Does Viagra make you last longer?

Does Viagra make you last longer? It depends on why sex is ending sooner than you'd like. Viagra is the brand name of sildenafil, a medicine for erection problems (erectile dysfunction). Ejaculating sooner than you or a partner would like is a different problem, premature ejaculation, and the research on sildenafil for it is mixed.

Does Viagra help premature ejaculation?

It might, but the evidence is mixed, and sildenafil isn't licensed for it. The NHS says research has found that PDE5 inhibitors, the group of medicines sildenafil belongs to, may also help with premature ejaculation. BAUS (the British Association of Urological Surgeons) says these medicines have been used, but their exact role is uncertain.

An 8-week trial of sildenafil in men aged 18 to 65 with premature ejaculation found the time to ejaculation rose by 1.6 minutes on sildenafil against 0.6 minutes on a dummy pill, a difference that wasn't statistically significant. Men taking sildenafil did report more control over ejaculation, more confidence and more satisfaction with sex (McMahon and colleagues, 2005).

A 2020 review pooled seven placebo-controlled trials of PDE5 inhibitors for premature ejaculation, with 471 men in total. It found they lengthened the time to ejaculation by about 2.6 minutes compared with a placebo and improved sexual satisfaction, but caused more side effects, such as headache, dizziness, flushing and a blocked nose (Zhang and colleagues, 2020). The authors say more high-quality trials are needed.

The 2026 European Association of Urology (EAU) guidelines recommend PDE5 inhibitors, alone or combined with other treatments, for men with premature ejaculation who don't have erection problems. For lifelong premature ejaculation, their first-line choices are dapoxetine tablets or a lidocaine and prilocaine spray.

Why do some men feel they last longer on Viagra?

In the 2005 trial, men taking sildenafil reported significantly more confidence and control, while the gain in time to ejaculation was not significant. In one part of the study, run at a single centre, men needed about 3 minutes on average to get a second erection after ejaculating while on sildenafil, against about 6 minutes on a dummy pill (McMahon and colleagues, 2005).

Anxiety can play a part too: the NHS lists anxiety about sexual performance, particularly at the start of a new relationship or after previous problems with sexual performance, among the common psychological causes of premature ejaculation. BAUS says that if poor erections are a problem, PDE5 inhibitors can improve sexual confidence and reduce performance anxiety by producing better erections.

Does Viagra keep you hard after you come?

Sildenafil doesn't make you erect on its own: the BNF says medicines like it don't start an erection, and sexual stimulation is required. Viagra's product information says that in one study, sildenafil could still produce an erection in response to sexual stimulation 4 to 5 hours after it was taken.

For men hoping to go multiple rounds, the 2005 trial found a shorter wait for a second erection, though only in one part of the study.

If an erection lasts longer than 4 hours, the product information says to get medical help straight away, because priapism that isn't treated immediately can damage the penis and cause a permanent loss of erections.

Can you take Viagra if your erections are fine?

Not according to its licence. The leaflet for Viagra Connect, a sildenafil tablet sold in pharmacies, says not to take it if you don't have an erection problem, and its product information says it isn't intended for men without erectile dysfunction. Prescription Viagra is licensed for adult men with erectile dysfunction too, so using it for premature ejaculation alone is off-label, a decision for a doctor.

Sildenafil isn't suitable for everyone. It must not be taken with nitrate medicines for chest pain or with "poppers", because together they can cause a dangerous fall in blood pressure (Viagra Connect leaflet). Our guide to Viagra (sildenafil) covers its side effects and who shouldn't take it.

Be wary of pills from unofficial sources. The MHRA, the UK's medicines regulator, warns against buying erectile dysfunction medicines from unregulated websites, social media or messaging apps, and says unauthorised products may contain no active ingredient, the wrong dose, hidden drugs or toxic ingredients.

What if you have erection problems and premature ejaculation?

Then the erection problem comes first. The BNF says that if premature ejaculation is caused by erectile dysfunction, the erectile dysfunction should be treated first, and the EAU makes the same recommendation. Sildenafil is one of the medicines for erection problems, and our guide to erectile dysfunction covers the causes and treatments.

Medicines can also be combined. The EAU says combining a PDE5 inhibitor with an SSRI works better than an SSRI alone. In a trial of 495 men with both problems who were already taking a PDE5 inhibitor, adding dapoxetine raised the average time to ejaculation to 5.2 minutes, against 3.4 minutes with a dummy pill (McMahon and colleagues, 2013). Our page on dapoxetine (Priligy) explains that medicine.

What does help premature ejaculation?

For lifelong premature ejaculation, the EAU's first-line medicines are dapoxetine or a lidocaine and prilocaine spray. The BNF recommends non-drug treatments, such as psychosexual counselling and behavioural techniques, for men who prefer not to take medicine, and says they can also be used alongside it. The NHS says things you can try yourself can sometimes help, such as masturbating an hour or 2 before sex or using a thick condom.

Our guide to how to last longer in bed covers the techniques, and our guide to how to stop premature ejaculation sets out every option.

When should you see a GP?

See a GP if ejaculation or erection problems keep happening. The NHS says a GP will discuss ejaculation problems with you and may examine you or refer you to a specialist. For erection problems, you can see a GP or go to a sexual health clinic, as they might be a sign of a health condition that can be treated.

If you take sildenafil, the NHS says to call 999 if you think you're having an allergic reaction called anaphylaxis, a heart attack or a seizure, and to call NHS 111 if you think you're having any other serious side effect.