Levitra vs Cialis: What’s the Difference and How Do They Work?

If you ask ten men which ED tablet they take, you’ll most likely get mention of both drugs. Levitra (vardenafil) and Cialis (tadalafil) are prescribed medications known as PDE5 inhibitors, and both of them help increase blood flow to the penis when sexual stimulation is occurring. They have the same function, then; the only difference is in the way they work.

Cialis can support erectile function for up to 36 hours after administration of a dose, whereas Levitra’s effects disappear within a few hours; for many patients, this difference in duration is what determines the final decision.

It does not follow that a longer course is better, since your health, any other medications you are taking, your medical history, and your own preferences regarding treatment all have to be taken into account and might in fact go either way.

What are Levitra and Cialis?

Both drugs are prescribed in instances of erectile dysfunction (ED), which is a condition in which a man has trouble getting or keeping an erection firm enough for sexual activity. It is far more common than most people believe and in many cases it responds well to treatment.

So the condition is the same. The active ingredients are not.

What Is Levitra?

Inside each Levitra tablet is vardenafil, a member of the phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitor group. Its role is fairly simple. It relaxes the blood vessels so that, during sexual stimulation, more blood can reach the penis.

It won’t cause an erection out of nowhere, and it does not affect sex drive. Without sexual stimulation, nothing much happens.

For more information about the available product, see Levitra 20mg in the UAE.

What Is Cialis?

Cialis contains tadalafil, also a PDE5 inhibitor. It backs up the body’s own erection process by helping keep blood flowing to the penis during sexual stimulation.

Most people know Cialis because it lasts so long. Fewer realise that tadalafil can also be prescribed as a daily treatment for certain patients, rather than only as a tablet taken before sex.

You can learn more about the listed product on our Cialis 20mg product page.

Levitra vs Cialis: Main Differences at a Glance

The table below puts the main differences side by side.

These pharmacological comparisons are only general in nature and should not be taken as a personal dosing recommendation; the actual results in real-life situations will vary from person to person and depending on the specific product formulation that is prescribed.

How do Levitra and Cialis work?

The two drugs are chemically very similar since both are members of the PDE5 inhibitor group and have an effect on the same biological process; the differences between them lie in their pharmacological properties, mainly in the speed of absorption and in how long each one remains in the body.

How Does Levitra Work?

Arousal begins the process, with your body releasing nitric oxide into the penile tissue; this causes the level of a chemical messenger known as cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) to rise. The more cGMP accumulates, the more the smooth muscle relaxes and blood begins to flow in.

Usually, the enzyme known as phosphodiesterase type 5 removes cGMP rather quickly. Vardenafil interferes with this enzyme. As a result of cGMP remaining for a longer time, the process of achieving an erection receives additional support, but only when sexual stimulation is occurring.

How Does Cialis Work?

Tadalafil has an effect on the same PDE5 enzyme; it slows down the breakdown of cGMP and thus aids in maintaining the blood flow response that underlies an erection.

What makes it different is that it has a considerably longer half-life; tadalafil remains in the body longer than vardenafil does, which is the reason why its effect lasts for so long.

A long half-life doesn’t mean a continuous erection, by the way. Sexual stimulation is still needed, and Cialis won’t increase sexual desire.

How Long Does Levitra Last Compared with Cialis?

Of all the differences in the Levitra vs Cialis debate, duration is the one patients ask about first.

Levitra Duration

Levitra’s window is shorter, usually somewhere around four to five hours. Some men find it lasts a little longer or shorter than that.

For couples who tend to plan intimacy for a particular evening, that shorter window often works perfectly well.

Cialis Duration

Cialis is a different story. One as-needed dose can improve erectile function for up to 36 hours, which is how it picked up the nickname “the weekend pill”. You don’t have to watch the clock nearly as closely.

Those 36 hours are the length of time that the medicine will help your body to respond to sexual stimulation. They say absolutely nothing about how long an erection will last.

Important: An erection that lasts for four hours or more requires urgent medical attention. Don’t wait it out.

Which Works Faster: Levitra or Cialis?

You take one of them either way prior to anticipated sexual activity. It’s how long it takes each one to reach peak that determines the difference.

Vardenafil peaks in the blood in about an hour. Tadalafil is slower, with a median time to peak of about 2 hours and absorption is variable.

Bear in mind that peak blood concentration and the time at which you first notice anything are not the same. A lot of people will respond earlier, and a lot will respond later.

If it seems to be taking a bit of time to work, don’t go and take an extra dose. Just stick to the timing as advised by your doctor.

Does food affect Levitra and Cialis?

With Levitra, a little. With Cialis, hardly at all.

Food and Levitra

Levitra can be taken with or without food. The only exception to that is a high fat meal (e.g. a rich mixed grill, a plate of fried food etc.) which will delay the absorption of vardenafil and hence it will take longer to reach peak concentration.

If you’re not sure how to time it around your meals the leaflet that comes with your prescribed formulation will be of some help and so will your pharmacist.

Food and Cialis

Cialis is a lot less fussy. You can take it with or without food and there’s no significant difference in tadalafil absorption either way.

If you’re on tadalafil, then you can largely ignore the issue of when you eat.

Levitra vs Cialis: Possible Side Effects

Side effects can happen with both, as they do with most prescription medicines. Many are mild. Some need medical attention.

Common Side Effects of Levitra

Possible side effects of vardenafil include:

• Headache
• Facial flushing
• Nasal congestion
• Indigestion
• Dizziness
• Changes in vision

Common Side Effects of Cialis

Possible side effects of tadalafil include:

• Headache
• Indigestion
• Facial flushing
• Nasal congestion
• Back pain
• Muscle aches
• Pain in the limbs

Plenty of men get none of these at all. Frequency and severity vary with the person, the dose,se and any other medicines being used.

When Should You Seek Medical Help?

Get urgent medical attention if you experience:

• An erection lasting four hours or longer
• Sudden loss or significant reduction of vision
• Sudden hearing loss
• Chest pain, fainting, or severe dizziness
• Signs of a serious allergic reaction

Any serious or unexpected reaction means no further doses. At the hospital, tell emergency medical staff which ED medicine you took and roughly when, since it affects which treatments they can safely give you.

Can You Take Levitra and Cialis Together?

In short, no. The only exception is when a specialist has specifically instructed you to.

Each one acts on the PDE5 enzyme, and each can lower blood pressure. Put them together,r and the risk of adverse effects goes up, including dizziness, fainting, ng and dangerously low blood pressure.

Switching between them, or mixing either one with another ED treatment, also deserves a conversation with a healthcare professional before you try it.

Who Should Avoid Levitra or Cialis?

Some men shouldn’t take either medicine. A healthcare professional needs to look over your medical history and current medicines before recommending one.

Special care is needed if you:

• Take nitrate medicines for chest pain, such as nitroglycerin.
• Have certain serious heart or cardiovascular conditions.
• Have very low blood pressure or uncontrolled high blood pressure.
• Have significant liver or kidney problems.
• Have experienced certain serious eye conditions.
• Take medicines that may interact with PDE5 inhibitors.
• Have previously experienced a serious reaction to either medicine.

Nitrates are the big one. Never take Levitra or Cialis with nitrate medicines, because the combination can cause a dangerous drop in blood pressure.

Certain medicines for prostate symptoms or high blood pressure can interact with ED treatments too. When you see your healthcare professional, bring a complete list of everything you use, prescription medicines, over-the-counter products,cts and supplements included.

Which Is Better: Levitra or Cialis?

It depends on who’s asking. Medical suitability, treatment goals, side-effect history, and individual response all play a part, so the answer differs from one man to the next.

Where a shorter-acting vardenafil treatment is appropriate, a healthcare professional may suggest Levitra.

Where a longer period of erectile-function support is preferred, Cialis may make more sense, and tadalafil also has a prescribed daily-use option for certain patients.

A longer duration doesn’t automatically make a medicine better. A 36-hour window is handy for some people and pointless for others. Your healthcare professional can help you decide which treatment fits your health and circumstances.

Buying Levitra or Cialis in Dubai and the UAE

Searching for Levitra or Cialis in Dubai, Sharjah, or elsewhere in the UAE? Put medicine quality and safe dispensing first. Counterfeit ED pills turn up online, sometimes with the wrong dose and sometimes with a different ingredient altogether.

Before you buy an ED medicine:

• Consult a qualified healthcare professional to confirm the medicine is suitable for you.
• Use a properly licensed pharmacy and follow the applicable prescription requirements.
• Check the active ingredient, strength, packaging, and expiry date.
• Avoid products from unverified sellers or websites making guaranteed performance claims.
• Don’t use a medicine prescribed to another person.

For product information, you can visit the Levitra Dubai product pages for Levitra 20mg and Cialis 20mg.

Availability, prescription requirements,s and dispensing conditions should always be confirmed with a licensed UAE pharmacy. A product listing on a website is not a medical consultation, and it can’t tell you whether a medicine is suitable for you.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Is Levitra stronger than Cialis?

Neither is universally stronger. Levitra contains vardenafil, Cialis contains tadalafil, and they differ in effect, duration, and suitability. Which suits you better comes down to individual medical factors.

2. Does Cialis last longer than Levitra?

Yes, by a wide margin. An as-needed dose of Cialis may support erectile function for up to 36 hours, compared with around four to five hours for Levitra. Neither one causes a continuous erection.

3. Can Levitra and Cialis be taken on the same day?

Only if a specialist has specifically instructed you to. Combining PDE5 inhibitors raises the risk of low blood pressure and other adverse effects.

4. Do Levitra and Cialis increase sexual desire?

No. They improve blood flow during sexual stimulation, and that’s all. Libido and sexual desire aren’t directly affected.

5. Is Cialis affected by food?

Hardly. Food doesn’t significantly affect tadalafil absorption, so Cialis can be taken with or without a meal.

6. Can I use Levitra or Cialis if I take heart medication?

That depends on which heart medicine. Never combine nitrates with either one. Other cardiovascular medicines need careful assessment too, so speak with your healthcare professional before using either treatment.

7. Which medicine lasts up to 36 hours?

That’s tadalafil, the active ingredient in Cialis. After an as-needed dose, it may support erectile function for up to 36 hours. An erection doesn’t continue for that whole period, of course.

Final Thoughts

If you remove the extra details, the main point of difference between Levitra and Cialis is the active ingredient and the duration of action. Levitra, which contains vardenafil, is only effective for a shorter time, whereas Cialis, containing tadalafil, provides a considerably longer period of support for erectile function.

They also have a lot in common: both act via the PDE5 pathway, require sexual stimulation in order to have any effect, and can interact with other medications. Moreover, neither of them is suitable for every individual.

What should you do? Avoid making your choice on the basis of how long the effect lasts or relying on what is claimed online. Instead, sit down with a qualified healthcare professional, go over your medical history and treatment preferences, and make the decision together. The importance of receiving safe and well-informed treatment is much greater than the length of the effect that is advertised.