Can I Take 40 mg of Tadalafil (Cialis) for ED?

Cialis is a brand-name version of tadalafil, a popular medication for treating erectile dysfunction (ED). Taking the medication helps you get the maximum effect while avoiding side effects.

Reasons not to take 40 milligrams (mg) of Cialis include how the drug works and its duration. Increasing the dose could result in side effects.

If you feel your current dosage isn’t working, there may be options to consider. Let’s look at Cialis, why to avoid taking too much, and more.

Taking 40 mg of Cialis could be dangerous and raise the risk of side effects such as a sudden drop in blood pressure and priapism. The typical dose is 10 mg for occasional use and 2.5 or 5 mg for daily use. The typical maximum dose of Cialis for ED is 20 mg once a day.

If a doctor has prescribed Cialis for pulmonary arterial hypertension, you may be advised to take two 20-mg doses a day. But taking that much of the medication should be done only under a doctor’s guidance.

It changes more than your penis

While Cialis works for ED by affecting the PDE5 enzyme in the penis, it also affects other PDE enzymes in tissues and cells in other areas of the body. For example, PDE5 is found in tissues in the lungs, kidneys, liver, brain, and platelets.

Cialis also affects PDE11, which is found in tissues in the heart, pancreas, pituitary, skeletal muscles, testes, and corpus cavernosum.

It increases your chances of side effects

Doubling the maximum dose of Cialis to 40 mg can increase the chances of experiencing side effects, which include:

It may also cause priapism, an erection lasting longer than 4 hours, damaging the penile tissue. An urgent medical evaluation is needed to prevent long-term damage if this occurs.

It’s in your system for a while and clears slowly

Another reason not to double your dose is the long lasting effects of Cialis.

The effects of Cialis last much longer (up to 36 hours) than other PDE5 inhibitors like Viagra (4 to 5 hours). So, Cialis stays in your body and clears slowly. This can increase the risk of side effects if you add doses on top of what’s already in your system.

How does Cialis work?

Cialis is a phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitor. It limits the effect of the PDE5 enzyme in the penis, allowing blood vessels in your penis to relax so blood can flow into the penis, helping to get or keep an erection. Keep in mind that Cialis won’t work unless you’re stimulated or aroused.