Can You Take Viagra and Cialis Together?

Can you take Viagra^® and Cialis^® together for erectile dysfunction (ED)? In most cases, the answer is no — don’t mix full doses of these ED medications.

Sometimes a doctor may suggest low, specially adjusted doses of both if one drug alone isn’t working for you. But this is uncommon, and an off-label use that needs to be closely supervised by a healthcare professional.

Cialis (tadalafil) is long-lasting, and you can take it daily or as needed before sexual activity. Viagra (sildenafil), on the other hand, works best when you take it as needed one to four hours before sex.

Let’s break down why you shouldn’t mix these without a doctor’s OK.

Cialis, Viagra, and their generic equivalents (tadalafil and sildenafil, respectively) are FDA-approved ED medications belonging to a class of treatment options called PDE5 inhibitors.

PDE5 (short for phosphodiesterase type 5) is an enzyme that reduces blood flow to the penis.

These ED drugs help you get and stay hard by keeping the smooth muscles of the blood vessels that supply the penis relaxed, so blood can flow in more easily.

Cialis lasts a long time, while Viagra works quickly.

Many men with ED wonder if they can take Cialis in the morning and Viagra at night for better erectile dysfunction treatment results.

But you shouldn’t combine them unless your doctor says it’s safe. Mixing Cialis and Viagra can cause serious side effects, like a sudden drop in blood pressure. Both medications warn against using them together for a reason.

If you’re curious about combining ED meds, talk to your healthcare provider first.

Taking both medications at the same time increases your risk of side effects like:

• Low blood pressure

• Fainting

• Priapism (a painful erection that won’t go away — this is an emergency)

• Chest pain

• Indigestion

• Back pain

• Stuffy nose

• Dizziness

Mixing these medications also increases the risk of side effects from other drug interactions. Don’t take these ED meds with:

• Nitrates

• Alpha-blockers

• Other ED prescription drugs like avanafil (brand name Stendra^®)

• Nitroglycerin

• Grapefruit juice

• Erythromycin

• Riociguat

• Libido supplements

• Poppers (which contain nitrites)

• Medications for pulmonary hypertension, high blood pressure, heart disease, or benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH or enlarged prostate)

Always let your healthcare provider know about everything you’re taking, including supplements and over-the-counter (OTC) meds. They need to know about your health conditions, too, especially heart problems.

If you notice any unusual or serious side effects, get medical attention right away.

With medical advice, there are safe ways to take Viagra and Cialis together. You’ll just need a prescription from a healthcare professional who can judge whether a combination treatment is safe and appropriate for your situation.

If you don’t respond well to a single PDE5 inhibitor, your prescriber might explore options such as:

• Switching medications

• Increasing or lowering the dose

• Daily tadalafil with occasional low-dose sildenafil before planned sex

• A compounded chewable that includes low amounts of more than one active ingredient, at individualized doses

Your doctor will only suggest these off-label personalized strategies after carefully reviewing your medications (especially nitrates, alpha-blockers, and blood-pressure drugs), blood pressure, and heart health.

Evidence for Low-Dose Combination Therapy

Compounding lets providers customize ED treatments to match your unique needs and preferences.

For example, a 2015 study looked at men with ED taking low-dose tadalafil (5 mg) with as-needed sildenafil (50 mg) versus tadalafil alone. The combo group — especially those with severe ED — saw greater improvements in erectile function, without more side effects.

Researchers concluded that combining these medications may offer extra benefits for men with more severe ED, as long as it’s done under medical supervision.

While more research is needed, these results suggest that personalized combination therapy could help some men who don’t fully respond to standard options.

Chewable ED Hard Mints

Hims chewable Hard Mints are a great example of a compounded ED medication. These personalized chewable tablets contain ingredients to treat erectile dysfunction.

The mints are available in five variations, depending on your needs, as determined by your prescribing medical provider:

• Vardenafil (in two different dosages). This fast-acting option has similar active ingredients to Levitra^® and Staxyn ^®.

• Tadalafil (in three different dosages). This long-lasting formulation is available as either a daily or as-needed chewable.

Can you take Viagra and Cialis together? In some cases, combining them at lower doses may offer better results, but never do this as a self-experiment. Always consult a healthcare professional before mixing ED medications.

Here’s what to remember:

• Don’t combine full doses of Viagra and Cialis. This increases the risk of side effects, including serious ones like a dangerous drop in blood pressure.

• Low-dose combos might be helpful if you don’t respond to standard PDE5 inhibitor doses. But it’s not safe to mix these meds on your own. A healthcare provider can determine if combining Viagra and Cialis is safe for you.

A healthcare provider can help figure out what’s causing your ED symptoms and find the safest, most effective treatment options for your needs.

Ready to find the right ED solution for you? Talk to a provider today.

Your provider can also help you navigate the complex world of ED causes, which include triggers of psychological ED, like anxiety, depression, and sexual performance anxiety.