Good news for frequent flyers heading east: Viagra appears to offset jetlag. Sadly, it seems to have no effect – at least on jetlag – for those flying west.
After reading the original paper this morning, with several cups of coffee helping to decode the biology, I am left wondering both how Pfizer will pursue this to their best advantage (the risque advertising possibilities seem almost limitless), and less cynically, if it will even work for women at all. As the Women’s Bioethics Blog notes, Viagra does work as an arousal aid for at least some women, so in theory it should help some women with eastbound jetlag. But per the norm in scientific studies, the only mice used were male. Followup study, anyone?
-Kelly Hills
[edited at 1pm EST, May 23rd]