Sildenafil Citrate - a treatment for Erectile Dysfunction.
What is Sildenafil Citrate?
Sildenafil Citrate is a chemical compound designed to treat the physical symptoms of Erectile Dysfunction in men. It is a member of a group of drugs known as PDE5 (phosphodiesterase type 5) inhibitors. Sildenafil Citrate is the active ingredient in many popular ED medications including Kamagra and Eriacta. Consequently, it's currently the most widely-used ED treatment in the world. 
The drug has been through clinical trials. They have shown the drug helps men with the physical symptoms of ED. It helps men to achieve and maintain a prolonged erection when sexually stimulated. Therefore, its use does not produce spontaneous erections.
A manufacturer will usually package the drug in doses of 25mg, 50mg and 100mg. This can be in either a tablet, dispersible effervescent pill or jelly form.
How does Sildenafil Citrate work?
Sildenafil citrate slows down a protein release mechanism that contracts blood vessels in the penis. Consequently, the blood vessels dilate (relax). This allows blood to flow more freely and helps to maintain an erection for a prolonged period.
For more information on Sildenafil Citrate, please see the information on PDE5 Inhibitors here.
How long do the effects of Sildenafil Citrate last?
Sildenafil Citrate is a type of medication that is most effective a short time after taking it. This effectiveness drops as the body breaks the chemical down over time. This time-scale indicates what is known as the half-life of the medication.
Initial studies into the compound state the effectiveness as follows. The medication has the strongest effect around 30 minutes to an hour after ingestion. With a half-life of 4-5 hours. This means that the effects of the drug will reduce over time from a peak at 30 minutes. Therefore, it will be down to half-strength at around 4-5 hours.
However, a more recent study in 2004 showed different time-scales. The study backed up that the peak strength of the medication was around 1 hour after intake. But the big change was in the length of time the effects lasted. In the study, the compound remained effective for over 12 hours in almost half of the men. This change could just be a variation of factors in the different studies. It could also be due to step-ups in the manufacturing process. What is does show is that the compound is a very good treatment for ED.
Sildenafil Citrate is less effective when men eat or drink certain things. These include drinking alcohol around the time you use the drug. You should also avoid eating fatty foods before taking the medication. Drinking a glass of water helps to reduce feeling light-headed due to more blood flowing through the penis.
Does Sildenafil Citrate work for women?
The result of a study published in 2002 on the efficacy of Sildenafil Citrate as a treatment for women with FSAD (female sexual arousal disorder) showed no significant difference between those treated with the medication and those taking a placebo.
A further study concentrated on clitoral and uterine blood flow in post-menopausal women. The study did not include sexual stimulation in the tests. This study showed there was an increase in blood flow in the genitals. The increased blood flow can lead to a greater sensitivity in females which is an important part of sexual arousal and enjoyment.
