Worried about your performance in bed? Well, you’ve probably learned that Viagra improves satisfaction among men suffering from erectile dysfunction (ED) (1).
And now, hoping that things could improve further, you’re looking for Viagra tips and tricks after using it for some time.
How do you get the most out of the little blue pill?
Before we answer this, let’s find out first what it really is and how it works to better understand its effect on you.
What Is It and How Does It Work?
Viagra (sildenafil) works by blocking cGMP-specific PDE5, a predominant isoenzyme in the human corpus cavernosum and eye. It breaks down cGMP, enhancing the relaxation of the cavernosal smooth muscle. This increases blood flow which allows men to keep an erection hard enough to have sex (2).
5 Viagra Tips and Tricks for Optimal Results
Viagra, like any other prescription medicine, works best when taken in the right conditions. Likewise, various factors may also reduce its effectiveness—a probable reason why you are not getting your desired result.
#1: Avoid High-Fat Meals Before Taking Viagra
Eating heavy, fatty meals before using Viagra can prevent it from working properly. This is because high-fat meals slow down the absorption of most ED medications.
We advise watching what you eat when you take your pill. As a general rule, it’s best to eat low-fat meals before taking the drug. If you cannot avoid eating fatty meals like a burger, steak, or lasagna, we recommend at least waiting for two hours before you take your ED medication after the meal.
If you’re taking Viagra towards the end of the day, we advise eating a heavy meal during breakfast or lunch instead of dinner. Doing so will give you plenty of time to metabolize the fat before taking your ED medication.
#2: Take Viagra 30-60 Minutes before Sex
The effects of sildenafil kick in 30 to 60 minutes after taking the drug. Its effects last for about four hours.
However, the amount of time required for it to start working still depends on several factors, like your diet (3).
To get the optimum result, take your Viagra ahead of time if you are expecting to have sex.
#3: Watch out for Drug Interactions
When you take sildenafil while taking another medication, there’s a chance that the combination would lessen the ED drug’s potency or worsen its side effects.
Common medications that may interact with Viagra include the following:
- Antibiotics
- Antidepressants
- Antifungals
- Blood thinners
- Epilepsy medications
- Heart medications
- Hepatitis medications
- Herbal remedies
- HIV medicines
- Other ED medications
It is particularly worth noting how nitrates, when taken with Viagra, can have a serious effect. Nitrates are heart medicines that, when present together with Viagra in the bloodstream, can cause a dangerous drop in blood pressure. This can lead to a heart attack or stroke (4).
#4: Always Ask for Expert Advice
Your doctor knows best. Before taking any ED medication, seek their advice to avoid unnecessary health risks.
Ask for a recommended dose to get your desired result. Well, 50 mg is the most common dose given to patients with ED. However, your doctor may prescribe taking more or less depending on your situation.
Ask which medication you can take and which you cannot avoid drug interactions. Some ED drugs may not suit you if you have certain medical conditions.
ED medications may have the same function, but they are not made of the same chemicals. Their efficacy, potency, and side effects vary, and your doctor can prescribe the one that should best work for you.
#5: A Healthy Lifestyle Helps Treat ED
Finally, living a healthy lifestyle is one key to achieving the maximum effectiveness of Viagra.
ED is, in many cases, a result of an unhealthy lifestyle that increases various risk factors and symptoms. Obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol as well as stress, drinking, and smoking can cause ED.
A healthy lifestyle, along with your medication, can significantly improve your sexual health. Losing weight, staying fit, reducing stress, decreasing alcohol intake, and quitting smoking can improve your ability to keep an erection.
Talk to your doctor about how you can improve your overall health.
Other Things to Consider in Making the Most of Viagra
- Refrain from taking Viagra more than once daily. However, daily intake of the ED drug can prevent impotence according to Irwin Goldenstein, a high profile professor of urology at Boston University (5).
- You need to be aroused for the medication to work. Take it slow and get in the mood. Don’t worry if you just can’t seem to do it sometimes. If it’s been a tiring day at work or if you’re facing relationship problems, finding it hard to achieve an erection is indeed understandable.
- Avoid grapefruit while taking sildenafil. It may increase the side effects of the drug.
- Ensure that you are buying from a reputable supplier. Many counterfeit products are on the market today. Also, not all generics have the same quality as Viagra. Read reviews and search for tests on potency.
- Don’t drink alcohol after taking Viagra. This may lower your blood pressure and decrease your sexual performance. Besides, alcohol is a depressant and can affect your capacity to be sexually stimulated.
- Consider the psychological and emotional roots of ED. Sometimes, impotence is caused by a feeling of guilt or even depression. If these are the main issues affecting you, visit your doctor—you might need a different approach to taking the little blue pill and resolving ED.
Viagra Strategies: The Bottom Line
Viagra, when used properly, can be the answer to your problems in bed. If you ever feel like you are not getting your desired results, you might be doing something wrong.
To get the most out of this ED medication, you should take it in the right conditions.
Make sure to steer clear of fat-loaded meals when taking a dose. Also, you should take Viagra 30 to 60 minutes before sex and watch out for drug interactions.
Most importantly, consult your doctor before taking any ED medication as well as observe a healthy lifestyle to improve your sexual condition.
Do all these and achieve the optimum you want and expect. Got questions about the Viagra tips and tricks above? Leave a comment below!