Know All Beverages and Foods to Avoid When Taking Viagra
Know All Beverages and Foods to Avoid When Taking Viagra
When using Viagra, the safety and efficacy of the medication can be determined by the foods you eat and the beverages you take. This is why it is important to know all beverages and foods to avoid when taking Viagra.
Some of these foods and beverages can prevent the medication from working as described by the pharmacist. Others can make the side effects much stronger and pose a danger to the user.
Common among the beverages and foods you should avoid are alcohol, grapefruit juice, and foods that contain a lot of fat. These may seem like some of the fun meals and drinks, but if you want to get the best effect from taking Viagra, it is worth the sacrifice. let’s explain further.
Avoid grapefruit and juice when taking Viagra
Despite its great test and alluring aroma, grape juice can prove to be a big risk to you when you are using Viagra. Some of the ingredients in grapefruit are known to cause vasodilation. This is the same effect Viagra has on your body when you swallow it. So grapefruit and Viagra can combine to create an amplified reaction. It could be similar to taking an overdose of Viagra. This can cause a drop in blood pressure, which can lead to death if not attended to quickly. Also, you could get a painful erection which is sustained for more than 4 hours causing permanent damage to the penis. Other side effects that can be more intense when you take Viagra along with grapefruit or juice include:
- Headache
- Dizziness
- Nausea
- Fainting
Avoid alcohol or regulate the use when taking Viagra
Alcohol is not completely off the menu when you are taking Viagra. However, to be able to safely take alcohol and use the erectile dysfunction medication, you need to have control over the amount of alcohol you take. A beer or two taken with your meal or just before you take Viagra may not have serious consequences. However, individuals vary in their reaction to alcohol and use of Viagra. It is important you understand the possible dangers of taking alcohol with Viagra.
First of all, it can slow down the reaction of the medication since alcohol taken in excess is known to cause erectile dysfunction. Also, it is known to cause aftereffects associated with the side effects of using Viagra. This means you can increase the intensity of the side effects such as headache, nausea, and dizziness as a result of taking a lot of alcohol and swallowing Viagra as well. Certain alcoholic drinks can also lower blood pressure so when combined with Sildenafil, the main ingredient in Viagra, you can cause a dangerous drop in blood pressure.
If you cannot regulate how much you drink, it is best not to use Viagra on the days that you choose to drink.
Fatty foods should be avoided when taking Viagra
Fatty foods are probably the reason you love food. However, when you are taking Viagra, you need to put a brake on your consumption of such foods. This includes meats that are known to contain a lot of fat like bacon and deep fried chicken. To that list, you should also add dairy products such as cheese, butter, and yogurt. Fatty foods tend to line the stomach walls. This results in delayed absorption of nutrients as well as the wonder drug, Viagra. Delayed absorption can translate into a delayed effect of the medication. Therefore, instead of getting an erection between 30 minutes to an hour of taking the drug, you may have to wait many more hours. Sometimes, the fatty foods can also diminish the strength of the medication since not all of it is absorbed into the blood.
If you really need your fix of junk food, it is best to swallow the medication a few hours before you eat the junk food. That way it will get absorbed first.
Avoid heavy meals just before taking Viagra
While you avoid fatty and oily foods, you also need to stay away from heavy meals. There is very little difference between eating a heavy meal and eating fatty foods just before taking Viagra. Too much food in your stomach can cause the medication to work slowly or even not work. While you can have a small portion of food before swallowing the blue pill, you need to ensure that you do not overdo it. What you need to remember about eating before taking Viagra is that you need to do it in moderation, just like with alcoholic drinks. If possible, take the medication before you eat, that way it will have enough time to get absorbed and by the time you are done with your meal, you will be ready for action.
Talk to your doctor
When the doctor prescribes this drug for your erectile dysfunction, have an in-depth talk with them about what foods and beverages you should avoid. The foods and drinks mentioned here are simply the most common ones, however, there are many more that would fall within this category. For example, fatty foods are numerous. When you go to a fast food restaurant, chances are everything on the menu is fatty. Let your doctor know what kinds of foods you usually eat and they will advise you whether to avoid them or not.
Conclusion
You need to know all beverages and foods to avoid when taking Viagra because this will determine the safety of your treatment. Some foods are known to increase the side effects of the medication which can be dangerous especially if those include fainting and a permanent erection. At the same time, some foods and drinks will prevent the medicine from working effectively. Certain herbal supplements may also need to be stopped while you use this medication. Inform your doctor about your diet and be sure that whatever you usually eat doesn’t interact with Sildenafil or any of the ingredients found in Viagra.
