Can you take Viagra with alcohol?

If you’re wondering whether you can combine Viagra (sildenafil) and alcohol, here’s what you need to know: It is likely safe to take Viagra with alcohol if you are drinking in moderation and have consulted with your healthcare provider. 

That said, there are some things you need to know about how alcohol and Viagra can interact.

Yes, you can take Viagra with alcohol as long as your alcohol use is not excessive (and you’ve cleared it with your healthcare provider).

Excessive alcohol use means more than two glasses of wine (or the equivalent serving of beer or spirits). More specifically, the safe daily alcohol limit recommended by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) is two drinks a day for men and one drink a day for women. 

According to Viagra’s prescribing information, it’s likely safe to have one or two drinks while taking Viagra,the “little blue pill.”

Have better sex with Ro

Best seller

Sparks

Works in 15 minutes*, lasts for 36 hours

Get started

Learn more

Important safety information

With tadalafil

Daily Rise Gummies

Works continuously, no planning required

Get started

Learn more

Important safety information

Generic of Viagra®

Up to 95% cheaper than branded

Get started

Learn more

Important safety information

Viagra®

Ready in 60 minutes, lasts for 6 hours

Get started

Learn more

Important safety information

Generic of Cialis®

Affordable alternative to branded

Get started

Learn more

Important safety information

Cialis®

Daily and as-needed options available

Get started

Learn more

Important safety information

Viagra, like any medication, can come with some side effects, which many people are able to manage. When combining Viagra with heavy alcohol use, however, there’s a chance these side effects may increase. Viagra’s drug label mentions Viagra is likely safe with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08%, which roughly translates to two drinks. Reaching higher blood alcohol concentrations with Viagra may not be safe. 

There are limited studies available on this subject, and more research is needed to fully understand the potential risks. To be on the safe side, limit your drinking while on Viagra.

Side effects of alcohol and Viagra

To date, there have been few studies on the effects of using alcohol and Viagra simultaneously. One study showed that taking Viagra with alcohol increased participants’ chances of experiencing the following: 

• Headaches

• Facial flushing

• Chest discomfort

• Dizziness

Two important caveats, though: 

• The study was relatively small (just over 300 participants)

• Most participants who drank alcohol while taking Viagra did so heavily — more than 15 drinks a week

It’s possible a drink or two won’t increase Viagra’s side effects, but it’s important to pay attention to how you feel since everybody’s experience is different. 

As far as we know, there’s no need to space out alcohol and Viagra, as long as you are drinking modest amounts — sticking to the 1–2 drinks per day max as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Just know that there’s a chance you could experience more side effects, such as facial flushing, headaches, or lightheadedness. 

You may also want to drink extra water or other non-alcoholic fluids to help offset some of those potential effects. Taking regular safety precautions when consuming alcohol is also important — such as ensuring your environment is safe and avoiding driving while under the influence.

If you experience side effects when combining alcohol and Viagra, tell your healthcare provider. They may recommend you avoid doing so in the future. 

Excessive drinking (more than 15 drinks a week) has been shown to significantly worsen Viagra’s side effects. If you plan to drink while taking Viagra, keeping it to 1–2 standard drinks per day is your safest bet. 

More than this, and the risks of side effects start to increase including low blood pressure, which can be unsafe.  

Excessive drinking can also affect how well blood vessels in the penis function, which can make it harder to maintain an erection over time. 

The CDC defines a standard drink as the following:

• 12 ounces of beer (with 5% alcohol content)

• 8 ounces of malt liquor (with 7% alcohol content)

• 5 ounces of wine (with 12% alcohol content)

• 1.5 ounces or a “shot” of 80-proof (40% alcohol content) distilled spirits or liquor (e.g., gin, rum, vodka, whiskey)

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is usually not negatively affected by alcohol intake — assuming you’re staying within the recommended limit of 1–2 drinks per day. 

Some people with ED find that a drink or two can help ease sexual performance anxiety enough to improve erectile function (though experiences may vary). The evidence suggests moderate drinking is unlikely to cause ED.

The picture looks quite different when we look at people with alcohol dependence. In this group, ED is more likely — probably because long-term, heavy drinking can damage blood vessels, including those in the penis.

Similarly, other lifestyle factors that can impair blood flow— such as obesity, smoking, and physical inactivity — can contribute to ED. ED can occur at any age, though it’s more common in older adults, particularly those over 70. 

It’s generally safe to mix small amounts of alcohol with most proven ED treatments. While there’s a chance that side effects from Viagra could worsen with alcohol, the risk is usually not significant when staying within the 1–2 drinks per day limit. (If your experience varies, tell your healthcare provider. They may recommend avoiding alcohol the next time you use ED medication).

Viagra is part of a class of medications called PDE5 inhibitors, which also includes Cialis (tadalafil). These medications are among the most well-researched treatments available for ED, and the same guidance about mixing alcohol applies to both — a drink or two should be fine, but drinking heavily is not recommended. 

Other potential ED treatments to discuss with your healthcare provider include:

• Vacuum devices (penis pumps)

• Penis injections

• Shockwave therapy

• Penile implants

As far as we know, these should all be safe with moderate drinking, but direct research on this hasn’t been conducted yet. 

Use caution with “over-the-counter” Viagra supplements or at-home treatments claiming to improve libido, erectile function, stamina, or ejaculation. Many counterfeit options exist, and since their ingredients can’t be verified, they carry potential risks to health — both on their own and when mixed with alcohol.

Ro Sparks

Hard in 15 mins (on avg), ready for up to 36 hours, 2-in-1 formula

Get started

It’s likely safe to have a drink or two with Viagra, but combining the two may increase the risk of shared side effects, such as headache or lightheadedness. The risk increases with higher amounts of alcohol.

• As long as your healthcare provider approves, it’s generally safe to have a drink or two while taking Viagra. Keep in mind that combining the two may lead to more side effects, such as facial flushing, headaches, or lightheadedness. If you experience side effects when combining the two, let your healthcare provider know.

• Drinking heavily (more than two drinks a day for men) is not recommended, and doing so while taking Viagra further increases the risk of side effects. 

• As long as you stick to the recommended limit of 1–2 drinks, alcohol is unlikely to have a serious impact on erectile function. Heavy, long-term drinking, however, is known to contribute to ED.

For more questions about mixing sildenafil and alcohol, or about other ED medications such as Cialis (tadalafil) or vardenafil (previously available as Levitra), speak with your healthcare provider.