The majority of us have heard of the little blue pill named Viagra - but how many of us actually know how it works? This guide will take you through everything you need to know about using Viagra - an ideal starting point for those who are looking to purchase or use it.

What Is Viagra?

Viagra is a pill used to treat erectile dysfunction - also known as impotence. Viagra helps the muscles in your blood vessels to relax, increasing blood flow to the penis. It is this increased blood flow which then allows you to get, and maintain, an erection during sexual intercourse.

How Effective Is Viagra?

Viagra has a pretty high success rate, treating around 70% of erectile dysfunction cases. There are, however, some factors which may lower its effectiveness.

If you eat a large meal or consume high amounts of alcohol before taking Viagra, it may not be as effective as you hope.

In the unlikely event that Viagra has failed to work over 5 times, get in touch with your GP or seek an alternative treatment (which we will discuss later in this guide!).

How To Take Viagra

Viagra doesn’t have a ‘course’, meaning it only needs to be taken when needed.

Usually, it is recommended to take Viagra around 30 minutes before any form of sexual activity. If 30 minutes isn’t ideal, then you’re in luck, as it can remain effective for up to 4 hours.

You’ll be able to get an erection once you’ve taken Viagra - but only after sexual stimulation. There’s a common misconception that you’ll get an erection purely from the pill, but this is not the case.

How Long Does Viagra Take To Work?

It takes Viagra anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour to work.

What To Avoid When Taking Viagra

As mentioned earlier, eating or drinking too much before taking Viagra may decrease its effectiveness. Fatty foods, in particular, should be avoided in the lead up to taking Viagra.

It has also been found that grapefruit may interact with Viagra, bringing on some unappealing side effects. Even grapefruit juice should be avoided in this instance.

Side Effects of Viagra

In the majority of cases, Viagra doesn’t cause any side effects. However, like most medications, it has been known to trigger a few problems. Common side effects of Viagra include:

• Dizziness
• Nausea
• An upset stomach
• Muscle pain
• Flushing

While these are known as ‘common’ side effects, they’re still not pleasant. If any of these side effects persist, then it’s wise to stop taking Viagra and to seek an alternative treatment.

If the common side effects were bad enough, take a look at these more severe side effects (which require a trip to the doctors right away):

• An irregular heartbeat
• Swelling in your hands or feet
• Shortness of breath
• Feeling incredibly faint
• Hearing loss

Where Can You Buy Viagra?

It is possible to buy Viagra over the counter, but many men feel more comfortable purchasing it discreetly. This can be done safely through us here at Express Pharmacy, where you can buy Viagra at the click of a button and get it sent straight to your door in unbranded packaging.

Alternative Treatments To Viagra

Some men wish to seek alternative treatments to Viagra, whether it be due to ineffectiveness, the cost, or other personal reasons. Either way, there are many alternatives to Viagra - from therapy to different pills. You can view all of our ED treatments for more information.

Erectile dysfunction affects many men each year, yet many cases are going untreated due to the feeling of shame or embarrassment. But while some men don’t wish to speak up about their impotence, the sooner it is treated, the sooner it won’t cause strain on sexual performance or confidence.

It is believed that around 5% of men over 40 have a long-term struggle with erectile dysfunction. Understanding the causes of erectile dysfunction can help to manage it and win back control.

What Is Erectile Dysfunction?

Erectile dysfunction, also known as impotence, is a condition which stops men from achieving or maintaining an erection. It is not to be confused with premature ejaculation, which occurs when a man ejaculates after minimal stimulation.

4 Common Causes of Erectile Dysfunction

So - how do you know if you have erectile dysfunction? While some men may experience the occasional symptom due to factors like stress and tiredness, the following causes are the most common amongst those who suffer long-term.

1. Problems With Blood Pressure

When it comes to long-term erectile dysfunction, the most common causes tend to be related to blood pressure and blood circulation.

When a man usually gets ‘hard’, the penis allows more blood to flow, which is then trapped within the corpora cavernosa. This causes the penis to remain erect.

If a man has problems with blood pressure or circulation, however, the penis may struggle to maintain this pressure. Common conditions include high blood pressure, heart disease and high cholesterol.

2. Medication

There are many medications which can affect blood flow, once again resulting in erectile dysfunction. This includes:

• Central nervous system depressants (Xanax, Diazepam, Codeine)
• Cancer chemotherapy medications
• Beta-blockers
• SSRIs (Prozac, Paxil)

The above medications are just a handful which can cause erectile dysfunction. Speak to your doctor if you would like to know more. Never stop taking a course of medication without consulting your doctor first.

3. Mental Disorders

As mentioned earlier, problems with stress and tiredness can cause occasional erectile dysfunction symptoms. There are more complex emotional disorders, however, that may result in a long-term condition.

Near enough any mental disorder which relates to some form of performance anxiety has the ability to cause erectile dysfunction. If this is the case, therapy is deemed as an effective treatment.

Problems with anxiety and depression have been known to cause erectile dysfunction, due to fatigue and an overwhelming feeling of sadness. It is important to put your mental health first in this situation and speak to a specialist about coping with these feelings.

4. Neurological Disorders

Neurological and nerve disorders may also cause erectile dysfunction. This is usually due to the fact that the brain struggles to communicate with the rest of the body. Common neurological disorders that can cause erectile dysfunction include:

• Parkinson’s disease
• Brain tumours
• Spinal tumours
• Alzheimer’s

Once again, it’s important to speak to your doctor for guidance regarding these serious conditions and their link to erectile dysfunction.

Treating Erectile Dysfunction

You can buy ED treatment right here at Express Pharmacy. From Sildenafil to Viagra, Spedra to Cialis, we have many different types of treatment available depending on your requirements.

If you believe you are struggling with long-term erectile dysfunction due to any of the causes mentioned in this guide, please speak to your GP for further guidance or get in touch with us on 0208 123 0703.

Erectile dysfunction is a common condition affecting around half of the male population in the UK. It is characterised by a difficulty in achieving an erection that’s firm enough for sexual intercourse.

Those who are over 70 years old are more likely to experience erectile dysfunction due to physical (e.g. age, health, obesity, etc.), mental (e.g. depression, anxiety, etc.), and social (e.g. relationship issues) factors. Erectile dysfunction treatments include sexual therapy, aphrodisiacs, and prescription treatments like Viagra.

What is Viagra?

Viagra is an erectile dysfunction treatment developed in the UK and sold by Pfizer. Viagra contains sildenafil citrate, an ingredient that causes muscles surrounding blood vessels to relax. This increases blood flow to the penis so you can get an erection that’s firm enough for sexual intercourse.

Viagra requires sexual stimulation to work. It can last up to three hours and is considered completely safe by doctors.

Below are four interesting facts that you probably didn’t know about Viagra.

4 Interesting Facts about Viagra

Fact #1: Viagra Makes Flowers Erect

Believe it or not, Viagra can make flowers erect too!

Flowers have a very short shelf life once they're cut. But - selling flowers is big business. So, companies around the world look for ways to make flowers last longer.

As luck would have it, a team of Australian and Israeli researchers discovered that 1 mg of Viagra dissolved in a vase of water could extend the shelf life of flowers by up to two weeks. How? Viagra inhibits the breakdown of cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) that causes flowers to wither.

Fact 2: 80% of the Viagra You See Online is NOT Real

Not just Viagra but erectile dysfunction pills, in general, are considered to be one of the most counterfeited drugs in the world. This is a serious issue because it’s impossible to know what’s inside a fake Viagra pill and what side effects it could cause.

If they all look the same, how can I tell which is fake and which is isn’t?

• Tablet shape – real Viagra has a distinct diamond shape. The edges should be smooth. Counterfeit Viagra usually has jagged or indented edges.
• Colour consistency – the colour of real Viagra is uniform. Fake erectile dysfunction pills have colour variations in the same tablet or within tablets from the same packet. For example, the colour on one side may not be exactly the same as the other side.
• The number of tablets in a pack – legitimate Viagra comes in packs of 4 or singles. If the one you bought has more than four tablets in a pack, it's most likely fake.
• The “f” in Pfizer – the letter “f” in Pfizer is very hard to replicate. Look at the letter “f” in Pfizer when checking out the Viagra tablet. If real, you’ll notice that the “f” doesn’t thin out until the top.

Remember that you don’t need a prescription to buy Viagra in the UK (another interesting fact). You can buy Viagra online through Express Pharmacy and have a discreet package delivered to your door quickly.

Fact #3: Buying Viagra Can Help Save Endangered Species

Countless numbers of wild animals (tigers, seals, reindeers, rhinoceros, etc.) have been killed for their organs, meat, or genitals which are believed to cure erectile dysfunction - despite no scientific evidence. You have traditional Chinese medicine to thank for that!

Since Viagra entered the market, the demand for tiger bones, seal penises, rhino horn, and reindeer antlers have dropped significantly - even among the Chinese. And that’s great news!

Fact #4: Viagra Can Cure Jetlag

Seriously, it can, and it did - at least for a hamster who probably took a trans-Atlantic flight. In 2007, a group of Argentinian researchers discovered that Viagra could reset a hamster's circadian (sleep-wake cycle) faster than any other means. Pretty cool, huh?

Unfortunately, we don't know for sure if Viagra will have the same effect on humans. After all, we are not hamsters, are we?

And just so you know, the hamsters did not board an aeroplane. The jet lag effect was simulated by changing how much light the hamsters were exposed to during the experiment.

Bonus Fact: The CIA Used Viagra Against the Taliban

Like what the great Sun Tzu said, “if you want to win a war, know your enemy.” And it appears that the CIA took the philosopher’s advice to another level.

During the war in Afghanistan, information was valuable. But the usual bribe of money or weapons was too obvious. So, CIA operatives got creative and offered Viagra to local informants.

And it worked!

Most tribal chiefs, who were already too old to have some “fun”, had younger wives. Lots of them! So, a packet of four Viagra pills did wonders - not just on a bed in a distant Afghan village but also to the military who learnt about valuable Taliban movements, bases, and supply routes from this simple gesture.

Order Viagra Online Through Express Pharmacy

Whether you are a hamster, florist, conservationist, or the CIA, you can buy Viagra online through Express Pharmacy. Take confidence in using the world’s best treatment for erectile dysfunction.

While sex doesn’t need to go on for great lengths to be enjoyable, it is completely normal to seek ways to make the pleasure last longer.

Sex is much more than just an orgasm – it’s about connecting with your partner, too. Research has shown that around 45% of men ejaculate within two minutes, and for most heterosexual couples, the average duration of sexual intercourse is 5.4 minutes (without including time for foreplay).

Researchers have determined through numerous studies that for many couples, a desirable sex session would ideally last anywhere from 7 to 13 minutes. So, if you’re craving more intimacy and more of a connection with your partner, there are certain ways you can boost your sex life and extend the length of time you can have sex for.

How To Make Sex Last Longer

It’s a well-known fact that men can reach orgasm more easily and more quickly than women. But the fact that premature ejaculation is one of the most common sexual disorders in men under the age of 40, as well as everyday stresses compromising focus and confidence, couples often find that sex doesn’t last as long as they’d like. Here are some tips on how to make sex last longer:

1. Don't put pressure on yourself

The first thing to remember when trying to make sex last longer is that there’s no pressure. The rom-coms tell us that women are supposed to want hour-long sex sessions, but this tends to be an unrealistic portrayal; sex doesn’t have to feel like a marathon.

Each couple is different and the length of time you’re both happy with may not be the same as it would be for someone else. What each individual wants in bed is very personal and contextualised based on the relationship you have with each other. It’s a good idea to have a conversation with your partner to talk through what it is that each of you wants, including the desired duration. This can take the pressure off trying to reach an unrealistic goal.

2. Practise mindfulness

Mindfulness has been in the media a lot over the last few years, and with good reason.

Mindfulness is about paying attention to the present moment and training your mind to focus on one task at a time. While it’s usually associated with mental health, it’s actually great to remember when improving intimacy.

Mindfulness is great for reducing stress and anxiety, and that in turn can also be beneficial to your sex life, too. Sex and relationship therapists say that practising mindful sex can improve your physical and emotional health by allowing you to fully focus on your bodily sensations which leads to a more rewarding sexual experience.

You don’t just have to practise mindfulness in the bedroom, either. Through being mindful in everyday situations, you’ll naturally become a pro in all other aspects of life. There are numerous apps and guides for meditation that can help you relax and unwind, or you could try mindful eating where you focus on the taste and texture of different foods while avoiding distractions.

The slowed breathing and calmer outlook acquired through mindfulness will help to reduce stress which can also help to slow ejaculation down and provide you with the skills to maintain control and focus on your partner.

3. Try Viagra pills

If you find that different positions and mindfulness don’t improve your sex life to the extent you’d like, you may want to consider exploring prescription pills to prolong ejaculation. You can speak to your GP or buy Viagra online through Express Pharmacy to help make sex last longer.

Viagra was the first medication created to treat erectile dysfunction and it provides men suffering from impotence the ability to maintain an erection for longer. Viagra pills improve your ability to achieve and retain an erection, working for men of any age.

How Does Viagra Work?

Viagra works by widening the blood vessels in the body, allowing for more blood to flow to the penis during sexual stimulation. It contains the active ingredient Sildenafil which is a PDE-5 inhibitor. This stops a specific enzyme from working in the body which is responsible for keeping the blood vessels in the penis constricted. This enables the individual to achieve a harder erection which can be maintained for longer periods of time.

How To Take Viagra

Viagra should be taken around an hour before you plan on having sex. It should be taken orally in tablet form and can be effective for up to four hours after ingesting. This medication can be effective in as little as 30 minutes before intercourse but the speed at which Viagra works depends on several factors. Taking the tablet alongside a heavy or high-fat meal can slow down how quickly the body absorbs the Sildenafil and can delay its efficiency.

The recommended dose of Viagra is one 50mg tablet taken one hour before sexual activity. If you experience side effects from this dosage, you can lower the dose to 25mg on the next occasion or increase the dose to 100mg if 50mg proves to be too weak.

You shouldn’t take Viagra more than once a day as this will impact its effectiveness and could increase the chance of you experiencing negative side effects, such as headaches, dizziness or upset stomach.

Struggling To Perform? Get In Touch Today

Sex is meant to be enjoyed and what makes for the perfect sexual experience varies from couple to couple. But if you’re finding that you’re struggling to perform and want to explore ways to improve your sex life for you and your partner, get in touch with us on 0208 123 0703 for advice.

At some point in their lives, most men will experience some form of erectile dysfunction (ED). Chronic ED impacts around one in 20 men under 40 years old, and 15% of men at 70. Meanwhile, mild to moderate ED can impact as many as 10% of men per decade of life (i.e. 40% of men aged 40, 50% of men aged 50 etc, 60% of men aged 60.)[1]

Smoking is another key health concern in the UK. As many as 14.4% of UK adults are currently classified as smokers.[2] This is significant, as smoking plays a part in many of the most serious medical conditions, including cancer, heart disease, lung disease, osteoporosis, stroke and infertility.[3]

But is there a link between ED and smoking? Could smoking actually be at the root of your ED concerns?

What is erectile dysfunction?

Most men occasionally fail to achieve or maintain an erection during sexual activity, and this usually caused by stress, anxiety, tiredness or drinking too much. In these instances, this is generally nothing to worry about. However, if it happens frequently, it can be a sign of a wider case of ED.[4] Chronic ED can occur as a result of numerous factors, both physical and emotional, such as depression.[5]

The relationship between smoking and erectile dysfunction

Until around 20 years ago, ED was thought to be primarily caused by psychological factors. However, we now know that there are many physical factors at play too, including injury, hormonal conditions, anatomical conditions and surgery, to name a few.[6] One of the most prevalent physical causes of erectile dysfunction is a narrowing of the blood vessels going to the penis.[7]

This is where smoking comes in. Smoking can damage the lining of the blood vessels over time, preventing them from working at their maximum capacity.[8] This means that smoking can potentially have a direct impact on your likelihood of experiencing ED.

Research shows there likely is a connection

There has been a great deal of research into the connection between ED and smoking, and the results revealing that there is a link between the two factors.

One 2008 study published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine found strong parallels between smoking and ED — concluding that long-term smoking can detrimentally impact blood flow and blood vessels to the point where ED becomes more likely to occur.[9]

Furthermore, a study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology found that ED was more likely to occur in men who smoked compared to those who never did.[10] Meanwhile another study, carried out in 2004, found the severity of ED corresponded significantly with the level of exposure to smoking.[11]

So what does this research tell us? It suggests that, if you’re a smoker suffering from ED, quitting smoking could reduce your symptoms. Thankfully, there is tried and tested medication which can help you achieve this.

Whether you’re looking for smoking cessation medication like Champix or erectile dysfunction treatment, Express Pharmacy has a range of safe and effective options available. Get in touch with our pharmacists today and get the support you need. Simply call 0208 123 07 03 or use our discreet online Live Chat service.

[1] UW Health. Erectile Dysfunction (ED). School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin, Madison. 2019

[2] NHS UK. Statistics on Smoking, England. 2019

[3] Smokefree by NHS. How smoking affects your body. 2018

[4] NHS UK. Erectile dysfunction (importence). 2017

[5] National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Symptoms & Causes of Erectile Dysfunction. 2017

[6] Sexual Advice Association. Erectile Dysfunction. 2016

[7] NHS Inform. Erectile dysfunction (impotence). 2020

[8] National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. Smoking and Your Heart.2018

[9] Tostes, RC, PhD. et al. Cigarette Smoking and Erectile Dysfunction: Focus on NO Bioavailability and ROS Generation. The Journal of Sexual Medicine. 2008

[10] Gades, NM. et al. Association between Smoking and Erectile Dysfunction: A Population-based Study, American Journal of Epidemiology. 2005

[11] Pourmand, G. et al. Do cigarette smokers with erectile dysfunction benefit from stopping?: a prospective study. BJU International. 2004