The “blue pill” is over 20years old now and what once started as a last resort for tired old men is now becoming the norm for many younger males who are worried and have performance anxiety.
Pfizer’s famous pill was launched in 1998 as the first prescribed oral solution available for erectile dysfunction.
Huge campaigns, famous faces in Hugh Hefner and Pele raving about it created Billions in sales. Now the famous drug is even more omnipresent.
Its users now appear to be getting even younger.
This new generation of young males under 40 is using the ED drug out of fear of being unable to perform. Or to live up to unrealistic perceptions of performance.
Some studies suggest, younger men who take Viagra & Sildenafil (the unbranded version and the main component in Viagra) take it to deal with psychological barriers. This may include anxiety & stress around sexual performance.
Other younger gentlemen take it recreationally to aid in encounters with the possibility of a new partner insight. Other men are using drugs quite often with other narcotics and heavy drinking.
The question is, should men in their “youth” be taking a drug to deal with tensions, worries or nerves to perform well during sex? And by doing so, is it safe?
Men are acutely aware that in sexual situations, there is a perceived expectation. This can lead to embarrassment or anxiety when the expectations are not met.
The problem is that short-term erectile dysfunction can become more challenging if it stems from a psychological issue. It means, if each time the man has sex, he starts to worry he can’t perform he then subsequently loses his erection. That process can become chronic.
Younger guys are now taking Viagra / Viagra Connect as some sort of insurance policy, often taken before they go on a night out. Younger men are increasingly not so confident in their sexual ability and see Viagra as a boost to confidence.
When Viagra connect was released in March 2019, and it could be bought “over the counter” without prescription. Because you no longer need to see a doctor – and it can be bought easily online, it has begun to normalise use among young men who don’t suffer from erectile dysfunction.
If younger gents are genuinely worried about having sex and it is causing problems, anxiety and distress then it is fine. If you complete a serious of questions with your GP / online pharmacist, or at your local chemist and they give you the ok, then it is ok to take.
However, while taking sildenafil or Viagra has some legitimate use in younger men, it can also be problematic.
Absolute, it will give you an erection. However, the pill may not necessarily remove those feelings of stress & anxiety related to a sexual encounter.
Legitimate ED treatments such as Cialis / Viagra / Sildenafil are generally considered to be safe. As with all drugs it can have health consequences, especially if it is taken as part of a night out drinking and taking illegal narcotics.
ED solutions lower blood pressure. And although that is not an issue on its own, if it is combined with other drugs with similar effects, the results may end up being serious.
Even if other drugs & alcohol are consumed, ED treatment is not a quick fix for dealing with issues of intimacy.
It is correct that ED is far more common in guys as they get older. About 40% of 40-year-old men in the UK. have had some degree of ED at some point in their life. Most Viagra users now (according to Pfizer) are in their early to mid-’50s. These men are likely to be using ED treatments as sexual performance is a high priority for them.
A younger man is looking for everything to be working just perfectly. Whereas an elderly gent may be content with less dependable erections. They may be in long term relationships where communication is clear and there is less pressure to perform. Sexual partners of younger men are more demanding of their performance.
Viagra and other treatment work by ensuring enough blood flow to the penis to keep it fully erect. It does not work instantaneously; you need to still be sexually aroused. If young guys are taking before they go out, they are not strutting around a with an erection for hours on end but will be able to rely on it if they get a sexual encounter at the end of the night.
Taking too much sildenafil can cause unpleasant side effects like headaches, dizziness, indigestion, blocked nose and altered vision
Many younger men are taking 100mg tablets, the NHS recommended dose is 50mg once a day. If taken at a moment of inebriation people don’t really know what the dose means, and this can also be dangerous.
People are using the pills to plaster over larger, deeper-rooted issues that are inhibiting their sexual performance. Plastering over the crack with a quick fix pill may not be the solution to the problem. This has to be a temporary fix.
As we have seen Erectile dysfunction can happen to all men, regardless of age. Although far more common among men over 40, ED can happen to men at any age. If you suffer from persistent erectile dysfunction in your 20s you should seek out advice or medical assistance from your local GP. If you are buying online you should check that the site you are using is registered with the MHRA and authorised to sell Viagra or other ED Treatments. You should be asked to complete a medical questionnaire to see that you have no underlying conditions that could affect your health. If you have any questions you can contact our pharmacists we will be happy to help
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