ED Pills

What Is Avanafil?

November 11, 2022

Avanafil is a prescription medication used to treat erectile dysfunction (ED). It is also sold under the brand-name Stendra® and Spedra®. 

Although avanafil hasn’t been around as long as sildenafil (Viagra®), tadalafil (Cialis®), or vardenafil (Levitra®), it can be just as effective when ED happens. 

What Exactly Is Avanafil?

Like the wildly successful Viagra and Cialis, avanafil is a phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitor that can help men achieve and sustain erections strong enough for sex. 

Unlike competitors that were approved and hit the market in the late 90s and early 2000s, however, avanafil wasn’t available until 2012

This drug has a complicated history. Avanafil creator Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma licensed avanafil to Vivus Inc. prior to its approval, and the medication was launched under the name Stendra at 50, 100, and 200 mg doses. Vivus Inc. partnered with Menarini Group to sell avanafil as Spedra in over 40 countries across Europe. 

In the United States the rights to avanafil now belong to Metuchen Pharmaceuticals, which licensed the medication from Vivus and set out to relaunch the branded medication in 2016.

How Does Avanafil Work?

Avanafil is a PDE5 inhibitor like most of the most effective and popular ED meds on the market.

These drugs work by blocking enzymes (phosphodiesterase type-5, PDE5) in the circulatory system that cause constriction, allowing blood vessels to stay dilated and increase blood flow to the penis. PDE5 is a natural enzyme that acts like a braking system for the erection process. By reducing PDE5, you’ve essentially removed the brakes on an erection.

What Are The Normal Doses Of Avanafil?

Avanafil is available in 50, 100, and 200 mg doses, and it is taken on-demand in the hour before intimacy. 

Most men begin treatment at 100 mg and will be moved up or down according to their response. 

If a 100-milligram dose doesn’t provide satisfactory results or is too intense, your doctor can increase or decrease the dose.

Your prescribed dose is the maximum you should take in any 24-hour period. Taking too much of any PDE5 inhibitor can lead to severe side effects like priapism. Priapism is a medical condition in which your erection doesn’t go away for hours.

How Does Avanafil Compare To The Other Options?

All PDE5 inhibitors work through the same mechanism of action, and most men will find success using any of these medications. 

But each medication does have distinct characteristics. Avanafil has two key traits that differentiate it from other PDE5 inhibitors.

First, it works faster than other medications. While other ED drugs like Viagra and Levitra take 30 minutes to an hour to work, avanafil can work in as little as 15 minutes. Metabolism rate, dose size, the contents of your stomach, and severity of erectile difficulties can affect this timeline. 

For some men, this rapid action is a benefit of avanafil.

Additionally, research suggests that avanafil is more “selective” than other phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors, and it may avoid some side effects of other medications. Viagra occasionally affects men’s vision, and avanafil is believed to have a lower likelihood of this side effect.

A couple considering avanafil on a laptop

What Are The Side Effects Of Avanafil?

Every medication has potential side effects, and avanafil is no different. Outside of severe allergic reactions, most of these side effects are simply an inconvenience. The most common side effects of avanafil include:

  • Headaches
  • Indigestion
  • Anxiety
  • Dizziness
  • Slower or faster heart rate
  • Stuffy or runny nose
  • Abdominal cramps
  • Back pain

These side effects typically only last while the drug is in your system, roughly four to six hours. If they persist for longer or worsen, seek medical attention. 

Overall, avanafil is safe for most people, with a few exceptions. If you have had a stroke or heart attack within the last six months, you should not use avanafil. Additionally, if you use any medications that will affect your blood, such as alpha-blockers, blood thinners, or nitrates, you shouldn’t take avanafil. You should never take more than the recommended dose of avanafil. Never mix PDE5 inhibitors as it can cause negative drug interactions.

Because avanafil requires a prescription, your doctor will make sure it’s a good fit for you before prescribing.

How To Increase The Effects Of Avanafil

Lifestyle changes can help provide stronger erections naturally and, in some cases, eliminate the need for avanafil. If these changes aren’t enough to eliminate ED symptoms on their own, they may enhance the effects of this ED treatment. 

For best results, consider some lifestyle changes while taking avanafil to work alongside its effects and help alleviate ED altogether.

  • Get more exercise. Erections are made possible by quality blood flow, controlled by your cardiovascular muscles. By strengthening cardio muscles, particularly the heart, you will have more consistent and stronger blood circulation. Exercise four times weekly for 30-40 minutes to see meaningful wellbeing improvements. 
  • Eat a healthier diet. Salty, sugary, fatty, and fried foods can all negatively impact your health. Limit your consumption of these foods and replace them with vegetables, fruit, whole grains, and lean fish. A better diet will keep your blood vessels clear and your blood flow strong and consistent.
  • Lose weight. If you follow the first two tips, this won’t be difficult. Men with a BMI of 30 or more are three times more likely to experience erectile dysfunction, and losing weight can help reduce your likelihood.
  • Limit your drinking. Be careful with alcohol when taking avanafil or any other PDE5 inhibitor. Alcohol can thin your blood. When mixed with PDE5 inhibitors, it can result in dangerously low blood pressure. Drinking too much over an extended period can lead to erection issues, even when sober.
  • Quit smoking. If you needed another reason to quit, smoking is the number one cause of erectile dysfunction in men under 40. Smoke inhalation harms your brain, lungs, and heart, while the nicotine and chemicals constrict and damage your blood vessels. Quitting today is one of the fastest ways to improve your health – and possibly erection strength.

The Takeaway

For most men, avanafil will be just as effective as more common or well-known ED medications, like Viagra (sildenafil). Unlike other drugs, however, avanafil can work in as little as 15 minutes.

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Sources

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The role of nitric oxide in penile erection

Priapism - StatPearls - NCBI Bookshelf.

A comparison of the available phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors in the treatment of erectile dysfunction: a focus on avanafil

Label: STENDRA- avanafil tablet

Lifestyle modifications and erectile dysfunction: what can be expected?.

Physical Activity to Improve Erectile Function: A Systematic Review of Intervention Studies.

Association of Diet With Erectile Dysfunction Among Men in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study

[Obesity--significant risk factor for erectile dysfunction in men].

Alcohol intake and risk of erectile dysfunction: a dose-response meta-analysis of observational studies.

Effects of cigarette smoking on erectile dysfunction