Viagra's Competitions

More than 30-million men in the U.S. suffer from erectile dysfunction. There are now two new Viagra alternatives on the market. Dr. Mallika Marshall examines how these new competitors stack up. When Viagra first hit the market six years ago it was hailed as the miracle pill for impotency. But now the so called little blue pill is facing some stiff new competition.

Levitra and Cialis were both approved by the FDA last year. Dr. Pablo Gomery, Mass General Hospital: “Men are very happy. They like the drugs. The side effects are minimal.” All three drugs work on the same basic principle and are designed to increase blood flow, but unlike Viagra, Cialis and Levitra are not affected by food or alcohol consumption. Viagra works for up to four hours. Levitra acts quicker and last up to twelve hours once taken. While Cialis remains effective for up to 36 hours, giving users a little more spontaneity.

We talked to one patient who has tried all three drugs. He found he had the strongest response with Viagra. The Patient said: “It takes about an hour, it works up to a maximum of four hours, but it’s slower on food, not as strong.” He found Levitra was comparable to Viagra. The patient said: “At least on me, it was faster than Viagra, lasts four to five hours, equally effective.” Even though Cialis lasted the longest, he found it the weakest of the three drugs. The Patient said: “It takes about 1 to 2 hours to work. It does last much longer, 18 to 20 hours, but it was the weakest.