How Long Does Viagra Take To Work?

Most recognize Viagra for treating ED. Sildenafil seems to have magic for men as it solidifies penile blood flow in response to sexual arousal. How long does the Viagra phenomenon take?

For the average case, one can expect to feel the effects in the 30-60 minute range. Of course there are other factors: how much did you eat, how fast is your metabolism, how sexually aroused you are, how many health issues you have, overall health, and what medication you take.

How Quickly Does Viagra Work?

Viagra is best taken 1 hour before you plan to be sexually active. The FDA has approved the time window to be from 30 minutes to 4 hours prior to sex ready.

For most adult males, the first recommended dose is 150 mg, but can be 200 mg or 100 mg, based on patient response to first dose and related side effects. Like most medications, it will not spontaneously result in an erection.

Why Does Viagra Take 30 to 60 Minutes to Work?

After swallowing sildenafil, the compound needs to be absorbed into the blood stream and reaches maximum blood concentration in 30 minutes to 2 hours, with a median time of 1 hour in an empty stomach.

What is the active ingredient in Viagra called? Sildenafil. It inhibits the enzyme known as phosphodiesterase type 5 or PDE5.

Sildenafil enables the body to maintain the stimulating effects of nitric oxide during arousal. It relaxes the blood vessels in the penis and improves blood flow to the penis. This enables a person to achieve and sustain an erection.

Does Viagra Work Instantly?

Like any drug, sildenafil needs to be absorbed before it can be activated. Unfortunately, expecting Viagra to produce an erection right after consumption will end in disappointment. The advised time to take a Viagra pill is an hour before you plan to engage in sexual activity.

There are some people who will notice activity after the one hour isolation window, and there will be some individuals who need to wait a longer amount of time.

Does Food Affect How Fast Viagra Works?

Food Eating a high fat meal along with your pill will slow the absorption of the medication. The Food and Drug Administration has stated that a high fat meal will delay the time of onset of action by approximately one hour.

Sildenafil takes longer to become activated when a high fat meal is consumed.

According the NHS, the best practice to achieve the desired effect would be to take sildenafil on an empty stomach.

Does Sexual Stimulation Matter?

Yes. In order to experience the effects of Viagra in the aiding of erections, the individual must sexually stimulate themselves.

Sildenafil does not increase sex drive and does not cause an erection by itself. It supports the natural erection response to sexual arousal.

So taking Viagra without sexual stimulation will not cause an erection.

Stress, anxiety and other mental factors may also cause a loss of ability to have an erection.

How Long Do The Effects Of Viagra Last?

The duration of time that Viagra lasts and the time that it takes to initiate its effects are not the same.

The effects of Sildenafil on erectile function can persist for several hours after it is taken. However, a clinical response to the effects may be recorded even four hours after taking it, although it can become less pronounced in comparison to what was observed earlier.

For this reason, an erection is not guaranteed to last for four hours. The goal of Viagra is to aid in achieving an erection due to sexual arousal during the time that it is effective.

An erection that lasts for four hours is not healthy and should be treated as a medical emergency.

What If Viagra Does Not Work After An Hour?

There are many reasons why you may not experience the effects in the time that you expected.

Did you eat a big meal? The effects of food and drinks take a while to wear off. That means you may not have waited enough to take this test.

Lack of sexual stimulation, anxiety, drinking, and non-active medical conditions could also play a part. The NHS says, sildenafil may not work or may seem not to work when taken too far or too close to the activity, when the dose is not right, or there is not enough stimulation.

The first time you take Viagra, and it doesn’t work as expected, do not take it again. There have been cases where sildenafil is taken numerous times in a single day, causing side effects.

If Viagra has not worked for you numerous times, do not try to increase the dosage on your own.

Does Alcohol Affect Viagra?

The NHS says that heavy drinking should not be done by patients while taking sildenafil to treat ED. This is because alcohol prevents people from getting the needed erection and so it makes people think sildenafil doesn’t work.

So, if you have this specific problem, the best thing to do is to limit your alcohol consumption.

What Can Make Viagra Take Longer to Work?

Years of clinical studies demonstrate that there are many factors that can interfere with the onset and the duration of the effects of Sildenafil. Among these factors are:

• Consumption of high-fat food
• The method of metabolizing Sildenafil
• Lack of sexual arousal or stimulation
• Anxiety and stress
• Excessive consumption of alcohol
• Presence of co-morbidities
• Other drugs
• The aging process and presence of co-morbidities of the liver and/or kidneys

What Is The Usual Viagra Dose?

The Food and Drug Administration states that the effect of age and co-morbidities of the liver and/or kidneys on sildenafil exposure levels can be a concern to clinicians when they are considering lower starting doses for some of their patients.

Healthcare professionals usually start at 50 mg, but this may be lowered to 25 mg or increased to 100 mg based on patient tolerance and the effectiveness of the drug.

 The manufacturers recommend that Viagra is not administered more than once in a day.

The patient’s health and co-morbidities and other drugs will influence your healthcare provider’s recommendation for the dose of Viagra you should take.

Common Side Effects Of Viagra

Common Viagra side effects:

• Headache
• Flushing
• Upset stomach
• Runny nose
• Back, muscle, joint pain
• Rash
• Nausea
• Dizziness

Most of the active ingredients for Viagra have their negative side effects, so most side effects will be found in the head and body. Another common side effect is a slightly flushed face.

These symptoms, though mild, are still annoying. You should see your doctor if any of these symptoms bother you. For most of these ingredients, dosage and/or behavior modifications can be made to help manage the symptoms. Report severe symptoms and worsening symptoms, especially if you experience any changes in your vision

Viagra Safety And Important Drug Interactions.

Viagra can cause a prolonged erection, also known as priapism. You should see your doctor if you experience an erection that lasts longer than 4 hours as it can permanently damage the penis.

Other safety considerations include the use of nitra drugs. Sildenafil can be used in harmony with other drugs with nitroglycerin, however, your blood pressure can drop to dangerously low levels.

Sildenafil is also known to react with alpha-blockers and CYP3A4 inhibitors. Your doctor should be made aware of all other drugs you are taking, from prescriptions to over the counter, and any supplements you take.

Other side effects of Viagra may include dizziness, flushing, indigestion, nasal congestion, and changes in vision.

If you experience any of these side effects, it is advised that you contact your doctor immediately.

Bottom Line

Viagra/sildenafil takes about 30 minutes to an hour to take effect. We recommend taking it at least 60 minutes before sex. The stimulation that proceeds sex helps the drug to take effect.

The drug can help with men who have below average erections, and those with erections that are adequate for sex, but do not want to reach orgasm.