Is it safe to take Viagra with alcohol?

If you’re currently pouring yourself a drink and wondering if it’s safe to combine Viagra 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. 

But that’s not a carte blanche: there are some things you need to know before you consider having a drink if you take Viagra. Here’s what you need to know about how alcohol and Viagra (sildenafil) can interact and what you should consider.

Many people like to enjoy an alcoholic beverage on the days they plan to use Viagra, commonly known as the “little blue pill.” As long as your alcohol use is not excessive (and you’ve cleared it with your healthcare provider), it is likely safe for you to have a glass or two of wine (or the equivalent serving of beer or spirits) while taking sildenafil, or its brand-name, Viagra. 

What about how alcohol might affect your ability to get an erection? Alcohol affects erectile function differently, depending on your drinking habits. 

In people who drink heavily, alcohol can cause damage to the liver or blood vessels, which can lead to erectile dysfunction. If you stay within the recommended 1–2 drinks a day, though, there’s a chance alcohol could actually help you with erectile function. For most people, a drink or two is likely not the culprit if you’re having trouble getting a strong erection. 

One thing to be aware of is that alcohol and Viagra can have some overlapping side effects, like dizziness and headaches, and mixing the two can make those effects worse. 

Viagra, like any medication, can come with some side effects, which most people are able to manage. When combining Viagra with heavy alcohol use, people are even more likely to experience side effects and some of the effects may be pretty unpleasant. One study of 325 men showed that taking Viagra with alcohol increased participants’ chances of experiencing headache, facial flushing, chest discomfort, and dizziness. Two caveats: the study was relatively small, and most of the men who drank alcohol while taking the ED drug did so heavily—more than 15 drinks a week. (The recommended limit of alcohol use in men is 2 drinks per day, according to the US Department of Agriculture Dietary Guidelines for Americans.)

More research needs to be done on the effects of mixing alcohol with Viagra for those who do not typically engage in heavy drinking.

As far as we know, alcohol and Viagra can be safely mixed as long as you are drinking modest amounts; just know that there’s a chance you could experience more side effects like facial flushing, headaches, or lightheadedness. You may want to drink some extra water or other non-alcoholic fluids to offset some of those effects. Don’t forget to take the regular safety precautions you take when consuming alcohol like ensuring your environment is safe and avoiding driving under the influence.

If you are going to consume alcohol while taking Viagra, be sure to do so responsibly. Limit your alcohol intake to 1–2 drinks per day. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the amount of alcohol in a standard drink is one of 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)

Drink water or nonalcoholic beverages in between the alcoholic drinks to prevent dehydration. Know your limits, and be sure to stop drinking alcohol when you start to feel intoxicated.

And, for those on certain prescription drugs like nitrates or alpha-blockers, do not take Viagra, even without alcohol, before speaking with your healthcare provider, as negative drug interactions and serious side effects can occur when these medications are combined with Viagra.

You should be fine to mix small amounts of alcohol with most proven and studied ED treatments. While there’s a chance that side effects from Viagra could be made worse with alcohol, it’s safe to mix them, so long as you’re drinking moderately. 

Viagra is part of a class of drugs called PDE-5 inhibitors (Cialis is another drug in this class). These are the most well-researched treatments available for ED. 

Be careful about taking any over-the-counter supplements or other “treatments” claiming to improve libido, erectile function, stamina, or ejaculation. There are many counterfeit options on the market, which come with high potential risks to your health. Avoid these altogether, and definitely don’t mix them with alcohol, since you don’t know what they contain. 

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is usually not negatively affected by alcohol intake—assuming you’re drinking moderately. In fact, some men with ED find that a drink or two can loosen them up enough that their existing erectile problems dissipate. The evidence tells us that it’s unlikely moderate drinking is a cause of ED. 

The story looks quite different when we look at people with a dependence on alcohol. In those with alcohol dependence, ED can be a result. This is likely because long-term, heavy drinking causes damage to the blood vessels, including the blood vessels in the penis. 

Similarly, other lifestyle factors that damage blood flow, like obesity, smoking, and lack of physical activity can lead to ED. ED can happen at any age (though it’s more common in older age groups, especially those over 70). 

You may be surprised to learn that grapefruit juice can have a significant impact on the effectiveness and safety of Viagra. Viagra is broken down by the liver, and grapefruit juice may affect how well the liver can accomplish this. Researchers looked at men who took Viagra with grapefruit juice and found that the combination can increase the amount of the drug circulating in your body. 

While this is not usually a dangerous outcome, higher levels of Viagra may increase the risk of those pesky common side effects like headaches, flushing, or low blood pressure. Grapefruit juice can have this effect on many medications, not just alcohol, so be wary of including grapefruit juice in your diet if you are taking other medications as well. 

The takeaway?  It’s probably fine to have a drink or two with Viagra, but there’s a chance mixing Viagra and alcohol together could increase the risk of their shared side effects (headache, lightheadedness, etc). Drinking heavily (more than 2 drinks a day for men) is not recommended at all, and doing so while taking Viagra is likely going to increase any side effects. 

If you have more questions about mixing sildenafil and alcohol, or are curious about other ED medications like Cialis (tadalafil) or vardenafil (previously available as Levitra), contact your healthcare provider.

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How we reviewed this article

Every article on Health Guide goes through rigorous fact-checking by our team of medical reviewers. Our reviewers are trained medical professionals who ensure each article contains the most up-to-date information, and that medical details have been correctly interpreted by the writer.

Current version

September 30, 2024

Written by

Rachel Honeyman

Fact checked by

Peter Schlegel, MD, Raagini Yedidi, MD

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About the medical reviewers

Peter Schlegel, MD

Peter Schlegel, MD, is a board-certified urologist, internationally acclaimed expert in the treatment of male infertility, and Ro advisor.

Raagini Yedidi, MD

Raagini Yedidi, MD, is an internal medicine resident and medical reviewer for Ro.