Why You Should Not Take Over the Counter Viagra Pills

Published On March 8, 2023

Updated on November 22, 2023

Written By Jim Carson, PhD - Life sciences

Erectile Dysfunction (ED) affects around 30 million people in the United States. If you are one of them, you have likely heard of Viagra.

Viagra, or the “little Blue Pill”, is the first medication doctors prescribe for Erectile Dysfunction (ED). But what if you want Viagra without making a visit to the doctor?

Can you get Viagra over the counter? If not, are there any over-the-counter pills like Viagra?

You can find male enhancement sex pills over the counter that claim to act like Viagra. But they are not safe or recommended by doctors.

This article discusses why you should not take over-the-counter Viagra pills.

Can you buy Viagra over the counter

Viagra, containing Sildenafil, is a prescription medicine. Hence, you would need a prescription from a medical professional to buy it.

But, some online pharmacies claim to sell Viagra over the counter (OTC). You must avoid buying medicines from these websites as they may be a fraud.

Since they sell Viagra without a prescription, it may contain unsafe ingredients. It is best to be careful when buying medicines online.

When buying Viagra from an online pharmacy, ensure they sell it with a prescription.

Also, getting a doctor’s prescription for Viagra is not that difficult. You must break the stigma and talk about your ED issues with the doctor.

Curious to learn about the working mechanism of Viagra? Read this article: How Does Viagra Work and Some More Viagra Facts

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Over-the-counter Viagra substitutes

You cannot get Viagra over the counter. But are there any pills like Viagra over the counter?

Yes, there are some OTC alternatives to Viagra marketed as herbal supplements to treat ED.

They claim to enhance your sexual performance and give you a long-lasting erection. There is no clinical evidence supporting these claims.

Some supplements that claim to be ‘natural Viagra‘ include l-arginine, Horny Goat Weed, DHEA, Red Ginseng, and Yohimbe. These supplements may have some benefits, such as:

L-arginine is an amino acid that may help improve the penile blood flow.
Horny Goat Weed is a natural herb used in China to treat low libido and other sexual dysfunctions like ED in men.
DHEA, or Dehydroepiandrosterone, is a natural hormone in the body. A decline in DHEA may lead to a risk of ED.
Ginseng is known to be a powerful aphrodisiac, meaning it helps improve sex drive.
Yohimbe is a supplement that may improve blood circulation to the penis.

There is little scientific evidence that these herbs improve erections and sexual performance.

Over-the-counter Viagra pills or ‘male enhancement pills’ usually contain these above ingredients. These pills are available under various brands, such as Rhino or Nizagara 100.

They may also contain Sildenafil, the active ingredient in Viagra, and other PDE5 inhibitors. But they may be present in unsafe amounts.

There is no evidence that these pills are safe or effective.

You must be eager to know the herbs for libido. Delve into the insights of this article– Herbs for Libido: Natural Remedies to Enhance Sexual Desire.

Warning:

Do not start any ED treatment without consulting a doctor. They may also affect the other areas of your body.

Why you should not take over-the-counter Viagra pills

How Does Viagra Work — Holding medicine strip

The FDA warns about the potential risks of over-the-counter ED pills.

These risks include dangerous side effects, drug interactions, and undeclared ingredients.

Ingredients

Some OTC ED supplements contain ingredients unlisted on the label. They may be unsafe.

Due to this, these products may work at first but can lead to potentially harmful side effects.

Moreover, there are few clinical trials on the effectiveness and safety of these ingredients.

They may also contain more than one active ED ingredient. They may have both Sildenafil and Tadalafil.

It is hazardous as you should not combine two PDE5 inhibitors.

Read this article to know- “Does Horny Goat Weed Really Work for ED: Finding the Truth”

Side effects

Certain OTC products may induce potentially hazardous side effects due to hidden ingredients.

They may negatively interact with other medications and diseases. You cannot screen for drug interactions in advance because the components are unknown.

Some supplements may contain both Sildenafil and Nitrates. It could lead to a concerning drop in blood pressure in people with heart disease or Diabetes.

Viagra and other ED pills have some side effects too. Due to this, it is essential to take them with a doctor’s prescription.

Some side effects of ED pills include headache, dizziness, nasal congestion, and visual changes.

OTC products may worsen the side effects of Viagra because they contain unregulated quantities of ED pills’ ingredients.

They may lead to swelling in the penis, heart palpitations, and Priapism.

If you experience side effects after taking Viagra, read this article to learn how to overcome them: How to Get Rid of Viagra Side Effects- Solution

What should you take for ED instead

It would be best if you avoided OTC male enhancement pills for ED. Instead, buy prescription pills.

Viagra and other PDE5 inhibitors are FDA-approved to treat Erectile Dysfunction.

Viagra may be costly for some consumers. But you can get the generic versions (Sildenafil) at lower prices.

Other FDA-approved alternatives to Viagra include:

Cialis (Tadalafil)
Levitra (Vardenafil)

You may also buy the generic versions of Levitra and Cialis online at affordable prices.

Fact:

Generic versions of medicines contain the same active ingredients and have the equal effectiveness as the brand name medicine. The only distinction lies in their prices. Genereic versions are affordable than the branded versions.

Final outlook on over-the-counter Viagra

Viagra is not available over the counter.

You can only get Viagra with a doctor’s prescription.

Some male enhancement pills are available over the counter that claim to be alternatives to Viagra.

But they are unsafe and contain unregulated and undisclosed ingredients.

No scientific evidence suggests that these products are safe or effective.

It is best to avoid them and only take prescribed medicines for ED.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where can I buy Viagra over the counter?

Viagra is a prescription medicine. Thus, it is not available over the counter. You can buy it from any online or offline pharmacy with a doctor’s prescription.

Is there anything over the counter that works like Viagra?

There are no effective and safe alternatives to Viagra for ED. Some OTC medicines contain the same ingredients as Viagra but at unregulated levels.

What is a substitute for Viagra?

The FDA-approved substitutes for Viagra include Tadalafil (Cialis), Vardenafil (Levitra), and Avanafil (Avaforce).

Citations:
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