LEXINGTON, Ky., Dec. 1 (UPI) -- University of Kentucky researchers say they've found "recreational" Viagra, or sildenafil, combined with illicit drug use is relatively common among gay men.
Researchers surveyed 164 gay men at a popular sex resort in the southern United States about their use of non-prescription Viagra.
The study indicates the drug has become popular among gay men because of its capacity to heighten pleasure and prolong the sexual experience.
Nine of 10 of the men surveyed, with an average age of 40, completed the questionnaire. One in six said they used Viagra recreationally.
Although use of recreational Viagra was not associated with unsafe sexual practices, use of illegal drugs was significantly higher among men using non-prescription Viagra, the study said.
Recreational Viagra use was nearly three times as high among men taking ecstasy during sex as among those who did not, researchers said. Similar patters were noted for cocaine use.
The study appears in the journal Sexually Transmitted Infections,
