Can Viagra boost athletic performance?
- Published: 4 Dec 2012 at 11.32
- Online news: Sports
Last week, US football player Brandon Marshall of the Chicago Bears caused a stir when he told the Chicago Tribune that some National Football League players are taking Viagra to boost performance. While athletes have reportedly been popping the little blue pill for years to boost their athleticism, does it help?
Can doping with Viagra give athletes an edge? ©AFP/HO
Maybe, but no one knows for sure -- at least that's what experts are buzzing about in the media. Viagra works to improve erections by relaxing muscles and opening arteries to improve blood flow. Two parts of the body benefit from this: the penis, or course, but also the lungs, reports LiveScience. At least theoretically Viagra could also boost endurance during competition, similar to the way altitude training is thought to improve oxygen flow, adds Popular Science.
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