Can women take Viagra?

Some online sites that claim to sell Viagra are selling counterfeit drugs. These may not work like Viagra and may not be safe. To access the real thing, you’ll need a prescription. A doctor will decide on the dose and provide safety information.

How Does Cialis Work for Women?

If you have trouble with sexual desire or response, talk with a member of your healthcare team. You might want to talk to a sex therapist. Medicines, hormones, creams, lubricants, clitoral stimulation or other treatments sometimes can help. There is a problem with information submitted for this request. Review/update the information highlighted below and resubmit the form.

A note about sex and gender

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Medications & Supplements

If you are a Mayo Clinic patient, we will only use your protected health information as outlined in our Notice of Privacy Practices. You may opt out of email communications at any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link in the email. You'll soon start receiving the latest Mayo Clinic health information you requested in your inbox. American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy. Overview of sexual dysfunction in women: Management. Viagra is an ED medication that improves blood flow to the penis. Viagra is a brand name, and there’s no “Viagra for women.” There are, however, a few FDA-approved medications to treat low female sexual desire.

Product	Dosage	Quantity + Bonus	Price
Viagra Soft Tabs	100mg	180 + 10 Pills	314.95€ 299.95€	Buy
Viagra Generic	150mg	90 + 6 Pills	147.18€ 140.17€	Buy
Viagra Oral Jelly	100mg	21 Sachets	78.66€ 74.91€	Buy
Viagra Soft Tabs	100mg	30 + 4 Pills	83.06€ 79.10€	Buy
Viagra Generic	150mg	10 Pills	36.73€ 34.98€	Buy
Viagra Professional	100mg	10 Pills	44.09€ 41.99€	Buy
Viagra Oral Jelly	100mg	90 + 8 Sachets	258.02€ 245.73€	Buy
Viagra Oral Jelly	100mg	63 + 7 Sachets	190.54€ 181.47€	Buy
Viagra Generic	25mg	180 + 6 Pills	154.93€ 147.55€	Buy
Viagra Generic	25mg	60 + 4 Pills	71.99€ 68.56€	Buy
Viagra Generic	100mg	180 + 8 Pills	199.37€ 189.88€	Buy
Viagra Generic	50mg	360 + 10 Pills	225.33€ 214.60€	Buy
Viagra Generic	25mg	20 Pills	37.74€ 35.94€	Buy
Viagra Generic	100mg	30 + 4 Pills	60.91€ 58.01€	Buy
Viagra Super Active	100mg	180 + 20 Pills	280.97€ 267.59€	Buy
Viagra Professional	100mg	180 + 4 Pills	337.30€ 321.24€	Buy
Viagra Generic	150mg	180 + 10 Pills	236.46€ 225.20€	Buy

Because it’s a pink tablet and Viagra is a blue tablet, the nickname “female Viagra” was bound to happen.

How Should I Store Them?

Most information about Viagra’s safety looks at male use, not female use, particularly in the long term. More research is necessary to see if the same side effects may occur. The product label doesn’t include dosing information for FSAD because it’s not the intended use. In studies, doses for female use may vary significantly. If you do plan on taking Viagra, consider the source. But these are different drugs with different missions. Addyi is a brand name for a nonhormonal medication called flibanserin. You inject it under the skin on your abdomen or thigh about 45 minutes before you plan to have sex.

Viagra vs Cialis

It suggests that sildenafil may improve orgasm results and most Female Sexual Function Index scores. However, it had limited effects on pain during sexual activity. It was also not the most effective medication included in the review. Viagra may cause blood pressure to drop. That can be a problem if you already have low blood pressure or take medications that lower blood pressure. Both medications are approved to treat acquired, generalized sexual desire disorder in premenopausal women.

Country	Cialis Approval for Women	Viagra Approval for Women	Notes
USA	Not approved for women	Not approved for women	Used off-label in some cases
UK	Not approved for women	Not approved for women	No specific approval, experimental use
Australia	Not approved for women	Not approved for women	Research ongoing

Specifically, it’s for low sexual desire that causes distress, but is unrelated to: Addyi and Vyleesi treat sexual desire, though the exact mechanism of action isn’t clear.

Any Side Effects?

Viagra was the first drug specifically marketed towards men with erectile dysfunction. Its original use was to help to lower blood pressure, by vasodilating (opening up) blood vessels and allow blood to flow with less resistance. What the study found was that the subjects did not want to give back the Viagra, as a side effect was that erections were firmer and lasted longer. It turned out that opening up the blood vessels allowed an easier flow of blood to the penis. In 1998, after the release of the study, the drug was green-lighted for this specific cause.

Cialis vs. Viagra quick comparison

In the years since then, other drugs have been developed: Cialis, Levitra, Staxyn and Stendra. There are some subtle differences between them. Both Levitra and Viagra take effect in about 30 minutes, but Levitra lasts 5 hours, about an hour longer than Viagra. Cialis kicks in faster, after about 15 minutes, and can last up to 36 hours. Stendra can work in as little as 15 minutes and last up to 6 hours.

Off-Label Use of Cialis - Yes, Women Can Take it Too!

Staxyn is an orally disintegrating tablet, therefore has the potential for quicker use. The female libido pill, a drug called Flibanserin (Addyi), works in an entirely different way than Viagra does for men. It was developed as a treatment for hypoactive sexual desire disorder in premenopausal women – in short, it helps to elevate desire in women younger than 50. Desire and arousal work differently in men than women – men are able to be aroused spontaneously, while women tend to have more responsive arousal. Spontaneous arousal can come out of nowhere – say you’re sitting at work and for no immediate reason, you want to have sex. They seem to affect certain pathways in the brain that influence sexual desire. Side effects of Addyi include low blood pressure, fainting, and nausea. These effects may be more intense if you take birth control pills or drink alcohol. Side effects of Vyleesi include a temporary increase in blood pressure and a decrease in heart rate. It can also cause nausea and isolated spots of skin lightening (focal hyperpigmentation).

• Topical formulations of these drugs are being explored to reduce systemic side effects in women.
• Local application aims to directly increase clitoral and vaginal blood flow.
• This research is in early stages and not widely available.

Viagra is FDA approved to treat erectile dysfunction. It doesn’t have approval for treating female sexual dysfunction, and studies thus far have had mixed results. There’s no “female Viagra,” but there are a couple of drugs with approval to treat sexual dysfunction associated with specific conditions.

How Sesame can help

Responsive desire occurs when, for example, your partner kisses you, and then you start to become aroused and desire sex. For women, their sexual desire and activation has more to do with “turning off”, forgetting about stress, responsibilities in order to get in the mood, while men need to be turned on. The FDA continues to conduct a staged clinical trial in about 8,000 women. Phase III clinical trials did not show a statistically significant difference compared to placebo, and 15% of patients stopped treatment due to dizziness, nausea, fatigue, and sleepiness. However, Flibanserin did perform significantly better than placebo, when women reported desire on a monthly basis.

Cons of Viagra

Sildenafil (Viagra) has Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for treating erectile dysfunction. It doesn’t currently have approval for female sexual dysfunction. Viagra can cause various side effects, including nausea, headache, and dizziness. It can also interact with other medications, so speak with a doctor before taking it. A doctor may prescribe viagra off-label if you have sexual dysfunction.

Increased genital blood flow

Other medications, such as flibanserin (Addyi), may help treat female low sex drive. It’s an oral medication approved to treat erectile dysfunction (ED). The drug works by dilating blood vessels. With increased blood flow to the penis, it’s easier to get and sustain an erection. Viagra targets sexual performance, not sexual arousal. There are many reasons for low sex drive. Before taking Viagra or any other medication, talk with your doctor about the potential benefits, risks, and side effects of these medications for you.

Which Is More Effective?

In a 2024 study, a topical cream with 3.6% sildenafil improved outcomes in people with female sexual arousal disorder (FSAD), particularly people without orgasm dysfunction. Another 2024 study found that age and hormonal contraceptives didn’t affect the effectiveness of topical sildenafil creams on FSAD. However, additional use of psychiatric medication decreased sexual desire in people using the cream and participants who used a placebo. More research is necessary to fully understand any potential benefit from the Viagra form of sildenafil for female sexual dysfunction. One thing that can suppress libido is the use of certain antidepressants, including: A 2025 review looks at the effects of various medications to treat antidepressant-induced female sexual dysfunction. If you've been diagnosed with erectile dysfunction, you've likely heard about both Viagra (sildenafil) and Cialis (tadalafil). Two of the most prescribed ED medications in the country, and on the surface, they look nearly identical.

Aspect	Recommendation	Source
For Sexual Dysfunction in Women	Consult a healthcare professional before use	Medical Guidelines
Choice of Medication	Depends on individual preference, duration needs, and health status	Medical Advice
Safety Considerations	Be aware of contraindications and side effects	FDA & Medical Sources

Both are widely available as affordable generics.

Benefit	Explanation	Evidence Level
Improved Blood Flow	May enhance vaginal circulation	Moderate
Extended Effect Duration	Longer-lasting effects than Viagra	Theoretical
Reduced Frequency Dosing	Can be taken less frequently, once daily	Anecdotal

And both have decades of clinical use behind them. The right choice often comes down to your lifestyle, how frequently you want to be sexually active, and how your body responds to each medication. Sildenafil and tadalafil belong to the same drug class: PDE5 inhibitors.

• Cost and insurance coverage are major practical hurdles, as off-label use is often not covered.
• The expense for daily or regular use can be prohibitive without approval.
• This limits access to comprehensive care that includes medication trials.

When you're sexually aroused, your body releases nitric oxide, which triggers a chain reaction that relaxes smooth muscle tissue and increases blood flow to the penis. PDE5 is an enzyme that interrupts this process. Both drugs block PDE5, helping that blood flow happen more reliably.

Which drug was approved first?

There’s limited evidence that the drug is somewhat beneficial for female sexual dysfunction. This article explores whether viagra is safe or effective for female sexual dysfunction, and available alternatives. The use of binary terms such as “male” and “female” or “men” and “women” in this article reflects the language of the sources we’ve used. Unless otherwise noted, it’s unclear whether the research we reference included viagra online generic participants with expansive gender identities. Yes, anyone can take sildenafil (Viagra), regardless of gender.

Related medical questions

Viagra is another brand of sildenafil that doctors primarily prescribe to treat erectile dysfunction. While the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not approved Viagra for female use, your doctor may prescribe it for off-label use. Like all drugs, Viagra can cause side effects. It can also interact with other medications. It’s important to speak with your doctor before taking Viagra.

Key takeaways

PDE5 is an enzyme that affects blood flow. Below are some potential effects of taking Viagra. Viagra dilates blood vessels and increases the flow of blood to the penis. Viagra may also cause increased blood flow to the genitals of people without a penis, which may help increase sensitivity, arousal, and orgasmic function. It helps to understand that sexual dysfunction is a complex issue.