For most men who suffer from erectile dysfunction, the medication they choose will be a matter of personal preference. Both Levitra and Viagra work for a high percentage of men, so the first one you happen to use might be the one you stick with. However, if this isn’t the case for you, there are plenty of other options to choose from.

Levitra is the branded version of a medication called Vardenafil, which is used for the treatment of erectile dysfunction. It is a potent phosphodiesterase (PDE5) enzyme inhibitor, helping blood vessels in the penis to dilate and increasing blood flow to the region. This makes it much easier to achieve and sustain an erection following sexual stimulation.

Viagra contains the active ingredient Sildenafil (it is sold under the name Sildenafil by some pharmaceutical companies), and like Levitra, it’s a PDE5 inhibitor. It was the first of the modern erectile dysfunction medications, and when it was launched in 1998, Viagra had the fastest initial sales growth of any prescription product, reaching sales of close to $2 billion by 2008.

Does Levitra work as well as Viagra?

Levitra slightly outperformed Viagra in this study of men with erectile dysfunction and risk factors for cardiovascular disease, with more men preferring Levitra over Viagra (39% to 35%), but both are generally thought to be 60-70% effective, and because they are very similar, your choice is likely to be a matter of personal preference.

Levitra 5mg tablets

Levitra 5mg tablets

Beyond its indications for erectile dysfunction, according to this study Levitra may be effective in the treatment for premature ejaculation, increasing the time from penetration to ejaculation for some users. If you suffer from premature ejaculation rather than erectile dysfunction, however, we sell a medication called Priligy which is designed specifically for this problem.

If you want to find out which is the better treatment for you, Levitra vs Viagra, you can buy Levitra and Viagra here at PostMyMeds. Both are prescription medications, but as a fully licensed UK pharmacy we can sell them to you once you complete a short online consultation form and our pharmacists confirm that your chosen medication is safe for you to use.

If cost is your main concern, we sell the non-branded version of Viagra, Sildenafil, in a 50mg form from £9.99.

Can I take Levitra every day?

Levitra should only be taken once in a 24-hour period, but it can be taken every day, if required. It may be taken with or without food, but large (and in particular, fatty) meals should be avoided. Levitra should be taken on an as needed basis approximately 25 minutes before any proposed sexual activity, and generally lasts for 4-5 hours. The recommended starting dose in adults is 10mg, and you can increase that to 20mg if the initial response is inadequate.

Viagra can also be taken once a day. The best time to take Viagra is about an hour before sexual activity, but some people do find that it works within 25 minutes, and its effects may last up to 5 hours. Again, you should probably avoid large and/or fatty meals, and it should be noted that both Levitra and Viagra do not have a cumulative effect, which means that the active substance is not accumulated in the tissues of your penis even if you take it daily.

These medications should only be used on an ‘as needed’ basis!

How do the side effects differ between Levitra and Viagra?

The vast majority of men won’t experience any side effects on these types of medications. For those that do, there isn’t a huge amount of difference when it comes to side effects on these medications because they’re both PDE5 inhibitors.

Side effects of Levitra include:

  • headaches
  • facial flushing
  • congestion
  • indigestion
  • upset stomach
  • dizziness
  • back pain
  • colour blindness

Side effects of Viagra include:

  • headaches
  • stomach pain
  • facial flushing
  • congestion
  • nausea or diarrhea
  • colour blindness
  • blurred vision

In rare cases, both medications can cause priapism, which is a persistent and painful erection. If you experience an erection that lasts for more than 4 hours after taking Levitra or Viagra, you should seek medical attention immediately.

Although all of our content is written and reviewed by healthcare professionals, it should not be substituted for or used as medical advice. If you have any questions about your health, please speak to your doctor.

Authored Dec 18, 2018 by Thomas Hall
Reviewed Dec 20, 2018 by Prabjeet Saundh, MPharm