Can Viagra Help You Lose Weight?

Carl Lowe | Feb 04, 2013 | Comments 0

For some time it has been known that in the lab, tests show Viagra keeps animals from gaining weight. But no one understood why. Now researchers at the University of Bonn think they’ve discovered the answer. The drug converts white fat cells, the kind that collects around your waistline, into beige fat cells, the type that burns off calories.

“The effects were quite amazing,” says researcher Dr. Ana Kilic.

“Beige fat cells burn the energy from ingested food and convert it to heat… melt(ing) the fat,” says Dr. Alexander Pfeifer, director of the Institute for Pharmacology and Toxicology at the University of Bonn.

Viagra (also known as sildenafil) is used to treat erectile dysfunction. This substance prevents degradation of cyclic guanosine mono-phosphate (cGMP), which then ensures blood supply for an erection.

“Sildenafil is not only able to minimize erectile problems, but it can also reduce the risks of gaining excessive weight,” says Pfeifer.