What is the shelf life of Viagra? If you are considering regular or long term use of this medication as part of your treatment, you should know this and also available storage options.
Viagra is the brand name of the drug Sildenafil, and it is a conventional medication that is used to stimulate erections and treat erectile dysfunction in men (1). In some cases, it is also used to treat certain heart conditions.
What Is the Shelf Life of Viagra?
Knowing the shelf life of Viagra or any drug will ensure that you are using it safely. You don’t want to take an expired drug or any medication that has been spoiled by certain conditions.
Apart from that, you should also know what effects an expired drug might have on you. Just like any other drug, Viagra, or Sildenafil has a shelf life. A tampered package, leaks, exposures, and other conditions affect it too.
Note that Viagra tablets will usually have an indicated or recommended expiration date on it. You will see that on the packaging. It is usually two years after the indicated manufacturing date (2). That is its shelf life.
However, it should be pointed out that this expiration date is only for the best-case scenarios. You can rely on this date only if your Viagra or Sildenafil tablets have been properly stored.
So, how long does Viagra last? Again it is basically two years—the standard shelf life according to the manufacturing date—but it can get reduced depending on certain conditions.
It is important to understand related concerns such as why your Sildenafil might expire earlier than indicated by the manufacturer and how to tell if your pills are about to expire or have already expired.
Viagra Expiration
An important question to answer is what would cause medications like Viagra or Sildenafil to expire. Remember that experts consider a drug to be expired when it is no longer safe for consumption.
A drug or medicine is also considered expired when it is no longer effective. Remember that even drugs have components that can lose their strength over time. Some ingredients in these medications can also decompose.
Certain environmental conditions can also affect medications. Experts say that other chemicals, oxygen exposure, moisture, freezing temperatures, heat, sunlight, and other conditions can affect the shelf life of drugs (3).
Is It Safe to Take Expired Viagra?
The short answer is no since it may produce some undesirable effects. Remember that the shelf life of pharmaceutical products will vary anywhere from 1 to 5 years (4). Viagra has a slightly shorter shelf life.
Now, here’s another critical point; some people might consider SLEP data. It is the shelf life extension program by the FDA. They have discovered that certain drugs can remain 90% stable after their indicated expiration (5).
According to SLEP data, some drugs can last as long as 30 years after their expiration date. However, to maintain its efficacy, these drugs need to be correctly stored and contained.
The opposite is also true—improper storage can reduce the shelf life of medications, including Viagra. When that happens, the drug becomes unsafe for consumption.
Remember that Viagra needs to be protected from humidity, dust, heat, and direct sunlight (6). Apart from that, you should also ensure to keep Sildenafil out of the reach of children.
Identifying Viagra Shelf Life
Note that drug manufacturers are required by the authorities to stamp manufacturing dates on their products. An important date to look out for is the best before date. Note that this is not the expiration date.
The expiry date, along with the manufacturing date and best before date are stamped on the box. They should also be on the foil sheets of the drug as well.
Sometimes you won’t be able to find the actual expiration or best before date on the foil sheet. Your next best option is to determine the manufacturing date.
After finding that info, the rest is just a matter of basic math. Check out the month and year the Viagra pills were manufactured. Add two years to that date, and you will know its shelf life.
But what if you can’t find any date? What should you do? Your last recourse is to determine the SKU number of the product. Manufacturers keep stock keeping unit numbers, and you can call them and give them this info.
The manufacturer can then tell you when the expiration date is. Note that sometimes the SKU may be presented as a bar code number instead.
Is There a Way to Extend the Shelf Life of Sildenafil?
The best way to possibly extend the shelf life of Viagra or Sildenafil (or any other medication for that matter) is to store it properly (7). Take note of the leaflet on the Viagra box for more info.
It will also say that it does not require any special conditions to store this drug. What that means is that you will not need to keep the pills in the fridge like other medications.
You don’t need to put your Viagra pills in the fridge. Just store them in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. That is enough to keep it safe and prolong its shelf life.
Expired Viagra: Side Effects
Expired Viagra may still work, but its efficacy will be significantly reduced. Apart from that, there are also side effects that you should be wary of. Some of the symptoms to look out for include the following:
- Abnormal vision
- Diarrhea
- Upset stomach
- Muscle pain
- Back pain
- Sleeping problems
- Runny nose
- Sneezing
- Nausea
- Headaches
- Dizziness
- Tingly feeling
- Warmth
- Sneezing
- Flushing of the face
- Rashes
- Itchiness
There are more severe symptoms like vision loss, fainting spells, difficulty breathing, chest pains, vision and hearing loss, and vomiting. If you experience any of these, make sure to seek immediate medical help.
What Is the Shelf Life of Viagra?
Viagra lasts two years after its manufacturing date. However, you should store your pills properly to ensure that it remains viable for the entirety of its shelf life.
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