On the market, there are three classic dosages of Viagra (25, 50, 100 mg), as well as several non-standard dosages (lower and higher ones). Why do we need such scaling (dosing)? Do Viagra dosage depend on the bodyweight?
Does the Dosage of Drugs Depend on Weight?
Some patients are concerned about this issue. It is known that slim people can get drunk faster than obese ones, since people with larger weight need a higher “dosage” of alcohol. Does this concern medications? Of course, it does. The dosage of some drugs, such as antibiotics, anthelmintic medicines, is selected depending on the weight. However, this is usually more true for children than for adults.
At the drugs.com forum, one man asked a question about whether the body weight influences the choice of the drug dosage, indicating its parameters (6 feet tall, 270 pounds weight), from which it can be concluded that it was a rather large man.
What Affects the Effectiveness of Viagra?
Many patients have noticed that the blue pill works better on an empty stomach. For example, if you eat fatty steak and then drink Viagra, the effect is likely to slow down, because fatty foods slow down the absorption of sildenafil in the gastrointestinal tract. According to official information, this should not affect the strength of the effect of Viagra, but the timing is broken, which is what patients don’t really need.
Moreover, according to forum posts, sometimes the effect is simply “lost” after eating very fatty food. Therefore, if you eat a salad with lean meat, it absolutely does not affect the onset of beneficial effects, but if you eat fatty potatoes with cheese, you have to wait a little longer (with the possible risk of weakening the effect).
When to Choose 50 mg of Viagra?
This is the classic dosage of Viagra, which is usually prescribed to all men who are just starting treatment for erectile dysfunction. This is done regardless of the patient’s weight. Depending on the observed effect and tolerability of the tablet, the dosage is modified accordingly or remains unchanged. However, statistics show that most men are satisfied with this dosage.
When to Choose 25 mg?
This option may be suitable for patients with severe renal or hepatic impairment. In such cases, these internal organs do not have time to properly process substances coming from outside, which leads to higher concentrations of Viagra in the blood. Therefore, if, for example, a patient takes 100 mg, it may be equivalent to 150 mg (approximately) for a healthy person.
Further, a lower dose may be given to people who take drugs belonging to the CYP3A4 inhibitors group.
For example, studies have shown that combining Viagra with erythromycin (an antibiotic) or saquinavir (a drug used to treat HIV / AIDS) increases the concentration of sildenafil in the blood up to 3 times. Naturally, in such situations, only a dosage of 25 mg is appropriate, since when a patient takes 50 mg he will actually receive the equivalent of 150 mg, and when 100 mg is taken, the actual effect will correspond to as much as 300 mg of Viagra.
In addition, it is recommended to use 25 mg in the first place, if you have moderate erectile dysfunction, that is, there is no actual impotence. In this case, the effect of potency enhancers with a low content of active ingredient will also give the desired result.
100 mg Dosage
100 mg is the maximum daily dosage, according to official recommendations. The study by Loran OB, Ströberg P, Lee SW et al. (Russian Medical Academy of Postgraduate Education, 2009), aimed at comparing the effectiveness of 50 milligram and 100 milligram dosages, suggests that a higher dosage improves treatment satisfaction. 100mg may be used when Viagra doesn’t work for you (in lower dosages).
Some men choose higher dosages. This is not always the best idea. The effect may improve, but the risk of side effects also increases. Naturally, there is no need to take a lot of Viagra tablets, as there are precedents when abusers received serious priapism, significant changes in eyesight, a sharp drop in pressure and other unpleasant effects, which often led to hospitalization.
Conclusions
Thus, the action of Viagra does not depend on the patient’s body weight, according to official data. However, for some men, 25 mg is a sufficient dosage, while others feel the desired effect only when consume 100 mg.
Viagra acts pointwise (locally) so for this drug body weight is an insignificant factor. No relevant research has been conducted on this issue, so it is difficult to draw any concrete conclusions.