Does Viagra or Cialis Help With Premature Ejaculation?
The development of some drugs like Viagra and Cialis revolutionized the treatment of erectile dysfunction in the late 90s. Since then, pharmaceuticals are looking for an equivalent to treat premature ejaculation. Some antidepressants like SSRIs are effective for premature ejaculation. Also, pharma companies developed a specific drug to treat premature ejaculation called Dapoxetine. However, while SSRIs aren’t approved yet for the treatment of PE, Dapoxetine is still not available in every country. Therefore, researchers are still investigating other drugs options. Among the candidates, there are some ED drugs. The question whether Viagra or Cialis help with premature ejaculation is still relevant.
Phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors (or PDE5-Is) is a drug family used to treat erectile dysfunction. Viagra and Cialis are part of this family. During the recent years, a couple of studies examined the effect of erectile dysfunction drugs on premature ejaculation. Based on a review of all those studies1, it seems that PDE5-Is significantly increase the ejaculation time when compared to placebo. Viagra and Cialis could indeed help with premature ejaculation. However, not all studies show the same effect2. Moreover, Viagra or Cialis is less effective than SSRIs1. So, in most cases, SSRIs show greater promises as a drug treatment for premature ejaculation.
SSRIs + PDE5-Is
Certain studies examined the combined treatment of SSRI with ED drugs (such as Viagra and Cialis). Those studies proved that combined treatment is more effective than SSRIs alone3. Although SSRIs are more effective than PDE5-Is, it’s interesting to note that Viagra or Cialis improved its efficacy.
Viagra and Cialis for the Treatment of Premature Ejaculation
Still, since the research on SSRI antidepressant effect on PE is more developed than PDE5-Is research, SSRI is the drug treatment recommend for Premature Ejaculation by the ISSM4. However, in certain specific cases, Viagra or Cialis could be interesting as a treatment option. For example, Viagra and Cialis could be a suitable for a man who suffers from both PE and ED.
That being said, only your doctor knows what’s best for you. Since all drugs treatment for premature ejaculation demands a prescription, you need a physician’s recommendation for the right treatment. If you are considering the drug avenue, you have to talk to your doctor first.
Sources:
- Martyn-St James M, Cooper K, Ren S, Kaltenthaler E, Dickinson K, Cantrell A, Wylie K, Frodsham L, Hood C. (2017) Phosphodiesterase Type 5 Inhibitors for Premature Ejaculation: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Eur Urol Focus. 2017 Feb;3(1):119-129. doi: 10.1016/j.euf.2016.02.001
- McMahon CG, Stuckey BG, Andersen M et al (2005) Efficacy of sildenafil citrate (Viagra) in men with premature ejaculation. J Sex Med 2(3):368–375
- Salonia A, Maga T, Colombo R et al (2002) A prospective study comparing paroxetine alone versus paroxetine plus sildenafil in patients with premature ejaculation. J Urol 168(6): 2486–2489 29. Mattos RM, Lucon AM, Srougi M (2008) Tadalafil and fluoxetine in premature ejaculation: prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Urol Int 80(2):162–165 30. Hosseini MM, Yarmohammadi H (2007) Effect of fluoxetine alone and in combination with sildenafil in patients with premature ejaculation. Urol Int 79(1):28–32
- Althof SE, Abdo CHN, Dean J, Hackett G, McCabe M, McMahon CG, Rosen RC, Sadovsky R, Waldinger MD, Becher E, Broderick GA, Buvat J, Goldstein I, El-Meliegy AI, Giuliano F, Hellstrom WJG, Incrocci L, Jannini E, Park K, Parish S, Porst H, Rowland D, Segraves R, Sharlip I, Simonelli C, Tan HM (2010) International society for sexual medicine’s guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of premature ejaculation. J Sex Med. 7:2947–2969
