Xanax contains alprazolam and is a short-acting benzodiazepine. Doctors prescribe it to treat anxiety and other related mood disorders. Viagra/sildenafil is the most widely used drug to treat erectile dysfunction.
Anxiety, depression, and other psychological issues commonly exist with erectile dysfunction, premature ejaculation, low sexual desire, and low sex performance. Both sexual performance issues and mood disorders are more common in older adults. Thus, in many cases, adults may be using both these drugs (1, 2).
When using multiple drugs at the same time, it is essential to understand their interactions. Such interactions may occur in several ways, as medications may change others' metabolism, may enhance or reduce the activity of each other, and so on.
Anxiety and Erectile Dysfunction (ED) Commonly Coexist
Studies show that in younger adults, ED is more often due to psychological issues. And in older adults, due to various chronic diseases. However, it is necessary to know that psychological problems exist in all cases of ED.
It is wrong to think that experienced men suffer less with anxiety or other mood disorders. More experienced men are also more likely to hold high profile jobs, more likely to live with not just some personal stress but with immense professional pressures. All these issues, when unhandled, accumulate over time. And many such men consequently lose interest in sex, followed by lost confidence.
Medical research shows that in all the cases of ED, it is necessary to assess the psychological health of individuals. As in most cases, without psychological help, ED treatment may fail. It can also mean that many such men may be prescribed anxiolytics, antidepressants along with PDE5 inhibitors. Some men may need to take both Xanax and Viagra.
Xanax a Short-Acting Benzodiazepine That Helps With Mood
Xanax helps get rid of psychological inhibition, and at the same time, it is one of the right drugs to prevent panic attacks, to treat anxiety. It is a potent drug and is preferred by many doctors since it is short-acting (3).
However, like any mood-stabilizing drugs, it is addictive and has many side effects too. It causes sedation, tiredness, sleepiness. It may improve symptoms of anxiety, but it may reduce sexual desire. Anti-antianxiety drugs are more probable to worsen sexual performance and erection quality.
People take Xanax over long periods, and one cannot discontinue it on wish. If someone wants to abandon, it is done gradually and over several months.
Xanax is also a drug of abuse, as many people are used to it. Some individuals need it to take it daily to feel well, as prolonged use results in addiction (4).
Viagra the Most Commonly Used ED Pill
Although there are now many options for treating ED, for many reasons, people love Viagra. It helps in more than 80% of the cases. It works fast and starts acting in 30 minutes. Millions of prescriptions prove that it is a highly safe drug, and harsh side effects are infrequent.
Viagra is not addictive, and its effect lasts for about 12 hours maximum in most individuals, though some may report a more prolonged effect. It does not accumulate into the body. All this means that even if one gets any side effects from Viagra, these side effects are short lasting and transient.
The most common side effects of Viagra are facial flushing, nasal congestion, and mild headaches. These are rarely the reason for not using the drug. However, people taking other medications for the heart should be careful since Viagra may increase reduce blood pressure (has additive action with antihypertensives).
Xanax and Viagra Are Safe to Use Together
If a person is living with anxiety, stress, and other mood disorders, he is quite likely to have problems in getting a hard erection. Viagra can help in most cases.
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Xanax acts on brain chemicals, changing their action, and thus improving mood. Viagra does not work on brain chemicals or neurotransmitters. Viagra acts on blood vessels, it relaxes them by increasing NO concentration, and some blood vessels like that of the penis are more sensitive to it.
Xanax, regretfully, interacts with numerous drugs. Therefore, one should be very careful when taking such medications. Even some drinks and food items may change its action. A person taking Xanax may quickly get drunk on consuming alcohol, as both alcohol and Xanax increase each other activity in the brain.
Viagra is less prone to have adverse reactions with other drugs when compared to Xanax. It primarily interacts with some anti-HIV drugs, some antifungal medications. It should be taken with care when taking medications to treat hypertension, as it may further reduce blood pressure.
Extensive research shows that Xanax is exceptionally safe when taken with Viagra or vice-versa. There are no known severe drug interactions between these two medications. There is mild evidence that sildenafil/Viagra may reduce the metabolism of Xanax a bit, and thus increase its specific effects (5, 6).
When taking Xanax, one may need to take Viagra at higher doses, as drugs with sedative effects reduce the action of medications used for improving sexual arousal and quality of erection (7).
Xanax and Viagra are safe medications when used as intended. They are safe to use together. Among these medications, Viagra is safer with extremely rare chances of any severe side effects. One should be more careful with Xanax, and avoid abusing it.
