How to Tell if Your Partner is Taking Viagra

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Signs a guy is taking the little blue pill for ED
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If your sex life has suddenly become a little more intense and fulfilling than it was a month or two ago, you might be wondering what changed with the guy in your life. But how do you know if your boyfriend, husband, or FWB is taking Viagra or if something else is going on? In this article, we’ll cover the major signs someone is taking Viagra. We’ll also talk about what that means in terms of arousal and attraction and how it might affect your relationship (hint: there's nothing to be worried about).

Things You Should Know

  • Men on Viagra experience increased erectile strength and more frequent erections. It doesn't make them aroused, though—it only helps them show their arousal.
  • A man may need to stop taking blood pressure medications, nitrates, or alpha-blockers if they’re taking Viagra.
  • If a guy is taking Viagra, he’ll likely cut back on alcohol consumption. He may also experience more headaches, flushed skin, or stomach aches.
Section 1 of 5:

What does Viagra do?

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  1. When men are sexually aroused, they get an erection. But sometimes, men can’t get that erection—even if they’re interested in having sex. This is known as erectile dysfunction, and this is precisely what Viagra treats. This famous little blue pill will ensure that a man gets an erection when he’s turned on and maintains that erection through to completion. [1]
    • Other medications that treat erectile dysfunction include vardenafil (Levitra, Staxyn), tadalafil (Cialis) and avanafil (Stendra).
    • Notably, Viagra doesn’t actually make men turned on. It can’t change someone’s sex drive—it just ensures that the body responds properly to that sex drive.
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Section 2 of 5:

Signs He’s Taking Viagra

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  1. Viagra makes it easier for people with a penis to get an erection and maintain it. It also relaxes your muscles which makes it easier for the penis to fill up entirely with blood, so you may notice an increase in erection strength and firmness. [2]
    • Viagra doesn’t actually increase attraction; it just makes it easier to get erections. As a result, if your partner is trying to sleep with you and you’re tempted to blame it on the Viagra, don’t. They’re just into you!
  2. Viagra doesn’t cause you to stay erect after having sex, but it does seem to decrease the refractory period for men (how much “down time” they need between ejaculations). As a result, you’re likely going to notice the frequency of sex increase as your partner has an easier time regaining their erection if they’re on Viagra. [3]
  3. Viagra naturally improves blood flow, while alcohol slows it down. As a result, many people who take Viagra and drink alcohol just end up experiencing nasty headaches while losing the benefits of the Viagra. As a result, most people who take Viagra will naturally stop drinking more than the occasional beer or two in social situations (which is totally fine, health-wise). [4]
    • If your partner used to love drinking more than a few alcoholic beverages and they’ve suddenly cut back while you’ve noticed their erections have improved, it’s very likely they’re taking Viagra.
  4. Due to the fact that Viagra increases blood pressure, it’s important for most Viagra users to stop taking medications that increase or decrease blood flow while taking Viagra. If a man has started taking Viagra, you may notice that they’ve cut back on other medications or they’re suddenly picking up alternatives from the pharmacist. [5]
    • If you’re taking Viagra, don’t stop taking any medications without talking to your doctor about it first.
    • A Viagra user may need to stop taking nitrates, alpha blockers, and blood pressure medications.
  5. These are the most common negative side effects of taking Viagra. If a man is taking Viagra, you may notice his skin looks a little redder than it normally does. Alternatively, you may notice him complaining about stomach issues or headaches more often. [6]
    • None of these symptoms are signs on their own since they’re all pretty mundane, but they could point towards Viagra usage if you notice other signs.
  6. This is known as a drug-induced priapism. This type of erection will typically be painful, and it will persist regardless of whether or not your partner is aroused. If a guy gets this kind of erection, he needs medical treatment to prevent long-term complications. [7]
    • There are a lot of medications that can cause induced priapism, so if your partner immediately starts blaming something other than Viagra, they’re probably telling the truth.
    • Induced priapism is actually relatively rare, so don’t expect for this to happen automatically if a guy is on Viagra.
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Section 3 of 5:

What does it mean if he takes Viagra?

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  1. Erectile dysfunction is an extremely common problem for people with penises, and most men will experience it at some point in their life. For about 10% of the population, erectile dysfunction will be a long-term issue that requires treatment, and Viagra (alongside vardenafil (Levitra, Staxyn), tadalafil (Cialis) and avanafil (Stendra)) are all efficient treatments. [8]
    • Erectile dysfunction is no different than any other medical event. It's common to feel embarrassed when it happens, but there’s really nothing for anyone to be ashamed about.
    • Erectile dysfunction is more likely to impact people who have vascular disease, neurological disorders, depression, stress, anxiety, or a history of sexual trauma.
  2. It’s reasonable if your first reaction to a partner with erectile dysfunction is to think that you did something wrong, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. The entire reason that erectile dysfunction is stressful for someone is that they’re turned on but their body isn’t responding accordingly. If your partner says they’re still into you, believe them—the Viagra is for a medical condition, not you. [9]
    • There’s nothing wrong with taking Viagra. A guy takes medication like this specifically because he’s attracted to you and wants to act on it. The Viagra wouldn’t do anything for him if he weren’t actually interested in being with you in the first place.
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Section 4 of 5:

Talking to Him About ED

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  1. It’s totally okay if you’re a little freaked out by your partner or friend with benefits taking Viagra—this is probably new for you. It’s probably a little weird for him too, especially if he’s never taken Viagra before. But you know what will make it less weird? Talking openly about what’s going on. Just ask your partner if they’re willing to talk about this in a nonconfrontational and nonjudgmental way. [10]
    • You might say, “Hey, I really love and care about you, and there’s no judgment here, but have you started taking Viagra? It’s no big deal if you are. I would just love to talk about it.”
  2. If you’re confident about who you are and the state of your relationship and your man seems to be hiding their Viagra usage, it’s probably because he’s embarrassed. A lot of guys feel this way when they experience erectile dysfunction. If that’s your partner, you could simply let it be. They might appreciate the space to get comfortable with it on their own first. [11]
    • For a lot of men, erectile dysfunction can make them feel like “less of a man,” even if there are zero reasons for them to feel that way on an intellectual level.
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Section 5 of 5:

How does Viagra work?

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  1. During an erection, chemicals in the body cause the penis to relax and fill with blood. That blood is held in place, which keeps the penis hard. If that blood can’t be held in place or the muscles don’t relax, erectile dysfunction occurs. Viagra works by keeping those muscles relaxed and speeding up blood flow so the penis stays filled during intercourse. [12]
    • Note that the penis won’t stay erect if the Viagra user isn’t actually sexually aroused.
    • Viagra does require a prescription from a doctor, but it’s a relatively easy script for most doctors to write. There are a lot of telehealth services that will prescribe it without an in-person checkup.

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      Tips

      • There are zero DIY tests you can use to tell if a guy is taking Viagra. While a doctor may be able to deduce if someone is on Viagra by testing their blood or urine, there’s nothing that you can do at home. If your husband or boyfriend seems like they’re on Viagra but are denying it, you’re best off taking them at their word. [13]
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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.bumc.bu.edu/sexualmedicine/informationsessions/choosing-the-right-pill-to-treat-ed/
      2. ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3836683/
      3. ↑ https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a699015.html
      4. ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2259209/
      5. ↑ https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/sildenafil-oral-route/side-effects/drg-20066989?p=1
      6. ↑ https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/sildenafil-viagra/side-effects-of-sildenafil/
      7. ↑ https://www.medsafe.govt.nz/profs/PUArticles/September2014Drug_InducedPriapism.htm
      8. ↑ https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/10035-erectile-dysfunction
      9. ↑ https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1046/j.1467-9566.2003.00366.x
      1. ↑ https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1046/j.1467-9566.2003.00366.x
      2. ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8808006/
      3. ↑ https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a699015.html
      4. ↑ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11955836/

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