Does Chewable Cialis Work?
You’re tired of living with erectile dysfunction and you want it fixed, now. We get that.
To that end, buying into new drug formulas or treatments that promise an easier time of it is tempting.
But slowing down for five minutes to really dig into whether those solutions are worth your time, health and money can save you significantly in the long run.
TL;DR: Does Chewable Cialis Work?
The short answer here is: probably.
Chewable tadalafil (Cialis®) tablets contain the same active ingredients as highly effective tadalafil tablets.
However, there is no scientific evidence that this delivery method doesn’t change the drug’s absorption.
In fact, there is research on chewable sildenafil (generic Viagra) that indicates the chewable formulas may have slight disadvantages.
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What Is Cialis (Tadalafil)?
Tadalafil, generic Cialis, sold under the brand name Cialis or as a generic medication, is a type-5 phosphodiesterase inhibitor, or PDE-5 inhibitor.
These drugs are used to treat erectile dysfunction, or the inability to get or maintain a suitable erection for sexual activity.
Other PDE-5 inhibitors include sildenafil (Viagra®) and vardenafil (Levitra®), among others. While these drugs may have slight differences, they work in much the same manner.
Cialis can be taken as-needed before sexual activity, usually at a dose of 10mg, but can also be taken once-daily.
Daily Cialis is prescribed a lower dosage — typically 2.5mg — and allows you to respond sexually without planning ahead.
Most manufacturers offer tablets of Cialis, meant to be swallowed whole with water, but chewable options have begun to hit the market, too.
Chewable pills are often offered as an alternative to tablets for people who have trouble swallowing.
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Traditional Pill
SildenafilGeneric Viagra®
From £2.36/use
The most commonly prescribed ED treatment, contains the same active ingredient as Viagra® but is 80% more affordable than the brand name.
Traditional Pill
Daily TadalafilDaily Generic Cialis®
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A clinically proven treatment for erectile dysfunction that helps men achieve and maintain erections more easily. It gives you the freedom to enjoy spontaneous sex without needing to plan ahead.
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As-Needed TadalafilGeneric Cialis®
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The unbranded, more affordable generic form of Cialis® taken as needed. It is clinically proven to help men get and keep harder erections for up to 36 hours.
Traditional Pill
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The over-the-counter branded version of sildenafil. Viagra Connect® improves blood flow to the penis, helping you achieve and maintain strong and satisfying erections.
Important safety information for Sildenafil, Tadalafil, Tadalafil Daily or Viagra Connect.
Research on Chewable Tadalafil
There is plenty of research on the effectiveness of tadalafil in tablet form, but little-to-none on the medication as a chewable, so it’s difficult to say with any certainty how changing the formula may affect the medications bioavailability, absorption or effectiveness.
In fact, the chewable formulas are not independently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
This means that while the active ingredients may be the same across tablet/chewable formulas, the chewable form has not been rigorously studied for how its delivery affects the drug.
It may be tempting to think that identical ingredients mean identical effects, no matter the delivery, but we can look at some research that indicates this isn’t always the case.
A 2011 study published in the Journal of Bioequivalence and Bioavailability compared the effects of a traditional sildenafil tablet with a chewable sildenafil tablet.
Sildenafil is the generic form of Viagra, also a PDE-5 inhibitor like sildenafil. While the differences between formulations were small, they were significant.
The study compared absorption using plasma concentration (or the concentration of the medication in the bloodstream) between tablets, chewables taken with water and chewables taken without water.
The chewable medication taken with water took the longest to reach peak plasma concentration, and chewables taken without water never reached plasma concentration as high as the other two.
In other words, the chewable formulas did not have absorption benefits over the traditionally-swallowed tablet.
An added note: Side effects were relatively similar across formulas, in the study, though more men reported a bitter flavor with the chewable formula.
With no medical or scientific background, it may make sense that chewable or liquid Cialis formulas get absorbed faster than tablets — they seem like less work for your body to break down.
But as this research shows, that may not always be the case, and rigorous scientific analysis is truly the only way to know for certain whether chewable formulas are as effective as those taken as traditional tablets.
That said, some men have trouble taking pills and chewable formulas may be a necessity. Talk with a healthcare provider if this is the case, to determine whether chewable tadalafil — or other medicines — are the best route forward for you.
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The Bottom Line on Chewable Cialis Effectiveness
Tadalafil, the generic form of Cialis, is a PDE-5 inhibitor that’s popularly used as an erectile dysfunction treatment in men.
It is available as a once-daily or an as-needed formula, and generally sold in tablet form. However, you may find retailers marketing chewable tadalafil.
Chewable tadalafil is not independently approved by the FDA, and no significant research has been published indicating how this formula difference may affect the drug’s effectiveness.
However, there is some evidence other chewable PDE-5 inhibitors are not as quickly absorbed when taken as a chewable.
If you’re considering a chewable form of tadalafil due to a medical condition, talking with a healthcare professional about that decision first is a smart move.
If you’re considering a chewable form of tadalafil because you think it may be more effective than a tablet, we’d hold off — the research doesn’t appear to support that decision.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. The information contained herein is not a substitute for and should never be relied upon for professional medical advice. Always talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of any treatment or medication.