Using any erectile dysfunction medication within the mentioned expiration date will definitely work to its full effectiveness, but ever noticed what is the shelf life of Viagra or any other similar medicines? Will they work with the same functionality once it expires?
Viagra aka the “Blue Pill” is a popular brand of pharmaceutical drug used to treat erectile dysfunction (ED) or impotency in males. The drug is made to increase sexual desire (libido) and 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 yet expired i.e., it hasn’t exceeded its shelf life, which is an important thing to consider, especially with consumer products.
So, if you’re concerned about taking Viagra pills to boost your sex drive and also knowing its shelf life, we have prepared this blog for you.
What is Viagra?
Viagra is a popular brand of pharmaceutical drug that is specifically prescribed for erectile dysfunction. In fact, this drug was developed to treat other health conditions, however, its potency was discovered in a lab by accident. Thus, from then on, it became a widely known potent pill and is used to boost sexual desires and sex drive in individuals.
Pfizer is the pharmaceutical company that manufactures, retails and exports Viagra pills to pharmacies around the world. Viagra is made from various chemical ingredients, and one of its essential components is Sildenafil. Sildenafil is a generic drug that is also used in other medicines.
Viagra drug 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.
Uses and Effectiveness of Viagra Drug
Viagra pills are created to be taken orally, for instance, one pill or tablet of either 25 mg, 50 mg or 100 mg in one day. It is also not advised to take more than what has been prescribed by the doctor/physician in a 24-hour period because excessive intake of the drug could increase the risk of adverse effects.
Viagra pill 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, its effect can last up to 4 hours or may last much 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.
It is important to note that low testosterone levels in a person could also be a sign of an underlying medical condition. Therefore, it is advised to consult your healthcare provider if you think you might be experiencing symptoms related to low testosterone.
If you are diagnosed with low testosterone, your healthcare provider will decide the best treatment method for you based on your individual needs.
Known Side Effects of Taking Viagra Pill
These symptoms could occur in the person if Viagra drug is taken for an extended period:
- 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 while 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.
What is the Expiration Period of Viagra?
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.
The shelf life of a product is usually labelled in the format of “Month-Date-Year” or “Date-Month-Year”, depending on what format of date your country follows. For example, let’s assume that the Viagra pill you recently purchased from a drug store was manufactured on 1-1-2023 and its shelf life is 31-12-2025. Thus, from this example, we can say that the Viagra pill will only be effective until New Year’s Eve of 2025 from its date of manufacture. The same goes with every other ED treating medicine like Tadalafil(Tadalista), Vardenafil(Filitra) & Avanafil(Stendra).
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 Sildenafil Citrate 100mg shelf life 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 to check the product label for both the dates of manufacture and expiration.
Wrapping Up
Viagra is often the gateway drug prescribed by many doctors to their male patients who face difficulty in achieving penal erections in order to engage in a pleasurable sex drive with their partner. It is a very effective drug, however, its efficacy also depends on its shelf life.
When getting the drug from a nearby pharmacy, be sure to take a quick look at the label for its shelf life because taking an expired product is no good as it may not be as effective as it was meant to be.