Longer Than You Might Think
Sildenafil citrate (viagra), the active ingredient in many prescription drugs that treat erectile dysfunction, may not only help men get hard, but it might also keep them working for longer. Based on studies that looked at the effects of sildenafil citrate on men with cardiovascular disease (CVD), researchers were able to determine that the medication could potentially increase the duration of sexual activity in men with low testosterone levels. While the exact cause of ED is not fully understood, lower testosterone levels have been shown to contribute to its development.
Longer Than You Might Think (Conversely)
The researchers, led by Dr. James Breen of the University of Florida, wanted to establish what effect, if any, sildenafil citrate had on men with normal testosterone levels. To that end, they designed a study to examine the impact of sildenafil citrate on male sexual function and compared the results of the study to men with CVD who were not on any medication. In the study, published in the European Journal of Epidemiology, Breen and his team randomly assigned 111 men to receive either 50 mg of sildenafil citrate or a placebo daily for 12 weeks. The majority of the men in both groups were prescribed the drug for erectile dysfunction (66 percent in the sildenafil group and 64 percent in the placebo group), while the rest of the participants had the condition known as male sexual dysfunction (MSD). The investigators then evaluated the men’s sexual function and compared it before and after the drug treatment using standardized questionnaires and measurements of blood flow-mediated dilation (FMD) in the genitals. FMD is a measure of blood vessel function that can be used to assess the cardiovascular health of an individual.
The results of the study showed that the participants in the treatment group had significant improvements in sexual function and FMD compared to those in the placebo group. Furthermore, the improvements in sexual function and FMD were directly correlated with each other, suggesting that men with better vascular function had better sexual performance. The researchers also observed that men in the treatment group had longer erection durations than those in the placebo group, which indicates that sildenafil citrate has the potential to increase the duration of an erection.
How Long Does It Take For Sildenafil Citrate To Work?
Although the exact mechanism of action for sildenafil citrate is not fully understood, it is believed that the medication improves male sexual function by increasing blood flow to the penis and thus enhancing its oxygenation. Once the drug is absorbed into the blood stream, it works quickly to improve erectile dysfunction by increasing the sensitivity of the veins that drain blood from the penis. To determine how long it takes for sildenafil to produce these effects, the researchers examined the data from the Vigiaga trial comparing sildenafil to placebo and looked at how long it took for each participant to achieve an erection while visually stimulated. The data showed that 69 percent of the men in the sildenafil group and 55 percent of the men in the placebo group had an erection in less than 10 minutes. When the men were stimulated beyond what their visual system was able to detect, the proportion of those having an erection in less than 10 minutes increased in both groups. However, the rate at which an erection occurred after visual stimulation was significantly faster in the sildenafil group than in the placebo group, suggesting that sildenafil citrate enhances not only the initial stages of an erection but also the longer it continues, potentially increasing the duration of an erection beyond what would be expected from simply the visual stimulation alone.
While the exact mechanism of action for sildenafil citrate is not known, this medication has been shown to have multiple beneficial effects on the body. In addition to improving erectile dysfunction, studies have also shown that sildenafil citrate can:
- Reduce cholesterol levels in the blood
- Boost the immune system
- Decrease blood pressure
- Prevent heart disease
- Encourage wound healing
- And more
How Long Does It Take For Sildenafil Citrate To Work Potently?
Sildenafil acts on a specific enzyme known as PDE5, which is responsible for breaking down the neurotransmitters nitric oxide and cyclic guanosine monophosphate (CGP) in the penis. In addition to improving erectile dysfunction, these neurotransmitters have been shown to play a role in:
- Regulating blood pressure
- Increasing blood vessel dilation
- And more
Based on this role, sildenafil citrate has been proven to be more effective when administered closer to the time of desired performance, as it increases the duration of an erection and the quality of a man’s orgasm. In fact, in a study comparing sildenafil citrate to placebo, the investigators observed that participants in the treatment group had longer ejaculation times and greater improvements in the quality of their orgasm compared to those in the placebo group. However, those on the study drug had a shorter duration of erection compared to those on placebo. This suggests that while sildenafil citrate can improve the overall quality of a man’s sexual experience, it may not always be the case that a longer erection will result from taking the medication.
As noted, the exact mechanism of action for sildenafil citrate is not fully understood, but based on the available evidence, it appears that the medication may have several therapeutic applications. While it has been proven to be effective in treating erectile dysfunction, there is also evidence that it can be used to improve the overall quality of a man’s sexual experience and as a potential treatment for other conditions.