Levitra vs Cialis: Which Is Better?

Different erectile dysfunction medications are available for purchase. 

Some of the top brands include Levitra (vardenafil) and Cialis (tadalafil). 

But how do these pills stack up against one another? 

Here, you can find a detailed review of the differences between Levitra vs Cialis. Including their shared benefits, efficiency, and side effect profile.

What is Levitra (Vardenafil)? 

Vardenafil is a selective PDE-5 inhibitor available under the brand name Levitra. This erectile dysfunction medication comes in the form of a film-coated tablet. 

The available Levitra dose includes 5 mg, 10 mg, and 20 mg. It also comes in the form of 10 mg Orodispersible tablets, which dissolve in the mouth. Men take a dose 25-60 min before intercourse. 

So, how long does Levitra last? The effects can persist for not more than 5 hours. Levitra does relax the blood vessels in the penis, thus amplifying circulation and helping achieve an erection. 

What is Cialis (Tadalafil)? 

Cialis is an erectile dysfunction tablet with the active ingredient tadalafil. Cialis tablets are PDE5 inhibitors for treating ED and pulmonary hypertension. 

Tadalafil is effective for prolonging an erection in men with erectile dysfunction. It can also treat the symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). 

Tadalafil is available in tablets of 2.5 mg, 5 mg, 10 mg, and 20 mg doses under the brand name Cialis. Prescription Cialis can be a practical drug for men with impotence. 

Men take a dose 30 min to 2 hours before sex. The Cialis effects can last up to 36 hours. The product promotes blood flow to the penis, making it easier to achieve an erection. 

Levitra vs Cialis effectiveness

Both Levitra and Cialis are effective ED drugs. Cialis (tadalafil) has a longer half-life of 17.5 hours compared to other PDE5 inhibitors. According to a 2020 study, the long half-life and effects make Cialis an ideal option for daily dosing. 

Another report published a comparison between Levitra vs Cialis. Cialis appears to be the most effective agent, followed by Levitra. 

Since Cialis is a daily erectile dysfunction drug that can curb BPH symptoms, it is a preferred erectile dysfunction medicine. 

Cialis or Levitra can be more effective based on your symptoms or other health conditions. Cialis is often recommended for men with ED and BPH. 

Benefits of Levitra vs Cialis 

Levitra and Cialis have many benefits and similarities. They are a hallmark of erectile dysfunction treatment. But, these generic ED meds can offer slightly different advantages. 

• Levitra works faster vs Cialis. It can take anywhere from 15 min to 30 min for the Levitra effects to kick in. While with Cialis, you would need to wait from 30 min to 2 hours for the pill to work.
• Cialis lasts longer than Levitra. This generic ED pill can work for up to 36 hours. Although that doesn’t mean continuous erection, the product can improve your ability to get an erect penis over a 36-hour period. This makes it beneficial when you don’t want to time the sexual activity.
• The best-selling point of Levitra is that it can be used as an alternative to Viagra and can work relatively quickly.
• Cialis comes in lower doses of 2.5 mg, which can be a practical starting dose for someone who has never used generic drugs for ED.
• Both Cialis and Levitra are FDA-approved products for treating ED.
• Levitra and Viagra have similar effectiveness. One benefit Levitra has over Viagra is that it has lower odds of causing a rare, visual adverse reaction of changed color perception.

What are the main differences between Levitra and Cialis?

Levitra and Cialis have some differences, which we discuss below. 

Active ingredients

The biggest difference between Levitra vs Cialis is in the active ingredient. Cialis has tadalafil, and Levitra has vardenafil. 

Dosage

Levitra pills come in a standard 5 to 20 mg dose. Cialis is available in lower 2.5 mg doses to accommodate different needs. 

With Levitra, a long-term daily dose is not recommended. You would be using Levitra only when necessary. Whereas with Cialis, a daily dose could be useful for some patients. 

Planning 

When using Levitra, you will need to plan your intercourse. Otherwise, you can’t reap the benefits. 

Cialis gives you more flexibility and convenience, considering it can work during a 36-hour period. This could make sex feel more spontaneous and natural.

Managing BPH symptoms

Although research institutions found that PDE5 inhibitors can help manage BPH symptoms, Cialis is the only one that is FDA-approved to treat it. 

BPH is a condition that leads to an enlarged prostate gland. It can cause urinary symptoms, such as trouble peeing, weak urine stream, urgent or frequent urination, etc. Tadalafil has been approved for BPH treatment for almost a decade. 

More than 50% of men, 50 years or over, and more than 80% of men over 80 have BPH or lower urinary tract symptoms. 

Based on a 2021 study, daily 5 mg tadalafil is a potentially safe and effective treatment for men with BPH and lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). 

Effectiveness for ED

In comparison studies, Cialis is preferred to sildenafil (50 mg/100 mg) by men with ED, probably because of the longer duration of action. 

Levitra, on the other hand, is mainly used for ED and to amplify sexual performance. In some cases, doctors can suggest Levitra for BPH, but this is an off-label use. 

Which is stronger, Cialis or Levitra?

Both Cialis and Levitra are good prescription drugs for getting and maintaining an erection. Cialis remains efficacious for up to 36 hours. 

How strong the erectile dysfunction pill is will vary based on the dose you take. Make sure to use the dose that your doctor recommended. 

According to a study, 70% of attempts with Tadalafil treatment resulted in an erection from 30 min to 36 hours after dosing. 

Based on the reports, 81% of men had improved overall erections with a 20 mg Tadalafil dose, compared to 35% with a placebo treatment. 

Levitra is a well-tolerated and effective erectile dysfunction tablet in men. Patients with sexual dysfunction received either 5 mg, 10 mg, or 20 mg vardenafil or a placebo over 12 weeks. 

Vardenafil offered positive results in around 71% (45 years or younger), 76% (45- to 64-year-old), and 85% (65 years or older) of men. 

In order to achieve an erection, both medications require adequate sexual stimulation. Physical and psychological arousal can lead to an erection. 

To improve your sex life, feel free to use sex toys, change your routine, and use longer foreplay.

Which drug works faster?

Levitra is a faster-acting product than Cialis. Levitra works best half an hour after taking this generic ED medication. 

But, it leaves the system in around 4 hours. If you don’t want to plan the sex, then you can use this medication shortly before intercourse. 

With Cialis, planning is essential. If you consider using Cialis, you might have to wait 1-2 hours for the full effects to start. These prescription medicines work best with longer foreplay. 

Even if you don’t start with sexual stimulation right away, Cialis will stay in the system for up to 36 hours. This means you have an open window to try and take your time and enjoy the spontaneity of sex. 

Which medication lasts longer?

The Levitra potency period ranges from 4 to 6 hours. For most men, the effect of one medication dosage lasts for 4 hours. 

This is enough time to enjoy satisfying intercourse, but it also leaves a huge window of when it can stop working. 

Cialis is different. The body needs more time to flush out the tadalafil from the system. It has a long duration of action, lasting up to 36 hours. 

So, what makes Cialis last that long? Cialis has a 17.5-hour half-life. This means that it takes 17.5 hours for 50% of the drug to leave the bloodstream. The half-life is responsible for making the product last longer.

Some men report having good erections for up to 48 hours. That’s why they are calling Cialis the “weekend pill.” 

People prefer to take it on a Friday night and still enjoy some of its benefits until Sunday morning. In 96 hours, the Cialis should be completely gone from the bloodstream. 

Which medication has fewer side effects?

Cialis and Levitra have similar adverse reactions. They both can cause a headache, indigestion, flushing, and nasal congestion. Other classic side effects include nausea and back pain. 

Most of these adverse reactions are mild and dissipate with time. But, there is a slight difference in terms of frequency. 

For example, Levitra has a 15% frequency for causing headaches, compared to 11% with Cialis. There is also a higher frequency (11%) of developing flushing with Levitra vs Cialis (3%). Light-headedness is a fairly common side effect of Levitra. But, it is relatively uncommon with Cialis. 

ED medications can also cause problems with your eyes and vision. This includes light sensitivity, decreased color vision, blurry vision, etc. 

Compared with vardenafil (Levitra) and sildenafil (Viagra), tadalafil (Cialis) is over 700 times stronger for PDE5 than PDE6. Therefore, tadalafil has less than 0.1% incidence of vision abnormalities. 

One downside of using Cialis is that men can experience pain in the arms or legs. Muscle pain is another potential side effect of Cialis. 

Levitra might not cause that side effect, making it a viable approach to avoid arm and leg discomfort. 

Like most drugs, Levitra and Cialis can cause an allergic reaction in some users. The symptoms can vary from skin rashes to flushing, itchiness, and swelling. Contact a specialist if you notice any signs of an allergic reaction.

Which medication is cheaper?

Viagra (sildenafil) is the most affordable drug for erection issues. It also has a long safety record. As a result, many doctors recommend it for the occasional user.

Cialis is expensive but lasts the longest, making it a viable choice for those who have regular intercourse. 

For a supply of 30 2.5 mg oral tablets, you can expect to spend roughly $384. One unit can cost about $12.81. For the same supply of 20 mg Cialis oral tablet, the price is about $2,205. 

Levitra is a pricy drug and worth trying if Viagra doesn’t work for you. The price of a 20 mg Levitra tablet is about $16 for 2 tablets.  For a supply of 30 tablets, 2.5 mg dose, the cost can vary from about $1,621. 

These prices are just general estimates. The cost can vary based on the seller and any discounts or coupons you might have.

Drug interactions

Because ED medicine can affect blood vessels, it can prove dangerous when you combine them with different medications or if you have specific health conditions. 

Both Cialis and Levitra have drug interactions. Talk to a specialist if you:

• Take some medications
• Have unmanaged high blood pressure
• Are at risk of stroke or heart attack
• Have too low blood pressure
• Have unstable angina

Here is a more detailed list of the possible drug interactions.

Cialis drug interactions

You should avoid taking Cialis if you use nitrates or GC stimulators. Using nitrates with Cialis can cause a sudden drop in blood pressure, which can cause fainting and lightheadedness. In a severe case of low blood pressure, men can have a heart attack or stroke.

GC stimulators can treat pulmonary arterial hypertension. If you are allergic to any of the ingredients in the Cialis, the doctor can suggest an alternative treatment. 

Taking Cialis and alpha-blockers can cause some men to have symptomatic hypotension (low blood pressure). 

Levitra drug interactions

Levitra has similar drug interactions to Cialis. This medication can interact with nitrates. It’s important to avoid taking nitrates at least 48 hours within using Cialis and 24 hours for using Levitra. 

Levitra can also interact with alpha-blockers and cause symptomatic hypotension in some men. Men on renal dialysis shouldn’t use Levitra. 

Other restrictions 

In order to get the maximum effect of Cialis and Levitra, it is important to add a couple of lifestyle changes.

• Avoid heavy meals or high-fat foods. Foods high in fat can make the medications take longer to work and reduce their effectiveness.
• Don’t consume grapefruit or grapefruit juice with Cialis or Levitra. It can increase the likelihood of adverse events.
• Don’t drink too much. Consuming an excess amount of alcohol can make it difficult to get aroused with both Cialis and Levitra. Alcohol can also force the blood pressure to plummet, which can make you lightheaded and more likely to faint.
• Refrain from smoking. Smoking can make erectile dysfunction worse and reduce the effectiveness of Levitra.

Can Levitra and Cialis be taken together?

No. You shouldn’t be using a combination of ED medicine at the same time. This can increase the risk of side effects and potentially damage the penis.

Natural alternatives to Levitra and Cialis

If you want to boost erectile function and reduce the risk of side effects, you can opt for natural alternatives. These can include:

• Acupuncture
• Ginkgo biloba
• Pomegranate
• Horny goat weed
• Yohimbe

Conclusion

If you are looking for a faster-acting product, then Levitra can be a useful choice. But, if you need an ED drug that stays longer in the system, then Cialis can be a better alternative. Both products can help you gain and maintain an erection for satisfactory penetration.

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