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The first generic formulations of Viagra are scheduled to hit the U.S. market beginning in December 2017. All will be marketed under the name of Viagra’s active ingredient — sildenafil citrate.

Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, the American subsidiary of an Israeli-based drugmaker that specializes in generic drugs, is expected to bring out the first generic version, which could be followed closely by another from Mylan.

Both of these generics have been tentatively approved by the FDA. Such tentative approvals usually don’t become final until the brand-name drug’s patent has expired. In these cases, Pfizer’s patent on Viagra is good until April 2020, but the company has negotiated special licensing deals with both Teva and Mylan that will allow them to introduce generic formulations of the little blue pill early.

In return for early generic rights, Teva and Mylan will have to pay licensing fees to Pfizer until the latter’s patent finally expires in 2020.

As previously explained, the active ingredients in Viagra and the other oral ED medications are designed to temporarily restore erectile function in men who are suffering from insufficient blood flow to the penis.

This is by far the most common cause of ED, but it’s not the only cause. If your impotence has its origin in emotional or mental issues and not vascular insufficiency, then it’s unlikely that Viagra will work for you regardless of when you take it.

The same is true of ED that’s caused by traumatic or congenital injury to the blood vessels that supply the male genitals. However, if your erection problems are caused by compromised blood flow to the penis because of atherosclerosis or other physiological causes, Viagra’s active ingredient should kick in as early as 30 minutes after you take it.

If you haven’t responded within 60 minutes after taking the drug, it is possible that the drug won’t work for you. If you’ve tried the drug two or three times without success, you might want to explore other treatment options with your doctor.

That’s a difficult question to answer because all “herbal Viagra” is not the same. And some so-called herbal Viagra isn’t herbal at all. Because this sort of remedy falls under the very loose heading of dietary supplements, it is not subject to the same strict standards as prescription drugs. When the Food and Drug Administration is advised that a specific dietary supplement has caused problematic reactions, it investigates and usually issues a warning to consumers.

It may also seek to pressure the supplement’s distributor to recall the product. Some of these so-called remedies have been found to contain dangerously high levels of herbal ingredients that sometimes cause adverse side effects in humans. Such herbs include epimedium, more commonly known as horny goat weed, and yohimbine, a crystalline compound derived from the bark of the yohimbe tree. These ingredients are not bad in and of themselves, but some users may be hypersensitive to their effects and find them hard, if not impossible, to tolerate.

In other supplements, testing has determined that they contain varying but unlisted amounts of one or more of the active ingredients found in prescription ED medications. In some cases, the amount of the active ingredient is too little to be effective, while in others it is so high that it could pose a danger.

While the negative publicity caused by one of these FDA consumer warnings may persuade a supplement distributor to withdraw that specific product, it may reappear not long thereafter under a different brand name. For this reason, you should exercise special care in buying and taking dietary supplements. It’s best to purchase only those produced by a well-known and reputable supplement manufacturer. If in doubt, ask your doctor.

The effects of Viagra last from four to six hours, during which period you should be able to get and keep an erection hard enough for penetration. The recommended starting dose for Viagra is 50 milligrams, but some men may need as much as 100 milligrams to achieve the desired results. After the four- to six-hour period of optimal effectiveness, traces of the drug remain in your system.

Taking another dose within a 24-hour period could combine with this residual amount and result in dangerously low blood pressure, much as one might see from taking Viagra with a nitrate-based drug. For this reason, it’s wise to follow the directions and limit yourself to one dose per day.

The effects of Viagra last from four to six hours, during which period you should be able to get and keep an erection hard enough for penetration. The recommended starting dose for Viagra is 50 milligrams, but some men may need as much as 100 milligrams to achieve the desired results. After the four- to six-hour period of optimal effectiveness, traces of the drug remain in your system.

Taking another dose within a 24-hour period could combine with this residual amount and result in dangerously low blood pressure, much as one might see from taking Viagra with a nitrate-based drug. For this reason, it’s wise to follow the directions and limit yourself to one dose per day.

Rare is the prescription medication that doesn’t have at least a few adverse side effects, and Viagra is no exception. However, its side effects are generally mild and tend to disappear the longer you take the drug. The most common of these side effects include back pain, diarrhea, dizziness, flushing, headache, muscle ache, nausea, runny or stuffy nose, and upset stomach.

The little blue pill has been known to cause some more serious side effects, but these, fortunately, are rare. Some men have experienced a sudden decrease or total loss of hearing or vision after taking Viagra. Others have reported an erection that lasted for four or more hours. If you should experience any of these more serious side effects, you should seek medical attention immediately.