How Long Does Sildenafil Last?

Sildenafil is an erectile dysfunction treatment that lasts for 4 to 6 hours. However, how long Sildenafil lasts can vary among individuals, and several factors, including dose, alcohol intake, food choices, age, and general health, can affect how long it remains effective.

In this guide, we discuss how long different sildenafil doses last, the factors that can affect how long sildenafil remains effective, and what you can do to make it last longer.

Sildenafil usually lasts 4 to 6 hours, but in some people it can last up to 12 hours.

Sildenafil has a half-life of 3 to 5 hours, which is how long it takes for half of the medication to leave your body.

This means that the effects of sildenafil are strongest within the first 4 to 6 hours of taking it, but most of it will be cleared from your system within 24 hours.

How long does sildenafil stay in your system?

Sildenafil can stay in your system for up to 24 hours. After this time, your body will have completely cleared it, and you will no longer feel its effects.

How long do erections last on sildenafil?

One study found that sildenafil can increase the total duration of erections by 3- to 4-fold. People who were given sildenafil had an erection with more than 60% rigidity that lasted, on average, 11.8 minutes compared to 7.5 minutes with a placebo.

Sildenafil does not work on its own. You must be sexually stimulated to achieve an erection that is good enough for sex.

Does sildenafil help you last longer in bed?

No, sildenafil can only help you last longer in bed if you have difficulty getting and maintaining an erection, it cannot treat premature ejaculation. Although some research suggests that sildenafil may help some people last longer in bed, more research is needed.

Sildenafil takes 30 to 60 minutes to start working and usually reaches its peak effect within an hour. However, this can vary. Research shows that the average time it took to get an erection with sildenafil 50mg was 27 minutes, with 71% of people getting an erection within 30 minutes and 82% within 45 minutes.

The best time to take sildenafil for erectile dysfunction is 1 hour before you intend to have sex, but you can take it anytime up to 4 hours before.

Yes, higher doses of sildenafil can make the effects last longer. Depending on your sildenafil dose, it can last between 2 to 6 hours. But remember, how long your dose last can depend on a range of factors such as:

• personal body-weight – it may take longer for sildenafil to absorb if you are more heavy-set
• metabolism – the faster your metabolism, the faster sildenafil will wear off as your body will break it down and process it more quickly
• diet – eating a large meal containing fat can affect how fast sildenafil is absorbed by your body
• age – if you are over 65, medications may absorb more slowly when you take them, in turn sildenafil may stay in your system for longer
• alcohol consumption – how much alcohol you drink can reduce its effectiveness

How long does 25mg of sildenafil last?

Sildenafil 25mg is the lowest dose available and can remain effective for 2 to 4 hours after you take it. However, other factors can affect how long sildenafil works. For example, if you are overweight and take a low 25mg dose, it may only last for 2 to 3 hours.

How long does 50mg of sildenafil last?

If you take 50mg of sildenafil, the standard starting dose for most people, you can expect it to last 4 to 6 hours. That does not mean you will have a continuous erection for up to 6 hours, it just means that it should be easier to get an erection when you are sexually aroused during this time.

How long does 100mg of sildenafil last?

Sildenafil 100mg is the strongest dose available for erectile dysfunction and can typically remain active for 4 to 6 hours. However, one study found that after:

• 1 hour, 69% of people responded to sildenafil 100mg
• 8 hours, 82% responded to sildenafil 100mg
• 12 hours, 45% responded to sildenafil 100mg

So, it is possible for a 100mg dose of sildenafil to still have an effect in almost half of people after 12 hours.

For more information, see our guide on sildenafil dosages.

Dosage isn’t the only thing that can affect how long sildenafil lasts. From food and drink to the current medications you take, knowing what can influence the effectiveness of sildenafil will help you get the most out of your treatment.

Age

Your age can influence how well sildenafil works for you. One study found that the percentage of people reporting that sildenafil improved their erections tended to decrease with increasing age.

After the age of 65, your body, especially your liver and kidneys, slows down, which can make it more difficult for your body to break down and remove medications. This means that sildenafil can stay active in your body for longer.

Alcohol

Alcohol reduces the blood flow to your penis, which makes it harder to get an erection, with or without erectile dysfunction medication. Drinking a large amount of alcohol while taking sildenafil can make it more difficult for you to get and keep an erection.

Alcohol can also make sildenafil side effects, like headaches, facial flushing, and feeling sick, worse, so limiting your intake is recommended.

Diet and meals

Eating a large or high-fat meal can affect how well sildenafil works and make it take longer to take effect. One study examining how food affected a sildenafil orodispersible film found that eating reduced the blood sildenafil concentration by 45% and delayed the time to peak by 1.45 hours.

Taking sildenafil on an empty stomach will help it start working much more quickly than if you take it with food. However, some people prefer to take it with food to minimise the chance of gastrointestinal side effects. If this is the case, it is recommended that you eat a light, low-fat meal.

You should also avoid drinking grapefruit juice when taking sildenafil because it can increase the medication's absorption by 23%. This may increase the risk of side effects and delay sildenafil's peak concentration by 15 minutes.

Other medications

Some medications can affect how long sildenafil lasts in your body. For example, some slow down how fast your liver processes sildenafil, which can make it last longer, while some can increase the chance of side effects, such as:

• antifungal medications
• Antibiotics
• HIV medications

There are also some medications that can cause dangerous drops in blood pressure. That’s why you must not take nitrates while taking sildenafil. This includes nitrates for chest pain, such as nitroglycerin and recreational drugs, including amyl nitrates (poppers).

Underlying health conditions

Some health conditions, particularly those that affect the liver and kidneys, can cause sildenafil to stay in your system for much longer. Because the body is less efficient at filtering and removing sildenafil, it can build up in your system and increase the chance of side effects.

It is important to let your doctor know if you have any health conditions as part of your consultation, so they can determine if sildenafil is safe for you.

There are several things you can do to help sildenafil last longer for you, and they are both easy and effective.

Some of the things you can do include:

1. Take it on an empty stomach. Taking sildenafil with food, especially high-fat meals, can delay its onset of action, so taking it on an empty stomach or with a light meal is advisable.
2. Limit your alcohol intake. Alcohol can reduce blood flow to your penis, making it difficult to get an erection, even with sildenafil. Where possible, avoid alcohol completely or limit your intake.
3. Cut down or quit smoking. Smoking can also restrict blood flow to the penis, impacting your sexual function. Use our quit smoking service to get advice and medication to support you in giving up.
4. Take sildenafil exactly as prescribed. Always take sildenafil exactly as your doctor has told you to and within 1 hour of having sex. This will help you to be ready when sildenafil reaches its maximum concentration in your body.
5. Get regular exercise. Participating in regular exercise, at least 160 minutes per week for 6 months, has been shown to improve erectile function.

No. You should not take more sildenafil than you have been prescribed because it will not make it last longer, but could have potentially serious side effects. You should only take sildenafil once every 24 hours because taking too much can mean there is too much in your system.

If you feel that your current sildenafil dosage is not working as you had expected, contact your doctor to discuss adjusting your dose or an alternative erectile dysfunction medication.

Yes, sildenafil and Viagra contain the same ingredient and are available in the same dosages, so they last equally as long. Both medications usually last for 4 to 6 hours, depending on several of the factors we discussed earlier. The main difference is that sildenafil is a generic version of the branded Viagra.

Yes, there are other erectile dysfunction treatments that last longer than sildenafil. They include medications with tadalafil as the active ingredient, such as Cialis and Cialis Daily.

Cialis

Cialis contains tadalafil, and its effects can last for up to 36 hours. It is available in 4 different dosages: 2mg, 5mg, 10mg, or 20mg and has been shown to be effective for more than 80% of people. Cialis may be more suitable if you need a longer window of effectiveness and prefer greater spontaneity. Cialis is also available as generic tadalafil.

Cialis Daily

Cialis Daily is taken once daily, which means it is always working, so it doesn’t need to be taken just before sex happens. This can give you a wider window of opportunity, as you do not need to wait for it to work or worry about how long it will last. Research shows that Cialis Daily is effective for 84% of people who take it.