New research on the male impotence drug Viagra and possibly other drugs for Erectile Dysfunction show that long-term usage could as much as double the risk of hearing loss.

According to sources, while former warnings from the FDA as far back as 2007 were published and high doses of Viagra were found to show damage to hearing in mice, it’s only recently the research has been done and evidence has been found for human consumption.

The study sampled American men over the page of 40 and showed that roughly 1 in 6 who did not take Viagra or similar impotence medications, while those that did take the drugs averaged 1 in 3.

All former studies focused on sudden hearing loss, but the effects of long-term and slow moving hearing loss haven’t been researched as thoroughly.

This side effect adds to the growing list of side effects from erectile medications, and naturally ups the risks of taking such meds.  The possibility of losing hearing is a significant decision point for aging men that could make many men curb their drug intake or avoid taking them entirely and rely on other methods of impotence aid such as erectile vacuum pumps or surgery.