Kamagra Oral Jelly: Is It Effective for ED?

The internet is full of erectile dysfunction (ED) treatments — including Kamagra Oral Jelly, an ED medication produced in India. 

Kamagra is sold both as a tablet and in the form of a flavored oral jelly, often marketed as a cheap alternative to drugs like Viagra®. You’re probably here because you’re wondering whether or not it’s as effective as Viagra. 

Well, you’re in the right place.

While Kamagra can seem like a good alternative, it falls short of medications like Viagra due to a lack of safe production controls and other rigors. And all of that, of course, is secondary to the fact that it’s illegal in the United States. 

So, what’s the deal? Is it dangerous? What should you use instead? Read on for the nuances of this candied ED treatment.

Kamagra Oral Jelly is a common medication used to treat erectile dysfunction. It comes in single-use packs of (yes really) flavored oral jelly. Unlike most ED medications, which come in tablet form, Kamagra can be eaten like a Jell-O® shot. 

And yes, they have several different flavored Kamagra Oral Jelly packs available, including orange, vanilla and chocolate. 

This jelly isn’t for kids, however. Kamagra contains sildenafil — the same active ingredient in Viagra. Because of this, Kamagra is usually marketed as a cheaper alternative to drugs like Viagra and Cialis® (which contains a similar medication, tadalafil). 

While Viagra and Kamagra share the same active ingredient and are marketed to be taken for the same purposes, they differ in three key ways: first, Viagra is the only one approved by the FDA. Second, Viagra is generally known to cause fewer and more predictable side effects. And third, Kamagra carries additional risks of complication.

Why does the same ingredient create two different experiences? It has to do with how safely that main ingredient is being prepared.

Sildenafil is a phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitor, or PDE5 inhibitor. Although Kamagra Oral Jelly (sildenafil citrate) uses the same main ingredient as Viagra, it does so without the approval of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). 

Kamagra is not produced under the same rigorous safety standards, which increases your risk of overdose and other side effects associated with sildenafil.

Numerous studies, as well as several large-scale reviews, have concluded that sildenafil citrate is one of the most effective treatments available for ED. But Kamagra itself? That’s a different conversation.

There’s relatively little research on Kamagra oral jelly, specifically.

Like all other ED medications in its class, sildenafil inhibits enzymes that affect the muscles managing blood flow to the erectile tissues of your penis. This allows the muscles to stay relaxed, making it easier for you to get and keep an erection when you’re sexually aroused. It’s also sometimes used as a premature ejaculation treatment in an off-label capacity.

But an FDA-approved and dosed medication is very much unlike the “ED candy” that Kamagra oral jelly is marketing, for a number of reasons.

Kamagra comes in a convenient form that’s easy to use, doesn’t cost a fortune and works the same way as other medications that contain sildenafil. So why aren’t you reading quote after quote of medical advice talking about using it?

In a nutshell: it’s less safe, carries a higher risk of side effects and might contain unlisted ingredients. 

In other words, “Kamagra 100mg Oral Jelly” might actually be “Kamagra 100mg plus some other stuff you didn’t know about” or possibly worse, “Kamagra 100mg with way more sildenafil than is safe to take.”

The fact is, you’ll never know what you’re getting — at least, not as consistently as you’ll know what you’re getting from an actually FDA-approved (and FDA-regulated) medication like Viagra. 

There are several reasons to avoid this sildenafil oral jelly, but that’s the biggest one. 

And there’s more.

It’s Illegal to Sell Prescription Meds Without a Prescription

As we mentioned above, Kamagra is illegal to sell in the United States. You won't find it from any trustworthy, US-based suppliers like your local pharmacy or favorite telemedicine website.

The only way to get Kamagra — in the U.S., at least — is to buy it either online or locally from an unlicensed provider who’s offering it illegally without a prescription.

You Could Experience Side Effects Due to a Lack of Supervision

Even if you get your hands on contraband Kamagra, buying prescription medication without a prescription can be a very risky process. 

Prescription medications like sildenafil need to be used at the right dosage to produce the intended effects. If you inadvertently take too much, you may be more likely to experience side effects from sildenafil like priapism or blurred vision. 

Remember, the same medication that alters flow to the blood vessels in your penis can also affect your blood pressure. Specifically, it can lead to sudden drops in blood pressure when combined with other medications that could potentially be fatal, so you really want whoever is measuring your doses to be good at it.

And, of course, if you take too little sildenafil, it might not help treat your ED symptoms at all.

Sildenafil Comes With Possible Drug Interactions

One of the reasons you want a doctor to hand you this prescription, meanwhile, is that they’re trained and qualified to spot potential bad interactions with any other drug you’re taking. 

PDE5 inhibitors like the sildenafil in Kamagra can interact with certain medications, including nitrates and alpha blockers — and the resulting chemical mix can cause life-threatening symptoms.

When you receive prescription medication from a licensed healthcare provider, you’ll talk about these interactions and side effects together and take steps to avoid any potentially hazardous ones. When you order unlicensed medication online, this step doesn’t occur. 

Counterfeiting Dangers

People make counterfeit drugs, and they make a lot of money doing it. And those counterfeits are often a mystery box of ingredients.

Unlicensed ED medications sold online (like Kamagra) are some of the most frequently counterfeited in the world. Research published in the International Journal of Clinical Practice shows that as much as 90 percent of medication sold online may be counterfeit. 

In one analysis, researchers found that barely 10 percent of sampled PDE5 inhibitor medications bought online were within 10 percent of the dosage listed on the medication’s label. This means that when you buy medication that could be counterfeited, there’s a serious risk it will contain much less or much more of the active ingredient than it should.

A Lack of Oversight and Unclean Production Facilities

To save money, many counterfeit drug manufacturers use low-quality, potentially dangerous ingredients in their medications.

Counterfeit medications are often riddled with issues, from contaminants to dosages that simply don’t match the information provided on the medication’s label. 

According to the research mentioned above, several ED drugs purchased online revealed contaminants such as commercial paint and printer ink. 

Read that again. Commercial paint and printer ink.

These medications aren’t worth the risk. And in the big picture, even transactions with these pharmacies aren’t safe.

When you order medication like Kamagra online from an unlicensed pharmacy, there’s a real risk that your financial information could be misused.

Many illicit online pharmacies take a lax approach to credit card security. Since many are based overseas, they generally don’t comply with U.S. laws designed to keep your financial information private and protect you from things like credit card fraud. 

Worse yet, some online pharmacies are outright frauds themselves. The AARP, an organization for retired people, warns its members that many illicit pharmacies are tied to international crime networks that steal money and use personal information for identity theft.

Kamagra gel products are bad for consumers like you — at least according to the FDA.

But that doesn't mean you don't have options to treat your ED symptoms. 

In fact, you have several, including FDA-approved, science-backed ED medications and things like psychotherapy, vacuum constriction devices and more. 

Let’s look at them in more detail.

ED Medications

When ED medications like Viagra and Cialis first appeared on the market in the late 1990s and early 2000s, they were far from affordable because they were under patent protection. 

Today, the situation is completely different. The patents on most ED medications have expired, meaning that affordable, high-quality generic versions are now readily available in the US, including:

• Sildenafil is a short-acting ED medication that lasts for approximately four hours and needs to be taken at least 30 minutes to one hour before you plan to have sex.

• Tadalafil is a longer-acting ED medication that lasts for up to 36 hours, earning it a reputation as the “weekend” treatment of erectile dysfunction.

• Levitra (vardenafil) works similarly to sildenafil but requires a smaller dose.

Stendra®, a newer medication that contains the active ingredient avanafil, can also treat erectile dysfunction and improve your sexual performance, but only the brand name version is currently available.  

You’ll likely get far better results from these medications than you would from an unlicensed drug like Kamagra Oral Jelly. This full guide to the most common ED treatments provides more information about how these medications work, their dosages, side effects and more. 

And though you may think getting a prescription seems difficult, accessing ED medication is easy. 

You can even find generic sildenafil and tadalafil online with Hims, following a consultation with a licensed healthcare provider who will determine if a prescription is appropriate.

Other Treatments for Erectile Dysfunction

In addition to PDE5 inhibitors, several other methods are used to treat erectile dysfunction and other sexual performance issues. 

In brief, they include: 

• Psychotherapy. Many causes of ED are psychological, meaning they’re linked to issues such as depression, anxiety or severe stress. In these cases, your healthcare provider may suggest counseling.

• Other medications. If PDE5 inhibitors aren’t effective at improving your erections and sexual performance, your healthcare provider may recommend alprostadil or other types of medication.

• Vacuum constriction devices (VCDs). Also known as “penis pumps,” these devices work by pulling blood into your penis. You may need to wear an elastic ring to sustain your erection during sex.

Kamagra Oral Jelly is an increasingly popular “alternative” to Viagra. Yes, it’s been around for decades and has been relentlessly promoted through spam emails and other forms of online marketing. 

But it’s not something you should use. 

Hopefully, we’ve talked you out of sending your credit card info out into the dangerous world unprotected. But, in case we haven’t, here’s what you need to remember:

• While the sildenafil used in Kamagra is backed up by research, it’s not wise to use Kamagra and other unlicensed medications to treat ED.

• Not only are these medications potentially unsafe, they’re often sold by vendors that engage in less-than-ethical activities when it comes to billing and customer privacy.

• There are several affordable, FDA-approved medications you should consider instead if you’re one of the tens of millions of American men affected by ED. 

• If you want to treat ED but prefer to avoid the price tag of brand name Viagra, you’ll get the best results by buying generic ED medication from a reputable telehealth provider. You can get an erectile dysfunction consult checked off your list today with us. 

Not only will you get the medication you need, but you’ll also be able to discuss your issues with a licensed healthcare provider to make sure your safety is taken into account.