Medically reviewed by: Thomas Fischer (Pharmacist). This article has been written according to strict guidelines and medical standards.
Medically reviewed by: Thomas Fischer (Pharmacist)
Cialis (Tadalafil) comes in several different dosages. The higher dosages (10mg and 20mg) are meant for use as needed. Cialis in dosages of 2.5mg and 5mg is sometimes called Cialis Daily because it is typically taken every day.
What is Cialis 5mg (Cialis Daily)?
Cialis is a brand-name prescription drug with the active ingredient tadalafil. This medication is approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat several conditions in men:
- Erectile dysfunction (ED) - difficulty getting or maintaining an erection
- Benign prostatic hyperplasia - enlarged prostate, which can cause urination problems
- A combination of symptoms of both erectile dysfunction and enlarged prostate
Cialis is sold as a tablet that you take by mouth. It is available in four dosages: 2.5mg, 5mg, 10mg, and 20mg. Your doctor may prescribe Cialis for you either as needed before sexual activity or for daily use. The way you use Cialis will depend on your situation and on what condition Cialis is treating.
Cialis (Tadalafil) is part of the group of drugs called phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5) inhibitors. When treating erectile dysfunction, this medication works by assisting with blood flow to the penis. With the assistance of sexual stimulation, this causes an erection.
If you are taking tadalafil for an enlarged prostate, Cialis acts by relaxing the muscles of blood vessels in the bladder and prostate. This makes it possible for you to urinate more easily.
Did you know?
How to Use Cialis 5mg (Cialis Daily)?
Cialis in 5mg tablet form is taken once a day. To maintain the medication’s stable levels in your bloodstream, you will need to take Cialis at approximately the same time daily. It doesn’t matter what time you choose to take it, as long as you’re consistent.
Depending on how your body reacts to the medication, your doctor may reduce the dosage to 2.5mg. Cialis cannot be taken more than once a day.
Cialis Daily is an appropriate option for men who expect to have frequent sexual activity. By taking Cialis 5mg every day, you should be able to get an erection whenever you are sexually stimulated. Remember that this medication will not work in the absence of sexual arousal.
How the Active Ingredient Tadalafil Works
Tadalafil works by decreasing the action of an enzyme called phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE-5) in your body. It works on the same principle as other PDE-5 inhibitors like sildenafil (Viagra), vardenafil (Levitra and Staxyn), and avanafil (Stendra). These substances are different from tadalafil only in their molecular structure.
The molecular structure determines the half-life of the drug. This is why the various PDE-5 inhibitors differ in the time it takes them to start working and the duration of their effects.
To help you understand how tadalafil works, the next section contains information on how an erection occurs and subsides. It also specifies what can keep an erection from happening.
How PDE-5 Inhibitors Treat Erectile Function
An erection usually occurs when a man is stimulated by psychological or mechanical stimuli. The erectile tissue in the penis fills with blood, which causes it to straighten and become rigid. Erectile tissue is a network of blood vessels that is sometimes full of blood and sometimes not as full.
If a sexual stimulus is received, the messenger substance cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) is released. This substance causes the blood vessels muscles in the penis to dilate. As a result, more blood can flow into the organ, causing it to stiffen. To reverse an erection, so it is not permanent, cGMP breaks down over time. The enzyme called PDE-5 is responsible for breaking down the cGMP.
When there are erectile problems in which the penis does not stiffen, it may be because the body has produced too little cGMP. In other situations, it can be because PDE-5 is being liberated too early or in concentrations that are too high. In both of these cases, penile blood vessels narrow too quickly, and blood flow is restricted.
Tadalafil is a PDE-5 inhibitor. As the name suggests, this active ingredient impedes the production of PDE-5. Thus, cGMP messenger substances can accumulate and increase blood flow to cause an erection. Likewise, the PDE-5 enzymes can no longer cause premature loss of the erection.
Because PDE-5 inhibitors treat only blood flow issues, they cannot compensate for other problems that may affect ED. They do not solve erectile problems caused by a lack of desire for sex nor those involving the absence of sexual stimulation.
Other Conditions that Tadalafil Treats
Tadalafil is also indicated for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), also called an enlarged prostate. In this condition, it can be difficult for men to urinate due to the increased size of the prostate. Tadalafil treats BPH by relaxing the muscles in the walls of blood vessels in the bladder and prostate. This relaxation causes dilations (widening) of the vessels, so more blood can flow through them. The increase in blood flow counteracts the enlargement of the prostate.
Pulmonary arterial hypertension is another condition that can be treated with tadalafil. Since PDE-5 inhibitors dilate blood vessels, other areas of the body also experience increased circulation. In the case of pulmonary arterial hypertension, the dilation helps lower blood pressure in the pulmonary artery, easing stress on the heart and blood vessels.
How Long Does it Take for Cialis 5mg to Start Working and How Long Does it Last?
For those taking Cialis as needed in larger doses, blood concentrations are highest between 30 minutes and six hours after taking the medication. The effects of the drug can last up to 36 hours.
Since Cialis takes a long time to leave your bloodstream, consuming it daily allows you to keep blood concentrations high. Naturally, the daily dose is significantly lower. This means that the active ingredient is always present but not too much. This should let you get an erection any time you are sexually aroused.
Cialis 5mg Side Effects
Like most prescription medications, Cialis comes with its own set of side effects. The following list shows the mild ones that don’t always affect everyone who takes it:
- Facial flushing
- Stomach upset
- Headaches
- Stuffy nose, sore throat, or sneezing
- Diarrhea
- Muscle or back pain
- Memory problems
- Low blood pressure
- Nausea
- Blurred vision or changes in color vision
- Dizziness
- Prolonged erections (priapism)
- Abnormal ejaculation
Tell your doctor if you experience any of these rare but serious side effects of Cialis:
- Painful erection
- A sudden decrease in hearing or hearing loss, sometimes accompanied by dizziness and ringing in the ears
- A prolonged erection lasting four hours or more (priapism)
- A sudden decrease in vision (including permanent blindness in one eye or both)
Cialis 5mg Drug Interactions
Before taking any form of medicine, a discussion with a medical professional should take place. This is even more important if you are taking other medications as Cialis may interact with the following types of drugs:
- Rifamycins
- Antifungals
- Antibiotics
- Barbiturates
- Antidepressants
- Heart or blood pressure medications
- Medicines to treat high blood pressure or a prostate disorder
- Seizure medications
- HIV or AIDS medications
Contraindications for Cialis 5mg
Pre-existing conditions could also render Cialis, not an option for you. Cialis is not recommended if you have one of the following:
- Multiple myeloma
- Clotting disorder
- Leukemia
- Sickle cell anemia
- Alcohol intoxication
- Hearing loss
- Medicines to treat high blood pressure or a prostate disorder
- Pigmentary retinopathy
- Sudden worsening of chest pain called angina
- Significant uncontrolled high blood pressure
- Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
- Narrowing of the aortic valve
- Chronic heart failure
- Life-threatening irregular heart rhythm
- Low blood pressure
- History of stroke
- Liver problems
- An ulcer caused by excessive stomach acid
- Kidney impairment
- Bent penis with erection
- Peyronie's disease
- Seizures
- Fibrous tissue formation in the penis
- Restrictive cardiomyopathy
- Sudden vision loss due to loss of the blood supply to the front of the optic nerve (AION)
Our tip: How to buy Cialis with online prescription
User Experiences with Cialis
Although Cialis can be used for other conditions, 80% of users take it to treat erectile dysfunction. The average age of Cialis users is between 55 and 65. One survey asked users about their satisfaction with Cialis and came up with the following results:
- 86% were delighted with the ease of use
- 81% were very satisfied with its effectiveness
- 56% thought the price-performance ratio was appropriate
- 62% were able to tolerate the drug very well (side effects were minimal)
- 68% of the users would recommend Cialis
Many narratives of individual user experiences can be found by searching online. One online survey currently shows users have rated Cialis at 8.7 on a scale of 10. This is an average based on more than 350 customer reviews.
Do I Need a Prescription to Buy Cialis 5mg?
If you search online for Cialis, you may get the impression that you can easily get Cialis online without a prescription. However, this information is misleading. Cialis is a prescription drug in the United States and, as such, requires a valid script. Buying these types of pharmaceuticals online without the correct documentation is illegal and can cause serious health problems.
Medications advertised online without a prescription typically come from overseas pharmacies that are not regulated by the US Food and Drug Administration. This means their products may be manufactured with different concentrations than advertised or may contain substances that can be harmful.
How Much Do Different Packaging Units of Cialis Daily Cost?
As a brand name product, Cialis daily isn’t cheap. However, you save money if you buy in bulk. Cialis daily comes in packs of 5, 10, 15, 30, and 90 tablets. If you choose to buy five tablets at a time, you can expect to pay at least $64. A package of ten pills costs upwards of $125.
If you want to buy 15 pills, plan to pay at least $183. A 30-day supply costs over $359, while 90 tablets will cost you more than $1025.
Does Health Insurance Cover the Cost of Cialis 5mg?
Medicare and most private insurers do not typically cover drugs that treat sexual problems. This can make treatment extremely costly for the consumer. However, the advent of generic versions of Cialis, combined with coupons from manufacturers and pharmacies, can help people afford treatment.
Can I Buy Generic Cialis 5mg?
Generic Cialis is sold as tadalafil. It can be purchased through licensed pharmacies in the United States. Just like brand-name Cialis, the generic version requires a prescription. The Food and Drug Administration strictly regulates generic drugs. When sold by licensed pharmacies, generics are guaranteed to be of the same quality and effectiveness as the original brand-name drug.
Generic drugs are often much cheaper than their brand-name counterparts. This is especially important in Cialis’s case since it is expensive, and most insurance companies do not cover it. You can purchase ten tablets of generic Cialis (tadalafil) 5mg for just over $7. This is $57 (89%) cheaper than the same number of tablets of brand-name Cialis. Some pharmacies sell 15 pills for as little as $11.70.
If you choose to buy 30 tablets of tadalafil 5mg at a time, you may be able to find it for as low as $12. Sixty pills are selling for $15 and up, while 90 tablets can be purchased for as little as $18. This is significantly cheaper than brand-name Cialis.
- Generic Cialis Without A Prescription – Risks To Consider
- Ordering Tadalafil Without A Prescription – Risks To Consider
- How to Buy Generic Tadalafil Online In The USA
- How To Order Generic Cialis Safely Online
- Buying Tadalafil from a Canadian Pharmacy – What Risks Are Involved?
- Ordering Tadalafil from India – Is This Legal?
- Paying Generic Cialis With PayPal: Is This Possible?
Can I Take Cialis 5mg and Viagra Together?
In general, such combinations, called therapeutic duplication, are not advisable. No medical professional will encourage you to do this. If you take more than one medication from the same category to treat the same condition, you run the risk of worsening your health problems.
Specifically, the use of Cialis with Viagra can intensify side effects (s. also Viagra or Cialis – Which Treatment Is Better For Me?). You may experience excessive drops in blood pressure with dizziness and fainting. Severe and sometimes permanent changes in sight and hearing can also result. A doctor may suggest you alternate between the two if side effects seem more pronounced from one of them, but never at the same time.
Article Sources
- Questions and Answers for Cialis (tadalafil). In: U.S. Food and Drug Administration. URL: https://www.fda.gov/
- Parker-Pope, Tara (August 28, 2009). “The Cost of Treating Erectile Dysfunction“. New York Times.
- CIALIS- tadalafil tablet, film coated. Eli Lilly and Company. URL: https://uspl.lilly.com/
- A Study of Tadalafil and Sildenafil in Men With Erectile Dysfunction in China. Information provided by (Responsible Party): Eli Lilly and Company. URL: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01352507
- Porst, Hartmut et al. Efficacy of tadalafil for the treatment of erectile dysfunction at 24 and 36 hours after dosing: a randomized controlled trial. In: Urology Volume 62, 07/2003. Elsevier Inc.
- Brock, Gerald et al. Efficacy and Safety of Tadalafil for the Treatment of Erectile Dysfunction: Results of Integrated Analyses. In: The Journal of Urology Volume 168, 10/2002. Elsevier Inc.
- Eli Lilly and Company Limited (2017). Cialis 20mg film-coated tablets. EMC. [online] Available at: https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/files/pil.7430.pdf [accessed 20th July, 2020].
- Moncada, I., Bethencourt, F, R and Lledó-García et al., (2014). Effects of Tadalafil Once Daily or On Demand Versus Placebo on Time to Recovery of Erectile Function in Patients After Bilateral Nerve-Sparing Radical Prostatectomy. World J Urol: 33, pp 1031-1038.