Younger Men Turning to Sex Drugs

Dec. 5, 2004 — -- Remember when Bob Dole was Viagra's pitchman?

Now, the commercials are more likely to feature younger actors in sexier settings.

The makers of Viagra had to pull one ad, in part, because it didn't even mention that Viagra is supposed to be for men with medical problems -- usually older men.

But according to one medical journal, the number of prescriptions for men under 45 has jumped 300 percent since the drug was introduced in 1998.

Many young men with no sexual dysfunction now admit using anti-impotence drugs recreationally before heading out for a night on the town. Some taking Viagra call it "getting V'd up."

A 24-year-old man named Marcus said, "I decided to give it a try and it was good. It really works."

One doctor says younger, healthy men may be feeling the pressure to boost their sexual performance to keep up with their female partners.

"Call it the 'Sex and The City' syndrome," said Dr. Abraham Morgantaler, an associate clinical professor of urology at Harvard Medical School. "I now, for the first time, see men coming into the office who say, 'Women out there are aggressive. They're telling me what they want, how they like it, and they're giving me instructions, and I feel like a technician.'"

But How Safe Are They?

There are no clear-cut answers on the safety and long-term health effects of many of these libido-enhancing drugs. Even the experts disagree about when and how they should be used.

Dr. Leonore Tiefer, a sex therapist and clinical psychologist at New York University, said she is concerned about the way drug makers are marketing these products.

"The advertising is pitched toward a wide spectrum of men," she said, adding that these drugs aren't designed just for "giving it try."

But Dr. Laura Berman, the co-director of the Female Sexual Medicine Center at the University of California, Los Angeles, believes that marketing sex drugs like Viagra to younger men is not such a bad thing.

"Sexual dysfunction can occur in younger men," said Berman. "You don't have to be old to have a sexual dysfunction."

What is clear is that many young men are taking these sex pills for fun, often going to clubs and mixing them with alcohol and other drugs. On the party circuit, Viagra is often referred to as "Mr. Blue," and another libido-stimulator, Cialis, is called "The Weekender."

Berman admitted that with any performance-enhancing drug, there is the risk of abuse, but said that in clinical tests, Viagra has been shown to be very safe.

But Tiefer said those studies need to be more closely evaluated and don't apply to all the different drugs on the market.

"I'm worried about the long-term effects on fertility and other problems," she said.

And with no clear answers in sight, doctors expect more and more younger men will try these sex drugs just for fun.

Said one young man named Dennis, who tried Viagra once: "If I get my hands on it, I'll definitely try it again."