How Long Does Viagra Last?

Sildenafil is a common medication used to stimulate erections in men with erectile dysfunction (ED) and treat certain heart conditions. Its most commonly known form is Viagra.

Many factors can influence how long Viagra takes to start working. In general, Viagra takes about 30 minutes to produce noticeable effects. But your diet, your overall health, the medications you’re taking, underlying conditions, and much more can all affect the amount of time Viagra takes to work in your body and how long it lasts.

An erection happens when nerves in your penis are stimulated. Then, muscles around two cylinder-shaped chambers of spongy material along your penis, known as the corpus cavernosa, relax and allow blood to flow in, causing an erection.

With ED, your nerves don’t communicate properly with your brain and blood doesn’t flow properly into the corpus cavernosa. Taking Viagra relaxes the walls of your blood vessels and lets blood flow more easily into the parts of your penis that cause an erection.

Viagra normally starts working 30–60 minutes after you take it in oral tablet form. It may take up to two hours to work.

Viagra doesn’t work on its own. You’ll still need to feel sexually aroused to get an erection. Feeling relaxed and comfortable can also help Viagra take effect sooner.

On average, Viagra usually lasts between two and three hours before its effects start to diminish. Viagra can last up to five hours or longer depending on your dosage, your body’s metabolism, and other external factors.

Depending on how your body metabolizes it, you may be able to get an erection several times with Viagra in your body. Viagra probably won’t make you last longer in bed, though. No research has proven definitively that Viagra can increase how long you can have sex.

Viagra may not work again immediately after you’ve had sex. Normally, you can’t get another erection right after ejaculating because your body isn’t physiologically prepared for it. This is known as the refractory period. It may only last a few minutes, but it can last as long as a few hours or days.

Several important factors can influence how long Viagra lasts for you:

• Dosage. The amount of Viagra you take affects how long it stays in your system. The smallest available 25-milligram (mg) dose won’t last as long as the largest available 100-mg dose. But taking a higher dose isn’t always recommended, as it may not be safe for you.
• Age. As you get older, your metabolism slows down. Thus, Viagra may last longer as you age. In general, you may notice Viagra works for a longer period when you’re 65 or older.
• Diet. Eating a large meal or a lot of high-fat foods right before you take Viagra can keep it from being metabolized quickly or effectively. But this can also make it last longer as it’s metabolized along with your meal. Drinking alcohol can also decrease blood flow to your penis, making Viagra less effective or shorter-lasting.
• Medications. Some medications, especially antibiotics such as erythromycin (Ery-Tab), clarithromycin (Biaxin), and ciprofloxacin (Cipro), can interact with Viagra and affect how long it lasts.
• Overall health. Certain existing conditions can affect how long Viagra lasts and how well it works for you. Diabetes, nervous system conditions like multiple sclerosis (MS), and heart conditions like atherosclerosis (fat buildup in your blood vessels) can all make Viagra less effective and not last as long. Some kidney conditions may make Viagra last longer because of the condition’s effect on your metabolism.
• Psychological state. Feeling anxious, nervous, depressed, or stressed can all influence how your body responds to sexual stimulation. If you’re not relaxed or comfortable during sex, or if you have performance anxiety because of past sexual experiences, Viagra may not last long or be fully effective.

Viagra usually leaves your system after two to three hours. Depending on your metabolism, Viagra can take five to six hours to fully leave your system.

A higher dosage will take longer to leave your body. A 25-mg dose may wear off after a couple of hours, but a 100-mg dose may take nearly four times as long to leave your system.

Viagra often lasts for a few hours. You won’t normally have an erection the entire time, as Viagra is only used to help increase blood flow. If you don’t think Viagra is working fast enough, try masturbation or foreplay to help stimulate arousal.

If Viagra doesn’t work after 30 minutes, don’t take any more than the daily dose that your doctor prescribed. This can cause priapism, a painful erection that lasts longer than four hours. This can damage penis tissue because blood stored in the penis isn’t receiving any oxygen. Get emergency treatment right away if this happens.

Talk to your doctor before you take Viagra or any related medication for ED. It’s important to take a safe dose and work out a clear understanding of how much you should take in a 24-hour period.

Some medications for heart conditions, such as nitroglycerin and other nitrates, can interact dangerously with Viagra and cause your blood pressure to drop.

If Viagra isn’t working or isn’t safe for you, talk to your doctor about other possible treatments for ED, such as: