{"id":744,"date":"2023-04-24T16:51:41","date_gmt":"2023-04-24T16:51:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.faastpharmacy.com\/blog\/?p=744"},"modified":"2026-08-27T18:19:26","modified_gmt":"2026-08-27T18:19:26","slug":"what-does-viagra-do","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.faastpharmacy.com\/blog\/what-does-viagra-do","title":{"rendered":"What Does Viagra Do"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-1428\" src=\"https:\/\/www.faastpharmacy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/what-viagra-do.png\" alt=\"Man checking his watch before taking sildenafil with water\" width=\"836\" height=\"471\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.faastpharmacy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/what-viagra-do.png 836w, https:\/\/www.faastpharmacy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/what-viagra-do-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/www.faastpharmacy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/what-viagra-do-768x433.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 836px) 100vw, 836px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Most men have only a vague idea about what Viagra is actually for<\/p>\n<p>Does it instantly turn you into a sex god, ramp up your libidos, or last a magical four hours? What about if you have it with dinner?<\/p>\n<p>Viagra aids erection by facilitating blood flow into the penis during sexual stimulation. It will not create an increased sex drive, nor will it generally result in an erection while sitting comfortably on your couch daydreaming about tomorrow&#8217;s shopping list.<\/p>\n<p><em>The medication enhances a natural process<\/em><\/p>\n<h2>What happens after you take Viagra?<\/h2>\n<p>Sildenafil, the active ingredient in Viagra, is a PDE5 inhibitor (don&#8217;t worry, you don&#8217;t need to remember this). During sexual arousal, nerve endings in the penis send messages to neighbouring blood vessels, causing them to widen and allow more blood into the erectile tissue. As soon as this blood reaches the erectile tissue, pressure builds up, and the penis stiffens. This reaction is interrupted by an enzyme called PDE5, which breaks down the messenger substance, and sildenafil temporarily inhibits this enzyme. The blood vessels can therefore remain open for longer and allow good blood flow, facilitating an erection. This is also the reason why the medication requires sexual stimulation in order to work. It supports the process that is already taking place, rather than initiating it.<\/p>\n<p>For the lucky few, Viagra can be nothing short of miraculous. Others will notice only a slight improvement: erection appears more regularly and firmly, or is not immediately hampered by a change in position or a moment of distraction.<\/p>\n<h2>How long does it last?<\/h2>\n<p>The active ingredient in Viagra generally takes effect after 30 to 60 minutes, and should be taken about an hour before sex so that the medication has sufficient time to take effect without the evening feeling like an endurance sports event<\/p>\n<p>The effects last for approximately four hours on average, but this does not mean that you will be permanently erect. In fact, the medication only supports erection, which should subside when you are no longer stimulated. During the four hours, another erection should easily be possible, too, following sexual intercourse.<\/p>\n<p>It may be necessary to take the medication after a heavy and fatty meal, but if you then wait only 20 minutes before your sexual partner shows up, you may find that the pill has already lost most of its effect. Heavy meals delay the breakdown of sildenafil, so you may feel that the medication has hardly taken any effect, whereas it may still work well.<\/p>\n<p>Another problem is caused by alcohol. Whilst a single glass may not present a problem, binge drinking reduces the erectile capability, irrespective of the amount of sildenafil in the bloodstream. Alcohol can have additional side-effects, including low blood pressure, which may already feel uncomfortable in combination with Viagra.<\/p>\n<h2>Will Viagra increase my sex drive?<\/h2>\n<p>No. Viagra affects the genital area, but it does not stimulate your hormones<\/p>\n<p>The difference is frequently noticeable: a man may feel attracted to his partner, but still be unable to achieve an erection due to diabetes, high blood pressure, other medications, or anxiety. Viagra has a positive effect on such a case. Another man may be physically able to achieve an erection, but have a very limited libido due to tiredness, depression, marital problems, or a hormonal imbalance. In this case, sildenafil has almost no effect because there is no problem with his blood circulation.<\/p>\n<p>Low sex drive and erectile dysfunction often occur together, but they are two separate issues. Persistent absence of sexual desire should be looked at in its own right (further information can be found in our guide to femaleSexDrive). Viagra also does not raise testosterone levels: any increased self-confidence or sex drive is generally due to the fear of impotence being unfounded.<\/p>\n<h2>Why isn&#8217;t Viagra working?<\/h2>\n<p>Swallowing the pill can be a tense moment, especially if you have already experienced numerous disappointments following failed sexual encounters. That alone can already have a negative effect on sexual arousal.<\/p>\n<p>Then there are the simple mistakes: taking the medication after a heavy meal, drinking heavily, not waiting long enough, or expecting an erection despite no physical or psychological stimulation.<\/p>\n<p>Some men also need a different dosage. The Viagra tablets are available in a variety of strengths: your age, general condition, concurrent medications, side-effects, and sensitivity all play a role.<\/p>\n<p>Don&#8217;t take an additional tablet if the first one appears to have had too little effect, as extra sildenafil often leads only to more pronounced headaches, reddening of the skin, or dizziness, without improving your erection. It is also possible to consult a doctor in the case of several disappointments after taking the medication, to determine whether the root of the problem is not in the blood circulation, but in the hormone levels, the psyche, or other medications. There are also other medications for erectile dysfunction.<\/p>\n<h2>What does the experience of taking Viagra feel like?<\/h2>\n<p>Many men are barely aware that the medication is working before they feel their arousal beginning. There is nothing particularly special to report about, for example, a sudden feeling of euphoria or increased masculinity.<\/p>\n<p>You may feel a warm glow on your cheeks, or a congested nose or headache. Indigestion and dizziness are also possible side-effects. Men frequently comment that the world appears a little brighter than usual, or that the blue sky has a bluish tint.<\/p>\n<p>These effects are generally quickly over, when the active ingredient has left the body. If these side-effects are annoying, a reduced dosage can sometimes help. Taking a lower dose usually means there are fewer side-effects, but this should be discussed with the prescription-writer.<\/p>\n<p>Loss of vision or hearing must be reported to a doctor immediately, as should an erection that is too painful or lasts longer than normal.<\/p>\n<h2><em>The drug combinations that are important<\/em><\/h2>\n<p>The most dangerous error is to take sildenafil in combination with nitrates. These drugs are used to treat angina pectoris and include the sublingual administration of nitroglycerin, isosorbide, and &#8220;poppers&#8221; taken illegally in nightclubs. The combination with sildenafil causes a severe drop in blood pressure. Another drug that must never be combined with sildenafil is riociguat, which is used in the treatment of pulmonary hypertension.<\/p>\n<p>Men who may be taking alpha-blockers or several blood-pressure medications can in many cases still be treated with sildenafil but the time of administration and dosage may vary. Kidney and liver diseases also affect the processing of sildenafil in the body.<\/p>\n<p>Don&#8217;t combine sildenafil with Cialis or another type of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.faastpharmacy.com\/treatments\/erectile-dysfunction\">erectile dysfunction medications<\/a>, unless you have personally been prescribed to do so by a specialist. It is also much safer to decide for yourself whether Cialis or Viagra is right for you, rather than taking both.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Viagra (sildenafil) combats erectile dysfunction by enhancing blood flow to the penis, enabling men to achieve and maintain an erection during sexual activity. Note that arousal is still required for its effectiveness.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":745,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-744","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sexual-health"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.faastpharmacy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/744","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.faastpharmacy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.faastpharmacy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.faastpharmacy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.faastpharmacy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=744"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.faastpharmacy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/744\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1429,"href":"https:\/\/www.faastpharmacy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/744\/revisions\/1429"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.faastpharmacy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/745"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.faastpharmacy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=744"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.faastpharmacy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=744"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.faastpharmacy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=744"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}