Viagra may help jet lag sufferers

Dan Deuterman

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I posted yesterday about possible fertility problems in men taking Viagra. Now, there's conflicting health news out of Argentina that Viagra may be helpful in combating jet lag.

All this research makes it sound like Viagra is either dangerous or a wonder drug.

The Argentine study, conducted at Universidad Nacional de Quilmes in Buenos Aires, induced jet lag in hamsters by turning on and off the lights to mimic an airplane flight traveling through different time zones. When hamsters were given low dosage levels of Viagra, they recovered from jet lag 50 percent faster than those not given the drug.

World-weary travelers will confirm that jet lag is a condition marked by insomnia, sleepiness and difficulty concentrating.

Viagra interferes with an enzyme that lowers levels of a naturally occurring compound that plays a role in the regulation of the circadian cycle, the body's internal clock, the researchers said. Viagra, at low dosages, could be useful for not only jet lag but for shift workers, as well.