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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Dave Burke

Men who use Viagra 'may experience flatulence' among unwelcome side-effects

Taking Viagra could have some unwanted side-effects, including flatulence, it has emerged.

According to research by watchdog the Medicines and Healthcare products ­Regulatory Agency (MHRA), windiness is among the symptoms reported.

Others include lip swelling, while seven people claimed to have fainted after taking it, according to The Sun.

In fact, there are 555 possible side-effects - but it's not clear that they are all linked to Viagra.

Hearing loss is another effect reported by 10 people - and Playboy boss Hugh Hefner claimed the drug was affecting his hearing before his death aged 91.

The MHRA records possible effects of drugs in order to highlight dangers.

Manufacturers said Viagra's safety is well established (Getty Images)

The manufacturer of the anti-impotence drug said its safety record is "well established".

UK Meds, an online pharmacy based in Nottingham, reported a 23% rise in orders of Viagra at the start of lockdown, as Brits had more time on their hands.

Manufacturer Pfizer has defended the drug, saying most people who had side-effects were taking it for high blood pressure.

A spokesman told The Sun: “Since its introduction in 1998 sildenafil has been used by more than 37 million men.

“Its safety has been well established through extensive post-marketing surveillance.”

Viagra was launched in 1998 and has been widely used since (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

It has been suggested that events of the last few months have made many around the world shy away from having sex.

Laxman Narasimhan, the chief of Durex's parent company Reckitt Benckiser, has said that condom sales in most markets across the world, including the UK, have slumped since the pandemic began.

Sales of Viagra reportedly rose at the start of the lockdown (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

The firm has blamed the poor sales performance on the effect 'stay at home' policies are having on potential customers.

"Intimate occasions are going down and that is a manifestation of anxiety," Mr Narasimhan told the BBC.

"What you see is this virus is having a toll on the number of intimate occasions in the UK."

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