Does Viagra Show up on a drug test?
If you are in sports, healthcare department, military, or any other occupation where you undergo frequent drug tests, and you’re are taking Sildenafil for erectile dysfunction (ED), this question is a matter of concern for you.
What Is Viagra and Can Drug Tests Detect It?
What Is Viagra?
Viagra is a very popular medication, known to almost all. More than 30 million men worldwide use Viagra for the treatment of ED. Although it helps you with your sex life, it is capable of creating problems in your professional and occupational life.
Once it shows up on your drug test, it may impact your life! Therefore, it is essential to know about the mechanics of Viagra and drug tests. However, before we jump onto the conclusion, let’s start from the basics of Viagra to build a stronger concept.
Do Drug Tests Detect Viagra?
The answer to this question can either be a “yes” or a “no,” depending on the correlation between the timings of Viagra intake and drug tests.
Depending upon the dosage, the effects and levels of Viagra’s active component, N-Desmethyl Sildenafil, in plasma are detectable for about two to three hours. Its maximum plasma concentrations are achieved within 1 hour of intake, and it has a half-life of 4-5 hours with Its metabolic by-products excreted through feces and urine (1).
This means the plasma concentration of Viagra reduces to half of its initial concentration after 4-5 hours (2). The half-life of a drug determines the rate of clearance of the drug from the body. Therefore, drug tests performed before adequate clearance of the drug from plasma might detect the drug positive.
However, for Viagra to show up on it, the drug test should be targeted to detect specifically Viagra (Sildenafil Citrate).
This means, if the drug tests target other common drugs of abuse, including cocaine, morphine, Opiates, TCA or, benzodiazepines, instead of Sildenafil, it will be unable to detect Viagra even if it is present in your system.
Also, because Sildenafil is not illegal or a controlled drug, drug tests do not detect it specifically (3).
Another reason why the drug tests might not detect the presence of Viagra in the body is that this drug only improves the hemodynamics (blood flow) of the penis. It does not alter hormonal or metabolic systems.
Therefore, it is improbable for the tests to identify it as a toxic/misused drug.
Pharmacokinetics of Viagra In Relation to The Drug Tests
Sildenafil is absorbed very rapidly after oral intake. Its levels in plasma reach their peak value 1 hour after ingestion. It has an absolute bioavailability of 41%, which means that only 41% of the drug ingested is available for effects.
Plasma concentrations of Sildenafil are also directly proportional to the dose administered. Therefore, the higher the dose, the greater are the chances for the drug tests to detect it.
However, Viagra is rapidly cleared from the body through urine and feces (4). Therefore, the time for its detection is very small.
Conclusion
Viagra is a very well-tolerated drug. It is used extensively for its promising effects in the treatment of ED.
The fact that it is not in the list of illegal drugs and the drug tests do not specifically detect the presence of Sildenafil in blood, Viagra mostly does not show up on drug tests.
