Viagra has become a common treatment method for men across the United States, gaining the reputation of being a miracle cure for erectile dysfunction. Unfortunately, healthcare experts everywhere are warning consumers that Viagra may cause major health concerns.

Men who suffer from impotence often look for various cures or treatments, so when Viagra was approved men cheered when it appeared on the market. However, scientists found that men who had taken Viagra often suffered serious side effects including: melanoma, skin damage, vision damage, and hearing damage.

According to a recent Viagra study conducted in Australia, researchers found that the drug affects certain enzymes in the body that send light signals to the retina in the eyes.

It was found that sildenafil, the active ingredient of Viagra, has been suspected to be the cause of a lot of Viagra problems. The study also indicated that the damage may be permanent, and that men with the condition retinitis pigmentosa are most likely to develop blindness.

The issue of Viagra blindness was initially brought up in 2005, when Pfizer started defending itself from the allegations of injured patients. As for hearing loss, medical experts believe that Viagra and other impotency treatment drugs may cause hearing damage due to unknown biological reactions.

However, the most devastating Viagra side effect has been allegedly linked to is melanoma. Melanoma is the most devastating form of skin cancer, and researchers have found that men are much more likely to develop it when taking Viagra.

One of the most prominent studies observing this correlation, was published in the April issue of JAMA Internal Medicine where scientists observed the Viagra side effects.

Overview of Viagra Melanoma

The study lasted 10 years between 2000 and 2010 and was conducted by researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health, in which they observed nearly 26,000 men.

During this period, over 3,500 cases of skin cancer were reported in this study. Of these, 142 cases were melanoma, 580 were squamous cell carcinoma, and 3,030 were basal cell carcinoma. Overall, the collected data revealed that men who take Viagra have an 84 percent greater chance of developing melanoma, compared to those who did not.

While this study confirmed the fears of some doctors who suspected a risk, the authors of the JAMA study state that no definite link has been proven.

The lead author of the study, Dr. Abrar Qureshi of the Warren Alpert Medical School at Brown University, stated that it is too early to warn men away from Viagra. If there is a connection, Dr. Qureshi hypothesizes that Viagra may be affecting the same genetic pathway that allows melanoma to develop.

As mentioned earlier, healthcare experts warn that other impotency drugs may cause similar side effects as Viagra because they consist of the same biochemistry.

The drugs Cialis and Levitra were not used in the JAMA study because they had not been approved at the time the study began. However, many are concerned about the potential harm these drugs could cause, because they last longer in the body than Viagra.

Because of this, healthcare providers are calling for more research to be conducted to observe the effects of impotency drugs. This means that scientists would observe how Viagra’s younger competitors, Cialis and Levitra, interact with the patient’s body.

Additionally, experts argue that more studies are needed to determine whether or not Viagra has a connection to melanoma.