After Viagra, perhaps the second most popular drug for the treatment of erectile dysfunction is Cialis. But lately, this drug has been creating a buzz in the bodybuilding world. Users are claiming that Cialis can increase the primary male hormone.
The big question now is, does Cialis increase testosterone levels?
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What Is Cialis?
Cialis is primarily marketed as a treatment for erectile dysfunction. The development of this drug was started by a Washington-based pharmacologic research company named ICOS Corporation in 1993. Cialis’ medical name is tadalafil.
Clinical trials on the efficacy of tadalafil for the treatment of erectile dysfunction began in 1995. By the year 2000, the company began marketing the drug under the trade name Cialis.
Although Cialis is mainly used for erectile dysfunction, several studies show that it may also help in building lean muscle mass. The bodybuilding community took notice of this benefit and started using Cialis as a supplement for increasing testosterone levels.
Cialis’ Mechanism of Action
Cialis, like Viagra, is a PDE5 (phosphodiesterase type 5) inhibitor. It works by enhancing the production of guanosine monophosphate, or GMP, in the body.
GMP’s primary role is to regulate multiple tissue and cellular responses through smooth muscle relaxation. This promotes vasodilation and eventual blood flow to increase.
However, the presence of PDE5 breaks down GMP in the system resulting in decreased blood flow. Cialis binds with PDE5, which inhibits its action on GMP. GMP then becomes more available.
Cialis, however, is more selective of PDE5 by 9000 times compared to the other PDE families (1). That’s why this drug is more potent even in smaller doses.
How Cialis Increases Testosterone Levels
To prove the actions of Cialis on improving testosterone levels, a study was made on 23 men with an average age of 55 years. Each of the subjects received Cialis dosages ranging from 10 to 20 mg on-demand for 12 months.
According to the results, Cialis was generally proven as well-tolerated and safe, with only around 15% experiencing adverse effects (2).
The study also showed that there was a significant reduction of estradiol, the primary female hormone. In the same study, there was no significant improvement in testosterone levels.
Although it might seem that Cialis may not be effective in increasing testosterone levels, its action on reducing estradiol should not be discounted.
In fact, according to another study, Cialis’ benefit on improving testosterone: estradiol ratio proves it can improve lean mass (3). This makes Cialis more beneficial to building lean muscles than Viagra.
There are reasons why Cialis is better than Viagra. Here are some of them:
- Cialis doesn’t have to be taken on an empty stomach
- It might have a delayed effect, but because of this, the benefits last longer.
- Cialis is generally cheaper than Viagra due to the lower recommended dosage.
Recommended Dosage of Cialis
As previously discussed, Cialis is more potent compared to Viagra, milligram-for-milligram.
While Viagra is taken at 50 mg doses, it only takes 10 mg of Cialis to be just as effective, or even more. The recommended maintenance is also significantly lower at 5 to 20 mg daily based on the patient’s efficacy and tolerability
This lower dosage, both on initial administration and maintenance, is also partly due to Cialis’ bioavailability post-first-pass metabolism of 80% and a lower absorption rate (4).
The effects of the drug begin to show up as early as 15 minutes but may not peak until after around 2 hours. Cialis also remains in the system for up to 36 hours. Viagra only remains in the system for 8 hours.
Side Effects of Cialis
The side effects of Cialis are pretty much similar to those of Viagra (5). These include:
- Headache varying from mild to moderate
- Upset stomach, although Cialis can be taken with an empty stomach
- Back pain
- Muscle pain
- Flushing, is perhaps the most common side effect of PDE5 inhibitors, butt in
- Stuffy or runny nose
- Dizziness, though very rare, should be taken seriously. The patient should consult with a doctor when experiencing severe nausea
There have been sporadic cases wherein Cialis caused a sudden decrease in vision and even blindness in one eye or both.
This medical issue seems to happen mostly to people who have pre-existing conditions such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, high blood pressure, other eye problems, high cholesterol levels, or men aged 50 years and older. When this happens, the immediate attention of a doctor is required.
Conclusion
Medical studies show that Cialis can improve the testosterone and estradiol ratio. This action of the drug makes it an effective treatment for erectile dysfunction and also a probable supplement for bodybuilding.
Like any other supplement, precautions should be taken when using Cialis. It’s always wise to stick to the recommended dosage and consult the doctor first.
So, does Cialis increase testosterone levels? As far as improving the testosterone: estradiol ratio is concerned, yes, it does.
