Hit the Hay with Viagra

It has been reported that Viagra, a drug approved by the FDA in 1998 to treat male impotence, may have another useful application. Researchers at a Argentinian University state that findings from their study suggest that the drug could also be useful in treating jet lag and helping people cope with shift work.

The test subjects for this study were a group of adult male hamsters who were given doses of Viagra after the scientists manipulated the lights to induce the conditions of jet lag. The hamsters who were given Viagra recovered from jet lag up to 50% faster than the hamsters that were not given the drug. In order to avoid certain Viagra-induced side effects, the dosage was given at an intermediate strength rather than at full strength.

Viagra helps in the recovery of jet lag by interfering with an enzyme that plays a role in the regulation of the body's circadian cycle. The body's circadian rhythm, which is the body's biological clock, is roughly a 24-hour cycle. Jet lag, a sleep disorder that occurs when the body's circadian rhythm is out of sync, is most likely due to the disruption in the "light/dark" cycle that affects the circadian rhythm. Jet lag is not induced by the amount of travel time, but occurs when traveling from east to west across time zones.

While the finding could prove useful in treating jet lag, it is not reported how the researchers decided to test this application of Viagra.