Hope springs eternal in the human breast, and men are stubbornly bullish when it comes to the thought of permanent penis enlargement.
The thought that somehow, someway, a magic blue pill can help extend your penis size forever — just pop it.
Also, once you’ve hit a certain age, you will have probably seen countless commercials and ads about penis enlargement and enhancement pills over the years — many of which are no longer around.
But what about sildenafil nitrate (Viagra) — the scientifically proven medication for erectile dysfunction (ED)?
Slow your roll, champ — we’re going to end the myth once and for all.
IN A NUTSHELL
- Sildenafil (brand name Viagra) is a proven treatment for erectile dysfunction.
- It works by promoting blood flow to the penis by inhibiting enzymes that deflate erections.
- Sildenafil may make your erect penis seem larger and firmer, but it won’t permanently increase your size.
- There is no such thing as a pill or supplement that permanently enlarges your penis.
Can sildenafil permanently make you larger?
Let’s get one thing straight, once and for all: sildenafil is a proven and effective treatment for erectile dysfunction that has helped countless men, but it won’t make your penis bigger permanently. There is no single pill out there that can, and anyone who says so is straight-up lying.
Sildenafil can make your erection as hard as it can possibly be, which makes your penis appear bigger than usual. Simply put, sildenafil and its other related medications allow you to make most of what your mother gave you — but they won’t magically bless your endowment with length or girth forever.
How does sildenafil work?
Sildenafil, which goes under various brand names such as Viagra, is an oral ED medicine categorized under PDE-5 inhibitors. These medicines work by inhibiting enzymes that act as the body’s “kill switch” for erections, known as PDE-5 enzymes.
Here’s how it happens: every time you get an erection, a chemical known as cGMP tells the blood vessels in the penis to allow blood flow. PDE-5 enzymes, on the other hand, break down cGMP, leading blood vessels to contract and leads blood flow out of the penis, and therefore returning it to a flaccid state. When PDE-5 enzymes are inhibited, blood vessels remain dilated, therefore making it easy for you to get a hard and long-lasting erection. It must be noted that you need to be aroused for sildenafil to work its effects.
The truth about so-called “penis enlargement pills”
We’ve said this once, and we’ll keep saying it: there is no pill or supplement out there that will permanently increase your penis size.
Let us break down why that is the case.
First, the penis has spongy tissue on its sides and surrounding the urethra. These are known as the corpus cavernosa and the corpus spongiosum, respectively.
Every time an individual is aroused, these tissues engorge with blood to produce an erection. And the size of the corpus cavernosa and corpus spongiosum is set during the puberty phase.
Namely, once the corpus cavernosa and corpus spongiosum have fully grown after puberty, your penis size is final — no amount of penis enlargement pills or creams will make it any bigger than it already is. That’s just the long and short of it.
That’s exactly the reason why you should avoid like the plague any supplement that makes unsubstantiated claims that can permanently increase your penis size. Using such products may be more than you bargained for in terms of risks. Besides, none of them work.
Certain products marketed as herbal supplements for natural penis enlargement may lay claim to a world of benefits, such as more potent erections and improved orgasms, but don’t be fooled — it’s all woo. In fact, some of them may contain adulterants and prescription medicines like sildenafil in their product without declaring it on the label. Such deceiving practices not only give a bad name to the legitimate supplement brands out there, but worse, may cause dangerous interactions with unwanted and far-ranging consequences.
Erectile dysfunction: a quick rundown
It’s a whole different story if you find that your erections aren’t as hard or long-lasting as you wish: that might be a case of erectile dysfunction at its best.
In essence, erectile dysfunction occurs when an individual can’t obtain or keep an erection long enough to get satisfaction. They can be less hard, less frequent, or less longer-lasting.
Many men suffer from ED, considering the fact that it is the most common sexual problem around today. Think of it this way: 40% of men will have reported erectile dysfunction symptoms at least once before the age of 40. Worse, that number increases 10% for each succeeding decade past that, and the number of ED patients is expected to skyrocket in coming years.
Fortunately, there are concrete, effective steps and treatments you can take to manage erectile dysfunction.
Effective ED treatments
There’s no secret about it. Over-the-counter oral prescriptions for erectile dysfunction are proven to be great at what they do. And it’s not just limited to sildenafil (Viagra). There are several options like vardenafil (Levitra) and tadalafil (Cialis).
Other medications for ED include injectables such as alprostadil, which are directly injected into the penis to force an erection.
However, ultimately, it’s the simple things that matter. Small but impactful lifestyle changes such as eating healthier options, exercising, and ditching cigarettes and alcohol.
Consult your doctor if you’re experiencing erectile dysfunction — ED is an indication of a potentially serious underlying health problem like cardiovascular disease or diabetes, apart from being a side effect of antidepressants and other medicines. Your doctor will be able to determine the best course of action, such as adjusting dosages or replacing them with another prescription.
Remember, you’re not alone in experiencing erectile dysfunction. More and more men become ED patients now than at any other time — even men in their 30s report ED symptoms. But with some lifestyle changes as well as the right prescription in certain cases, ED can be managed the right way.
