“I’d like to try Viagra for fun—but is it safe for a young, healthy guy? I saw a celebrity talk about it on The Tonight Show a while back, and it sounded exciting.” — Andy S., Evanston, IL
Hm, I tend to shy away from using pharmaceuticals recreationally, so I asked sex therapist Michael Aaron, Ph.D., to weigh in:
“Viagra was only approved in ’98, so there haven’t been enough studies to test its long-term safety,” he says. “But short term—as long as you’re not on meds like nitrates—it seems to have few side effects, headache being the most common.”
Now for the fun part: “Anecdotally,” he says, “it’s not unusual for younger guys to use Viagra recreationally, since it can bring fuller, stronger erections—though that may also mean a little less sensitivity. Also, it won’t get you aroused till you’re feeling aroused—i.e., it’s not going to pop you an erection when you’re stuck in traffic. But it gives you a nice ‘pump’ of feeling thicker and fuller, so you may feel more ready to ‘rise to the occasion.’”
Thanks, doc. And I’d also say maybe don’t get sex advice from talk shows (though Seth Meyers is probably OK).
