Viagra Question
I’m a mountain biker in Colorado, and I compete in mountain bike races at elevations ranging from 6,000 to 10,000 feet or more. I read somewhere that Viagra can improve athletic performance at higher altitudes. Would it be of any help to me?
Answer
Studies designed to determine Viagra’s effects on athletic performance at sea level showed that cyclists taking the drug performed no better than those who did not take the drug. That same study also measured the effects of the drug on athletic performance at a simulated elevation of 12,700 feet, which is well above the maximum elevation at which you’re cycling.
It found that some performed much better — up to 45% better — at that altitude than others, but not all cyclists responded to the drug in the same positive way. Ten cyclists who took sildenafil citrate at that altitude “collectively lowered the time it took to cover six kilometres by 15% compared to placebo trials at altitude,” according to an article posted at ScienceDaily.com.
Overall, the cyclists who took sildenafil also improved stroke volume and stroke output, when compared with those cyclists who were given a placebo. However, the researchers found that the individual improvement for those given sildenafil varied from little or none among some participants to major gains by others. This led them to conclude that sildenafil’s benefits for athletic performance at high elevations vary from one cyclist to another depending upon how well each response to the drug’s effects.
Whether Viagra would improve your cycling performance at elevations lower than 12,700 feet is uncertain, but it probably wouldn’t hurt to give it a try.