Viagra is a prescription drug licensed to help men with erectile dysfunction. Millions of adult men across the world have found that Viagra is an effective treatment for impotence.

Some women may also wonder if this little blue pill can help improve their sex lives. Unsurprising considering nearly a third of women aged between 30-59 years old experience a period of low sexual libido or sexual dysfunction at some point in their lives.

So could this treatment be used to boost sexual desire in women too? And what happens if a woman takes Viagra? Let’s take a closer look…

How Viagra works

Viagra contains the active ingredient Sildenafil, which works by causing particular muscles in the body – the smooth muscles that surround blood vessels – to relax. When this happens, there is more space for the blood vessels to enlarge and allow more blood to pass through the penis. This is what normally happens when a man is sexually aroused. Viagra is a treatment for men with erectile dysfunction that increases blood flow to the penis, which helps them to experience an erection during sexual arousal.

Does Viagra work for women?

Some believe this trusted treatment may present benefits for women too — that Viagra for women could boost sexual pleasure by increasing genital blood flow like it does in men. However, research on Viagra to treat female sexual dysfunction (FSD) has not found significant evidence that it works or increases sexual satisfaction.

While Viagra effectively aids erections in men by increasing penile blood flow, trials in women have failed to show it meaningfully improves female sexual response, arousal, or lubrication. The theory that Viagra could enhance female sexual experience through similar mechanisms as men has not been backed up by clinical studies to date.

Is it dangerous for women to take?

Like every drug, Viagra can lead to side effects, regardless of whether it’s taken by a man or a woman. But what happens if a woman takes male Viagra? Common side effects for anyone taking it include:

• Headaches
• Indigestion
• Diarrhoea
• Flushed skin
• Dizziness
• Heart attack
• Stroke

There has been very little scientific research about the negative effects of Viagra for women. So it is entirely possible that there could be different or additional sex-specific side effects for women – and the medium/long-term risks are still unknown.

Should women try Viagra?

In the UK, Viagra is only licensed as a treatment for erectile dysfunction in men and should not be taken by women. There’s no conclusive evidence that Viagra could help with sexual dysfunction in women, help them feel more sexually aroused or improve their sexual performance and it might cause undesirable side effects.

If you’re experiencing low sexual desire and want to do something to improve it, talk to your doctor about your options.

Want to know more about other sexual health treatments? Head to MedExpress here.