Introducing Viagra and Sildenafil
Pfizer’s Viagra goes under many different names. Vitamin V. The Little Blue Pill. Sildenafil, the active chemical ingredient, actually does the heavy lifting. Whatever you call it, you may well be interested in the powers it wields. And that’s where we at Manual can help.
The drug – and its cousins, Cialis (brand-name: Tadalafil) and Levitra (Vardenafil) – has been known to do a lot of great things for men. It can boost their self-confidence. It can improve their sexual satisfaction. And it can reduce the difficult symptoms of performance anxiety.
But it is designed for one thing specifically. That’s treating erectile dysfunction, the condition in which men struggle to achieve or sustain an erection long enough to have sex.
However, there is a common question that many men have about the drug: does Viagra keep you hard after ejaculation? The honest answer is no – you shouldn’t bet on it. However, studies do show that Sildenafil reduces the time between orgasm and your next erection.
Let’s find out a little more.
What does Viagra do?
Viagra is a licensed and effective treatment for erectile dysfunction, or ED. To give it its technical name, it is a PDE5 inhibitor, meaning that it targets the enzyme responsible for smooth muscle contraction of the blood vessels in the penis. By inhibiting this enzyme, the Sildenafil that Viagra contains improves blood flow to where you want it – and thereby boosts the chances that you will achieve and sustain an erection.
That, fundamentally, is Sildenafil’s job. And it’s a job the drug is pretty good at. According to major studies, Viagra works to enable as much as 80% of men who use it to achieve an erection long enough for sex.
Importantly, Viagra is effective for about 4 hours (at least) after you have taken it. The vast majority of men find this more than enough to have the satisfying sex that they want with their partner.
However, there is a common misunderstanding of Sildenafil. It will not give you an erection for 4 hours solid. You will need sexual stimulation for that. And your blood vessels will relax (and your erection will disappear) if you are not sexually aroused – or if you have just ejaculated.
Does Viagra Keep You Hard after Ejaculation?
All of this brings us round to the central question we are concerned with here: does Sildenafil help you stay hard after ejaculating?
The answer, strictly speaking, is no. Viagra’s job is to support you to achieve an erection – not to force an erection even when you are not sexually aroused. (This we call priapism, and it is one of the nastier side effects of Viagra.) As a result, as your penis will naturally stop being hard after orgasm without Viagra, the same is true when using the ED medication.
The opposite is also true, however. It is possible that you can stay hard after orgasm – and that applies both with and without Viagra.
Viagra and the Refractory Period
Something that is important to know, though, is the effect of Viagra on the so-called refractory period (or refractory time). That’s the amount of time it takes for men to become hard again after ejaculation.
While lots of different things affect this time – from stress to antidepressants to physical activity and health – studies suggest that Viagra generally shortens it. That means that you can go from orgasm to another erection more quickly than before. In fact, the study found that you can achieve an erection 4 or 5 times quicker after ejaculation when on Sildenafil.
Another study showed similar results, reducing the refractory period in younger men to a third of their normal time. However, not all studies agree. A 2005 study, for example, did not find any effect of Sildenafil on the refractory period.
Viagra and Premature Ejaculation?
The results of these studies encouraged scientists to consider the possible use of Viagra for the treatment of premature ejaculation (PE) – the sexual dysfunction in which men ejaculate more quickly than the average during sexual activity.
PE is a condition that can be accompanied by significant distress – for both the man and their partner. And, so the thought process goes, if you can reduce the length of the refractory period with Viagra, maybe you could reduce some of the psychological impacts of PE too.
However, this has not yet been backed up by hard scientific evidence. One study found, for example, that the time before ejaculation did improve – but not to a degree that was statistically significant. Another study, meanwhile, found that it was a preferred treatment option for PE among patients – but the effectiveness was not necessarily higher than other treatments.
As a result, we can’t say that Viagra will help you to last longer in bed by effectively treating premature ejaculation. However, it may well give you greater confidence – and help you to enjoy your sexual experiences that little bit more.
Key Takeaways…
Viagra (and generic unbranded Sildenafil) is designed for the treatment of erectile dysfunction – and it is licensed specifically for this role. No scientific study or medical advice has yet confirmed its ability to treat premature ejaculation effectively.
And does Viagra keep you hard after ejaculation? The answer remains no. However, it can improve your confidence and enjoyment of sexual intercourse – and these can help to improve your perception of your sexual performance.
FAQs
What is Viagra?
Viagra is a branded drug used to treat erectile dysfunction. It uses the active ingredient Sildenafil, which (now that Pfizer’s patents on Viagra have lapsed) is available in generic, non-branded Sildenafil medications for a much cheaper price than Viagra.
How does Viagra work?
Viagra, Sildenafil, and other alternatives work by inhibiting enzyme PDE5, thus increasing blood flow to the penis, and decreasing the ability of that blood to quickly leave the penis. In other words, it helps send blood to where it’s needed for you to get and maintain an erection. It is perfectly safe to use, provided you suffer from erectile dysfunction.
Does Viagra keep you hard after ejaculation?
Strictly speaking, no, Viagra does not keep you hard after ejaculation. Nevertheless, studies suggest that it could reduce your refractory period, and it will work for 4-6 hours, meaning that once your refractory period’s over, you should have no trouble getting another erection.
Are there good alternatives to Viagra?
There are lots of good, effective, safe and affordable alternatives to Viagra. The most common alternative is unbranded, generic Sildenafil (which is simply the active ingredient in Viagra). Other alternatives include Tadalafil and Vardenafil.
What is the refractory period?
The refractory period is the period after ejaculation when your erect penis goes soft, or flaccid, before your body is able to provide you with another erection. It is a perfectly normal, natural part of male sex and masturbation.
¹Stanley E Althof, Michael P O’leary, Joseph C Cappelleri, Kyle Hvidsten, Vera J Stecher, Sidney Glina, Rosie King, Richard L Siegel, International SEAR Study Group (2006). Sildenafil citrate improves self-esteem, confidence, and relationships in men with erectile dysfunction: Results from an international, multi-center, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16681478/
²Chris G McMahon, Bronwyn G A Stuckey, Morten Andersen, Kenneth Purvis, Nandan Koppiker, Scott Haughie, Mitra Boolell (2005). Efficacy of sildenafil citrate (Viagra) in men with premature ejaculation: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16422868/
³Stanley E Althof, Michael M Berner, Irwin Goldstein, Hubert I M Claes, Joseph C Cappelleri, Andrew G Bushmakin, Tara Symonds, Gabriel Schnetzler (2010). Interrelationship of sildenafil treatment effects on the physiological and psychosocial aspects of erectile dysfunction of mixed or organic etiology: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20626608/
⁴Andrew R McCullough (2002). Four-Year Review of Sildenafil Citrate: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1476025/
⁵Antonio Aversa, Fernando Mazzilli, Tiziana Rossi, Michele Delfino, Andrea M. Isidori, Andrea Fabbri (2000). Effects of sildenafil (Viagra™) administration on seminal parameters and post-ejaculatory refractory time in normal males* – https://academic.oup.com/humrep/article/15/1/131/702038
⁶N Mondaini, R Ponchietti, G H Muir, F Montorsi, F Di Loro, G Lombardi & M Rizzo (2003). Sildenafil does not improve sexual function in men without erectile dysfunction but does reduce the postorgasmic refractory time – https://www.nature.com/articles/3901005
⁷Oğuz Ekmekçioğlu, Mehmet Inci, Deniz Demirci, Atila Tatlişen (2005). Effects of sildenafil citrate on ejaculation latency, detumescence time, and refractory period: placebo-controlled, double-blind, crossover laboratory setting study – https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15708051/
⁸Chris G. McMahon, MB, BS, FACSHP,* Bronwyn G. A. Stuckey, BA, MBBS, FRACP, Morten Andersen, MD, Kenneth Purvis, MD, PhD, Nandan Koppiker, MD, FRCP, Scott Haughie, MSc, and Mitra Boolell, MD. (2005). Efficacy of Sildenafil Citrate (Viagra) in Men with Premature Ejaculation – https://www.jsm.jsexmed.org/article/S1743-6095(15)31180-2/abstract
⁹Wei-Fu Wang, Yang Wang, Suks Minhas, David J Ralph (2007). Can sildenafil treat primary premature ejaculation? A prospective clinical study: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17470165/
While we've ensured that everything you read on the Health Centre is medically reviewed and approved, information presented here is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. It should never be relied upon for specific medical advice. If you have any questions or concerns, please talk to your doctor.
