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Viagra entered the world pharmaceutical choice more than 25 years ago and since then has firmly held the leading position among drugs for the treatment of erectile dysfunction. It is still the best-selling drug in the world, designed to increase potency and used in the treatment of erectile dysfunction of both physiological and psychological, as well as mixed etiology. However, naturally, this drug is not the only one. Today, consumers have access to several PDE-5 inhibitors, as well as other drugs that, according to their manufacturers, can improve male potency. These include mainly herbal preparations, such as epimedium extract, ginseng extract and some others. We will not consider those drugs that are used for indications that differ from the indications for taking Viagra in this article. These are mainly hormonal drugs that are used for libido and hormonal imbalance in the body. The situations in which they are taken are very different from those in which Viagra is taken, but we will exclude them from this review.
Cialis vs Viagra
Perhaps the most popular alternative to Viagra is Cialis. This drug was invented five years later than Viagra and belongs to the identical pharmacological group of PDE-5 inhibitors.
The active ingredient of Cialis is Tadalafil, an artificially synthesized PDE-5 inhibitor, which in its properties differs little from Sildenafil citrate. Perhaps, the most noteworthy difference is the slightly higher selectivity of Tadalafil for the PDE-5 enzyme, which causes less severe side effects and a lower frequency of their occurrence.
Branded Cialis, like its generics, is available to consumers in dosages of 5, 10 and 20 mg. Like Viagra, Cialis is also produced in the form of film-coated tablets and intended for oral administration. Branded Cialis is available in the form of oval dark yellow tablets, in the case of generics, the shape and color may differ.
The main thing that distinguishes Cialis from Viagra is the duration of action of this drug. Tadalafil affects the male body for a long period of time, up to 36 hours. This property is the reason why this medicine has come to be called a weekend pill, because taking one pill, especially in a dosage of 10 or 20 mg, can give a man the opportunity not to worry about the state of his erection for a day and a half. During this time, you can fully enjoy any sexual adventures.
Viagra Vs Cialis
Both Viagra and Cialis are highly effective in combating the symptoms of erectile dysfunction. However, some men prefer Viagra, while others respond better to Cialis. This is due to many factors, primarily the individual sensitivity of the body to these active substances, as well as the tolerability of Sildenafil and Tadalafil.
Often, those men who experience too strong side effects from taking Viagra or its generics, react more gently to taking Cialis and its analogues based on Tadalafil.
In addition, Cialis is used not only in the treatment of erectile dysfunction, but also for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) – a condition that is observed in more than half of men over the age of 45 and which often goes hand in hand with potency disorders, the so-called age-related fading of male sexual function. In fact, many men begin to experience problems in bed precisely because of the onset of prostate hyperplasia, and not because of, for example, a natural decline in hormonal levels with age. Thus, Cialis is the optimal choice for those men who don’t tolerate Viagra well or have symptoms of BPH, while Viagra has proven itself to be the most effective drug that can cope with even advanced cases of erectile dysfunction. In addition, it should be noted that for men with cardiovascular problems, it is preferable to take Cialis, because it puts less stress on the cardiovascular system.
Levitra vs Viagra
Levitra is another drug for improving potency from the category of PDE-5 inhibitors. Levitra has the active substance Vardenafil, which has approximately the same duration of action on the male body as Sildenafil. However, Levitra has a number of features that make it especially popular among those men who may complain not only about insufficiently strong and long-lasting erections, but also about premature ejaculation. Levitra reduces the sensitivity of the penis, which helps to increase the duration of sexual intercourse, even if the man is prone to overexcitation and earlier ejaculation than suits him and his partner. Very often, both of these conditions - erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation - are accompanied by one another. Therefore, taking Levitra helps to cope with two unpleasant symptoms at once and help establish harmony in bed. However, some men are not suitable for this medication because it causes them to experience difficulty achieving orgasm, a feeling of dissatisfaction with sexual intercourse due to blurred impressions of orgasm and difficulties in achieving it. In such cases, it is more appropriate to resort to the help of other drugs from the PDE-5 inhibitors category.
Viagra and Cialis Together
Comparing Viagra and Cialis, some men wonder if it is possible to take both of these drugs together. The answer is clear: this is absolutely not worth doing, because it will not lead to anything good. It will not increase the effectiveness of one or the other drug, but will only cause their conflict and a colossal load on the body, on the cardiovascular system, on the urinary system, on the liver, on the gastrointestinal tract and even on the mucous membrane of the nose. If you take Viagra and Cialis at the same time, the only thing that will happen to you is a powerful explosion of side effects from both drugs, mutually reinforced by each other. It is clear that in this case there will be no talk of any sex.
As for taking Viagra and Cialis in alternation, it should be taken into account that as a man takes one drug for a certain period of time, this is usually accompanied by a decrease in the severity of side effects. However, alternating drugs can weaken this feature of PDE-5 inhibitors. And it is quite possible that if you take Viagra one week and Cialis the next, your body will react with more pronounced side effects than if you adhere to therapy with the same drug all the time.
In general, doctors don’t recommend experimenting, and if one of the drugs turns out to be not very suitable for you, change it to another and don’t return to the previous one. There is a small life hack that can help those who are basically satisfied with the chosen drug, but would like to reduce the number and strength of side effects. Quite often, generics have a softer effect on the body, because their manufacturers consider high-quality purification of the active substance to be their main competitive advantage. Therefore, if branded Viagra or Cialis cause severe tachycardia, headache or dizziness, you can try to resort to their analogues. It is quite possible that you will like the result more.
Sildenafil
Sildenafil, also known as Sildenafil citrate, is the main active ingredient of Viagra, the ingredient without which it is impossible to imagine this medicine, without which it would be just a dummy. Today, in pharmacies you can find many drugs that list Sildenafil as the main ingredient. If you see this active ingredient, then you are looking at one of the generics of Viagra. Generics are essentially copies of the original drug, which may differ in auxiliary substances, shape, color and size of tablets, trade names. However, their essence is the same, because the basis of their action is the active ingredient Sildenafil citrate. Sildenafil Sandoz, Sildenafil Centurion, Kamagra – any drug with the active ingredient sildenafil is a full-fledged analogue of the branded Viagra produced by the American pharmaceutical company Pfizer.
Sildenafil Dosage
The original Viagra was and is produced in dosages of 25, 50 and 100 mg. Similar dosages of generics are always available on the pharmaceutical market. However, in addition to this, both in regular and online pharmacies, you can often find non-standard dosages of sildenafil, such as 200 or even 400 mg, less often 75 mg. Such dosages, which exceed 100 mg, are not intended to be taken as a whole tablet. Such a tablet must be divided into at least two parts (in the case of a 200 mg dosage) or even four parts (in the case of a 400 mg dosage). Dosages of 75 and 35 mg are intermediate between popular standard dosages and are produced much less frequently. What is the point of such large dosages of sildenafil, which are not very convenient to take due to the need to divide the tablet into parts? The point is that in this case each dose is cheaper in cost, because it is cheaper to produce one tablet with a large dosage than many tablets with a small dosage.
Horny Goat Weed vs Viagra
Horny goat weed is a plant that some believe can enhance male sexual performance. It is essentially a natural supplement, an extract from the plant of the same name, which has the scientific name Epidemium. Preparations based on it are often advertised as natural remedies for those looking for an alternative to pharmaceutical drugs to solve problems with potency. If you pay attention to the scientific research bases, it turns out that this plant and preparations based on it are not particularly effective. However, in folk medicine, especially Chinese, it is believed that Epidemium helps to combat problems with potency, menstrual irregularities, osteochondrosis, asthma, cardiovascular diseases and many other health problems. Quite often, preparations based on this plant cause nausea and abdominal pain, as well as allergic reactions. Experts believe that the only effect of horny goat weed that has any effect on potency may be a slight increase in blood flow to the peripheral vessels of the body, including the vessels of the penis. It cannot be said that this remedy is particularly effective. Rather, it is capable of encouraging a man morally.
Natural Viagra
There is no natural alternative to Viagra. All the numerous dietary supplements that are advertised as natural Viagra are essentially extracts of various herbs that, according to traditional medicine, can increase male potency. To some extent, vitamin and mineral complexes can be useful for the male reproductive system. However, if we are talking about real erectile dysfunction, then we cannot do without PDE-5 inhibitors, and they are all artificially synthesized substances. Of course, it is useful to maintain a healthy lifestyle, healthy nutrition, take dietary supplements, play sports, and calm the nervous system. However, it is impossible to cure serious problems with potency with the help of natural preparations.
Female Viagra
Viagra is a drug produced specifically for men. However, women are also occasionally interested in this drug, hoping that it will increase their sexual desire. However, since the female body does not have such zones that are associated with the reproductive system and secrete especially much of the PDE-5 enzyme, this drug, if it has an effect, is only a small one due to the general expansion of peripheral vessels. Women still face a full range of side effects, including increased heart rate, headache, dizziness, changes in color perception, stomach pain, etc. This happens because the number of cells sensitive to PDE-5 inhibitors, with the exception of the genitals, is the same in men and women. For the treatment of female sexual dysfunction, it is advisable to use completely different approaches that target the specific physiological and psychological factors influencing female sexual response, such as hormonal therapies, psychosexual counseling, or medications designed to enhance blood flow or address arousal issues in a way tailored to women's unique needs.
