Apomorphine for ED: How It Works, Side Effects, and When to Use It

Apomorphine is a newer treatment for erectile dysfunction and is part of a class of medications called dopamine agonists. It’s gaining attention as an alternative to Viagra^® and Cialis^®. 

But is apomorphine for ED an effective treatment? What are the risks and side effects? Keep reading to learn more about the medication and whether you should try apomorphine to improve erectile function.

Apomorphine is a drug typically used to treat Parkinson’s disease, a nervous system disorder that causes difficulty with movement, balance, and muscle control, and often leads to tremors.

Apomorphine is a dopamine agonist, a type of drug that imitates the effects of dopamine when levels of the neurotransmitter are low.

Dopamine, known as a “feel-good” brain chemical, is responsible for your brain’s reward processes and pleasure center, as well as movement and more. 

Doing something that feels good triggers a dopamine release, which in turn produces oxytocin, a hormone involved in social bonding, emotional connection, and feelings of love.

Because of this, you want to repeat the action to feel that dopamine rush again. Sexual stimulation, for example, provides a dopamine rush.

Sexual stimulation leading to penile erection is controlled by different areas of the brain and involves several neurotransmitters, one of which is dopamine.

Dopamine is also part of the process of getting an erection, as well as sexual motivation and arousal.

Research shows there are two major groups of dopamine receptors, D1 and D2, with subgroups responsible for many behavioral and hormonal effects in our body.

Dopamine agonists bind to the D1 and D2 groups of dopamine receptors in the brain, copying the effects of the neurotransmitter. This allows these medications to improve disorders caused by low levels of dopamine.

Apomorphine is a short-acting injectable medication that binds to dopamine receptors and can improve your ability to get an erection. It also comes as a sublingual tablet that dissolves under the tongue.

It had previously been approved for the treatment of erectile dysfunction under the brand name Uprima. However, it’s only currently FDA-approved as a medication for Parkinson’s in the US, and not for erectile dysfunction. 

Low doses of apomorphine are effective in the treatment of erectile dysfunction. Sublingual apomorphine has been found to take only 20 minutes to be effective, compared to an hour for other oral ED treatments.

Another study comparing the dosage of sublingual apomorphine on over 5,000 patients with erectile dysfunction found that a dose range of 2 to 3 milligrams was most effective, with the least side effects.

Apomorphine does come with some adverse effects, as is the case with any medication. Common side effects of apomorphine include:

• Nausea

• Dizziness

• Headache

In short, apomorphine is an effective treatment for mild or moderate erectile dysfunction. It can also be helpful for psychogenic ED, which is the inability to get an erection due to psychological reasons.

However, apomorphine isn’t as effective as an erectile dysfunction treatment as PDE-5 inhibitors, which are the gold standard. PDE-5 inhibitors work by inhibiting the action of the enzyme phosphodiesterase-5, which improves blood flow to certain tissues (including the penis). 

Furthermore, apomorphone hasn’t been as thoroughly tested for tolerability, and there isn’t enough evidence from clinical studies to suggest the correct formulation, dosage, or frequency of use for the average person.

Apomorphine may be a helpful ED treatment for specific individuals, especially those who don’t respond well to more commonly used medications like Viagra or Cialis. While it’s not the first-line treatment for ED (stick to PDE-5 inhibitors first), it can be a useful option in certain scenarios.

You may be a good candidate for apomorphine if:

• You have mild to moderate ED, as clinical trials suggest it’s most effective for guys with less severe erectile dysfunction.

• Your ED has psychological roots, as apomorphine is often more effective for ED related to stress, anxiety, or other mental health factors.

• You can’t tolerate PDE-5 inhibitors.

• You want a faster-acting option, as apomorphine typically starts working within 20 minutes when taken sublingually (which is faster than many traditional ED pills).

• You prefer a non-invasive or discreet under-the-tongue administration.

That said, apomorphine is not currently FDA-approved for ED in the US and isn’t as thoroughly studied as other standard ED medications. Always consult your trusted healthcare provider to see what makes sense for your situation.

Apomorphine and variations like Apomorphine SL (sublingual) seem to do a good job of restoring sexual function when compared with a placebo. 

But while clinical trials are promising, other treatments like Viagra^® and Cialis^® have been thoroughly tested for adverse events and effectiveness in placebo-controlled studies for decades. Apomorphine simply hasn’t been.

It’s common clinical practice for doctors, urologists, and healthcare professionals to try the proven medications first and turn to advanced or newer treatments only after those don’t work.

There are several main types of FDA-approved treatments for erectile dysfunction:

• Oral medications, including the well-known PDE-5 inhibitors like Viagra (sildenafil) and Cialis (tadalafil)

• Intracavernosal injections like alprostadil

• Intraurethral suppositories

Our guide to erectile dysfunction treatments goes into more detail about these medications and others like nitric oxide, including how they work.

Treatment options for ED also include lifestyle changes to address medical conditions that may affect your ability to get and maintain erections, like obesity, complications from diabetes, or a stressful or sedentary lifestyle.

If you struggle to get or maintain firm erections for sex, you could be dealing with erectile dysfunction, a very common form of sexual dysfunction among men. 

Fortunately, there are several treatments available for the management of erectile dysfunction, like apomorphine.

Here’s what you need to know about this ED treatment:

• Apomorphine is a dopamine agonist, which works by imitating the brain chemical dopamine and helps promote erections. 

• It may be effective for guys with mild to moderate or psychologically driven ED, especially when other treatments don’t work.

• While promising, it’s less proven than PDE-5 inhibitors and not FDA-approved for ED.

Thinking about trying apomorphine? Talk to a licensed provider through Hims to find out if it’s right for you, or explore other ED treatment options backed by science.