Over-the-Counter Viagra & ED Drugs: Why They Aren’t Worth the Risks

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Over-the-Counter Viagra & Dysfunction (ED) Drugs Are Risky

If you have a cold, you will probably go to a drugstore to get a cough and ointment. If you have a headache you may take acetaminophen or ibuprofen. “Over-the-counter medications are available for a variety of ailments and are generally inexpensive and easy to obtain. But what about erectile dysfunction medications that are marketed as Viagra? Below, we describe the process of obtaining a prescription for Viagra (sildenafil) and other ED medications.

Is Viagra Available Off Over the Counter?

Viagra is a prescription drug used to treat erectile dysfunction. It is not available over the counter and requires a health professional to prescribe it. However, many “online pharmacies” claim to sell Viagra without a counter. Most of the time, this is a counterfeit drug and should be avoided at all costs. If you have symptoms of erectile dysfunction (ED), getting a Viagra prescription is not as difficult — or even surprising — as you might think. That being said, the affordability and difficulty of getting a prescription drug drive many men with ED to look for alternatives, sometimes including over-the-counter (OTC) or “Viagra substitutes.”

What Are Over The Counter Viagra Substitutes?

Search online for words like “Viagra” and you will find “Viagra” advertising “ads available without a prescription. For the most part, there is no evidence that they offer any real benefits to your sexual function, or that they are effective in treating erectile dysfunction. Over-the-counter replacement Viagra usually contains herbal ingredients such as ginseng, rhinoceros tablets, horned goat weed, and L-arginine. It is important not to rely on them for ED treatment as these ingredients are unknown and can cause side effects. Generally, it is best to avoid over-the-counter replacement Viagra. These supplements will probably not work, and a few that do work are often labeled as illegal drugs to be sold without a prescription. So, when it comes to the question, “Is Viagra over the counter?” The answer is a resounding no. If you see commercial Viagra or “Viagra Actors” cleverly advertised, it should be avoided at all costs.

Popular OTC ED Drugs

Let’s get down to clarity. If you wander the streets of your local drug store, you will likely find a variety of erectile dysfunction options available outside the counter. Other products on the market include the following:

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Libido Max
Male Extra
Virectin
VigRX Plus

Now, let’s take a look at these over-the-counter men’s enhancement products:

Extenze – One of the most popular male enhancement products on the market, Extenze claims to be 100 percent natural and works better than other products. The company has faced numerous lawsuits challenging the legality of product claims – in particular, that it could increase the size of the rod.
Male Extra – Produced by Marlia Health Innovations in the UK, Male Extra claims to produce large, strong recipes while enhancing sexual potency. It contains essential ingredients such as pomegranate, L-arginine, and creatine to improve blood circulation. Like the other products on this list, there is not much in the way of effective clinical data or research to support Additional Men’s claims.”
VigRX Plus – Aimed for long-term use, VigRX Plus contains 10 natural ingredients such as ginkgo leaf, Asian red ginseng, and Catuaba bark to improve male potency and performance. It takes 30 to 60 days of daily use to build efficiency, but the manufacturer claims it is more than 70 percent effective.
Vimax – Made with ingredients such as ginseng, ginkgo Biloba and saw palmetto, Vimax is a natural product for male enhancement, although reviews suggest that the dosage of active ingredients may be higher. It is also deficient in L-arginine which is one of the most beneficial natural ingredients for male enhancement. However, Vimax also has an FDA warning against it.

OTC ED supplements with FDA warnings

Remember, products sold as nutritional supplements do not adhere to the same FDA standards as prescription drugs, so just because something is on the shelf of a drug store doesn’t mean it’s safe. The FDA has issued health warnings about multiple OTC male enhancement pills – here are some of the products included in the list:

Man Up Now
Stiff Nights
Rock Hard Weekend
Duro Extend Men’s Pills
Vigor-25
Magic Power Coffee
Timeout
Mr. Magic Male Enhancer
Vitale
Xiadafil VIP Tabs
wellbutrin and ed
nitroglycerin erectile dysfunction

What about these products that prompted the FDA to issue a health warning? For many of them, the problem is the hygiene or safety of the ingredients. Some of these ingredients contain more than one active ingredient (for example, sildenafil and tadalafil), which means they are more likely to cause side effects than real drugs. Definition or FDA-approved requirement. If you have a heart attack, or if you are using nitrate or other medications for medical conditions such as high blood pressure, the hidden ingredients used in these “all-natural” products can lead to serious side effects.

What About Natural Remedies?

In addition to the commercial ED drugs mentioned in the previous section, there are other nutritional supplements and herbal remedies and natural remedies for ED many men seeking OTC ED treatment have encountered.

Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA)

Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) hormone, according to the National Institutes of Health, may promote sexual satisfaction and other symptoms of erectile dysfunction – as long as ED is not the result of health conditions such as diabetes or mood disorders. Even though the human body produces these hormones naturally, your levels drop with age. Although research is somewhat scarce in DHEA, it shows that if taken daily, it can help improve your appetite.

L-arginine

Another ingredient that can benefit your erectile function is L-arginine, an amino acid that helps increase the production of nitric oxide in the body. Nitric oxide plays a role in relaxing the corpus cavernosum muscles to improve erectile circulation and function. The role played by L-arginine and nitric oxide and erectile function is complex, but research suggests that it may be as useful as a treatment. One meta-analysis of 540 patients in all 10 different trials found that at doses between 1,500mg and 5,000mg, L-arginine “significantly improved” erectile function in men with mild to moderate erectile dysfunction. However, a study in the Journal of Sexual Medicine regarding the potential role of L-arginine supplements in ED concluded that L-arginine does not provide better erectile function than placebo.

Pycnogenol

Pycnogenol, a nutritional supplement found in French maritime pine bark extract, may provide similar benefits. By the end of the three-month study, 92.5 percent of patients had received a standard suspension. Other supplements that are suspected of helping to increase circulation and improve sexual performance include: