Does Viagra Make You Last Longer? (2023)

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Does Viagra help you last longer in bed?

Viagra can only help you last longer in bed if you find it difficult to get an erection, or you are losing your erection too quickly. This is called erectile dysfunction.

You may also lose your erection after orgasming, and find it difficult to get another erection for a while. This is completely normal, and is called the refractory period. Viagra can help you last longer by reducing your refractory period, which means that you can have sex again more quickly after you have orgasmed.

Viagra is only approved for treating erectile dysfunction in the UK. If you need help lasting longer in bed for a different reason, you might need another treatment. Other reasons people might need help lasting longer in bed include:

• Orgasming too early during sex (premature ejaculation) – Some studies suggest that Viagra may be able to help with premature ejaculation, but there is not enough evidence to support treating premature ejaculation with Viagra alone.
• Low sex drive – Viagra only works when you’re already aroused and doesn’t increase sex drive
• Low stamina – Viagra doesn’t improve physical fitness, and can’t help if you’re getting tired during sex

There are other medications available to treat premature ejaculation. For more information, see the section below on “How Else Can I Last Longer in Bed?”.

Why isn’t Viagra meant to treat premature ejaculation?

Premature ejaculation has a number of possible causes, such as performance anxiety, increased sensitivity, and heightened stress levels. However, lack of blood flow to the penis does not cause you to orgasm too quickly, so Viagra isn’t an effective treatment for premature ejaculation.

Why doesn’t Viagra make you more aroused?

Viagra does not stimulate you sexually, it can only help you get an erection once you’re already aroused. Because Viagra only helps you to get an erection by improving blood flow to the penis, it doesn’t force you to get an erection, so it won’t work unless you’re sexually stimulated.

See our page on How Viagra Works for more information.

Does Viagra make you bigger?

Viagra will only make your penis bigger if you aren’t able to get completely hard on your own. Viagra won’t make your penis larger, and it won’t increase the maximum size of your erection. The only way to increase your penis size is through surgery, which is not always successful and has low patient satisfaction levels.

See our page on Penis Enlargement for more information.

Could Viagra help me last longer?

Viagra can only help you last longer if you’re losing your erection during sex. If you find that you regularly can’t get or keep erections hard enough for sex, Viagra treatment could be right for you. Viagra works for about 74% of men who try it, but if it doesn’t work for you then you could try one of the alternatives toViagra.

Viagra isn’t right for everyone though. If you’ve got other health conditions or you’re taking other medications then Viagra might not be safe to take.

You can’t use Viagra if you:

• Are under 18 years of age
• Are female
• Are taking medications containing nitrates (for chest pain)
• Have heart or liver problems
• Have had a stroke recently
• Have had a heart attack recently
• Have low blood pressure
• Have a rare inherited eye disease

Medications that react with Viagra:

• Other erectile dysfunction medications
• Guanylate cyclase stimulators, like riociguat
• Nitrates

How much longer can Viagra help you last?

If you’re losing your erection during sex, Viagra can make keeping erections easier for 4 to 6 hours. If Viagra works for you, then you won’t have an erection for the whole 4 to 6 hours, you’ll just find getting and keeping them is easier during this window.

Studies show that the amount of Viagra in your system is highest 30 to 120 mins after you take it. Viagra has a half-life of 3 to 5 hours which means after 3 to 5 hours, more than half of your dose of Viagra will have left your system.

You can still lose your erection after orgasm

Viagra doesn’t stop your erection going down after you ejaculate, so you’ll likely lose your erection after you do. If you are having trouble orgasming too early then you may need separate treatment for premature ejaculation.

You can get more than one erection while on Viagra. If you ejaculate and there’s still some time left for your Viagra to work, you could still be able to get another erection. You may have to wait a short time between one erection and the next, as you would do normally after ejaculating. You will also need to be sexually aroused.

For more information, see our page on How Long Viagra Lasts.

Can other erectile dysfunction treatments help me last longer?

If you’d like longer-lasting erectile dysfunction medication, Cialis and Cialis Daily could be good options. Cialis lasts up to 36 hours, compared to 4 to 6 hours for Viagra. Cialis Daily is always in effect so you can always be ready for sex if you need to be.

There are other treatments for erectile dysfunction that can give long-term improvements to erections, including:

• Counselling
• Surgery
• Lifestyle changes and exercises

Counselling – erectile dysfunction can be caused by stress, anxiety, or other mental health factors. Talking with a counsellor can help improve your erections long-term if your erectile dysfunction is related to your mental health.

Surgery – if all other erectile dysfunction treatments fail, then surgery can be an option. A pump can be inserted into the penis which is then filled with air when an erection is needed.

Lifestyle changes and exercises – upping your fitness, cutting down on drinking and smoking, or strengthening the muscles used for erections can all improve erectile dysfunction. If you can keep up these changes, you could see long-term relief from your symptoms.

How else can I last longer in bed?

Instead of Viagra, there’s a few ways to improve how long you last in bed before having an orgasm, including:

• Premature ejaculation medication
• Techniques for delaying orgasm
• Lifestyle changes

Premature ejaculation medication

You can get premature ejaculation medications online. Simply fill in a short questionnaire and a doctor will check your answers and approve treatment if it’s right for you. Superdrug Online Doctor offers:

• EMLA – a numbing cream which can decrease the sensitivity of the penis
• Priligy – prescription-only tablet that delays ejaculation

You can also see your doctor about premature ejaculation treatment.

Techniques for delaying orgasm

There’s a few tips and tricks you can try to last longer in bed:

Lifestyle changes

Some habits or lifestyle choices are risk factors for There are some risk factors for premature ejaculation that can be controlled through a healthier weight and regular exercise, as well as cutting down on things like drinking or smoking.

For more information see our page on How to Last Longer in Bed.

Sources

Causes of erectile dysfunction (2004)Endocrine [accessed 2 April 2020]

Erectile dysfunction(2017)NHS[accessed 2 April 2020]

Guidelines on male sexual dysfunction: erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation (2010) European Urology [Accessed 02 December 2020]

Oral sildenafil in the treatment of erectile dysfunction(1998)The New England Journal of Medicine[accessed 2 April 2020]

SildenafilBritish National Formulary[accessed 2 April 2020]

Sildenafil Patient Leaflet (2019) Accord [Accessed 03 December 2020]

Viagra (2016) EMC [accessed 2 April 2020]

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