fulfill the desired expectation of an individual.
Viagra is a potent drug that men with erectile dysfunction (ED) take in order to prolong penal erections prior to engaging in sexual activity. This drug is often recommended by most doctors and can also be used without a prescription.
However, Viagra drug can work effectively when it is not expired i.e., the drug has not reached its shelf life. Why? Let’s understand does an expired Viagra work with the same effectiveness when used before the expiration date?
Here, we’re going to take a look at whether expired Viagra drug is still good enough for use with erectile dysfunction, and if not, why.
Viagra – The “Blue Pill” of Potency
Viagra is a very popular branded pharmaceutical drug that is specifically prescribed for men with erectile dysfunction or impotency.
Before this drug became widely known as a potent medicine, it was in fact, developed to treat other health conditions in individuals. However, its true use was later discovered in a lab by accident. Thus, from then on, it became a popular potent drug that when taken helps men achieve prolonged erections of the penis.
Pfizer is the pharmaceutical company that manufactures, retails and exports Viagra medication drugs to pharmacies around the world. Viagra is made from a mixture of different chemical ingredients, and one of its essential ingredients or components is Sildenafil. Sildenafil is a generic drug that is also used in the manufacturing of other medicines.
It is available in the form of pills and tablets, and in prescribed doses of 25 mg, 50 mg, and 100 mg, respectively. The prescribed dosage can depend on the person’s age, body weight, medical history, severity of his condition etc.
Viagra is commonly used both as a prescription drug and an over-the-counter (OTC) pill but without a prescription from a doctor/physician. Bear in mind, that branded medication drugs cost more than generic drugs.
Treatment of Erectile Dysfunction (ED) with Viagra Drug
Testosterone is the sexual hormone that is present naturally in the male body. This hormone is responsible for increasing and decreasing the sexual desires or libido in men which then allows men to be aroused naturally and show interest in the sexual activity with their partner.
Mechanism of Viagra
Now, in order for Viagra drug to work as intended, after taking the pill, the person must first, be able to naturally arouse his sexual desire (aka libido) by invoking the testosterone. This is because Viagra is not an aphrodisiac (stimulant) that produces sexual arousal in the person’s body and mind. Rather, the purpose of this drug is to only help increase the flow of blood from the blood vessels and allow blood to flow properly throughout the body, including the penis, the male genital organ. The flow of blood into the penis allows men to achieve firm erections for longer, and thus, copulate with a partner.
Viagra pills and tablets are created for oral consumption, for instance, one Viagra pill or tablet of either 25 mg, 50 mg or 100 mg in one day and as prescribed by your doctor. It is however not advised to take more than what has been prescribed by the doctor/physician in a 24-hour period because excessive intake of the medication drug could increase the risk of adverse effects.
It is typically taken at least 30 minutes or 1 hour, or perhaps, a few hours before sexual intercourse. After the oral intake of one Viagra pill in a single day, it starts to function within half an hour or in a couple of hours, depending on the person’s response to the medicine. Also, its effect can last up to 4 hours or even longer.
Doctors/physicians may prescribe Viagra drug to persons who are having difficulty with erections and are unable to copulate, and/or experience premature ejaculation. The dosage and duration of taking Viagra drug often varies from one person to another, taking into consideration factors such as the person’s age, weight, severity of the condition, medical history, etc.
When Does Viagra Drug Expire?
As with every medicine, Viagra also comes with an expiration period or shelf life. The shelf life or expiration date of any consumer product can range anywhere between a few months to a few years from the product’s manufacturing date.
Because consumer products are manufactured using ingredients that may start to become ineffective over a certain period of time, the product manufacturers make it crucial to also print the “Manufacturing Date” and “Expiration Date” on their product labels. So, whenever you purchase Viagra or any product for that matter, you will see on its label both the manufactured date and expiration date.
The shelf life of Viagra is two years from its date of manufacture. When the shelf life of Viagra has reached its expiration period, there is no guarantee that the drug will still be useful for treating erectile dysfunction.
So, when you purchase Viagra from a drug store, it is important that you check the product label for both the dates of manufacture and expiration.
Should You Take Expired Viagra Before Sex Drive?
As already mentioned above, every medicine has its own shelf life or expiration period after which the medicine becomes ineffective and does not guarantee its usefulness. The same goes with Viagra – the blue pill of potency. The drug can only be used for treating erectile dysfunction as long as it hasn’t reached its shelf life.
Also, doctors do not advise their patients to take expired medicines since they not only can pose risks or complications in the person’s body and mind but these expired medicines would be rendered ineffective for the treatment it’s created for.
What Happens If You Take Expired Viagra?
Viagra aka the “Blue Pill” is a popular brand of pharmaceutical drug that is used to treat erectile dysfunction (ED) or impotency in males. The drug is made to prolong erections when taken a few minutes or hours before sexual activity.
However, the drug can only be effective as long as it has not exceeded its expiration date, which is an important thing to consider, especially with consumable products.
Simply put, taking expired Viagra drugs may or may not still be as effective as it was created for when treating erectile dysfunction in males who often experience problems getting and/or maintaining erections. When a medicine reaches its expiration date, it also loses its efficacy in treating the condition it was intended for. This means even if a person takes an expired Viagra pill, it may show no effect on the person’s body. In case the Viagra expires you can use Cenforce 120 mg having the same active ingredient.
Another disadvantage of taking expired Viagra medication is that it may cause complications instead of doing good to your body. Various research and clinical tests show that Viagra can cause one or more adverse effects when taken for longer periods of time.
Side Effects of Taking Viagra Pill
These symptoms could occur in the person if Viagra drug is taken for an extended period of time:
- Frequent and prolonged erections with or without sexual desire (priapism)
- Painful erections
- Headache
- Backache
- Burning in the chest or stomach
- Dyspepsia (indigestion)
- Increased frequency of urination
- Pain when urinating
- Blurry vision
- Nasal congestion
- Flushing
If you start to experience one or more of these symptoms after taking Viagra for a longer duration than needed, you should immediately seek assistance from a qualified doctor in order to prevent the side effects from getting worse over time.
Wrapping Up
From the above, we can say that it’s definitely not worth taking Viagra medication drug that has reached its shelf life or expiration date. For one, an expired Viagra work may not be the same as the pill might lose its efficacy and second, there could be a possible risk of complications in the person’s body.