Cialis is popularly known for its use as an ED medication. The brand name drug, generically known as tadalafil, after all is approved by the FDA for that purpose. However, in recent years tadalafil has gained attention for its potential benefits beyond the bedroom and into the gym.
Here we will discuss how tadalafil works, its benefits for pre-workout performance, and why some consider it as a supercharged fitness supplement among the fitness community and bodybuilders looking to enhance muscle growth, endurance, and performance.
How Tadalafil Works in the Body
Tadalafil is a phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitor, which means it relaxes blood vessels and improves blood flow throughout the body wherever the enzyme is present. While this effect is beneficial for improving erectile function (as the prostate gland and reproductive tract make the most amount of this enzyme), it also offers significant advantages for physical performance:
- Increased Nitric Oxide Availability: nitric oxide is one of the most commonly used ingredients in pre workout supplements for the benefits of helping blood vessels widen. Supplements such as N.O. Xplode, Jacked Factory NitroSurge, Gorilla Mode Nitric, Total Nitric Oxide.
- Vasodilation: The widening of blood vessels helps muscles recover faster and reduces fatigue during intense exercise. By enhancing blood flow through increasing the size of the blood vessels, tadalafil improves oxygen and nutrient delivery to muscles, making workouts more efficient. Think, upgrading a two-lane road into a five-lane highway for increasing speed and efficiency of delivery trucks.
- Improved Cardiovascular Performance: Tadalafil can enhance overall cardiovascular health, which is essential for endurance and stamina during workouts.
Benefits of Tadalafil for Working Out
-
Improved Blood Flow to Muscles
When you’re working out, your muscles demand a steady supply of oxygen and nutrients. Tadalafil’s vasodilating effects ensure that your muscles receive what they need to perform at their peak. This can lead to better pumps during strength training and improved endurance during cardio sessions. Think more trucks delivering payloads to the destination. -
Enhanced Recovery
Tadalafil may aid in faster muscle recovery by improving circulation, which helps remove lactic acid and other metabolic waste products from your muscles after exercise. This means less soreness and faster readiness for your next workout. Think turning over a hotel room twice a day and adding turn down service. -
Increased Endurance and Stamina
For those engaging in high-intensity training or long-duration cardio, tadalafil’s ability to boost cardiovascular efficiency can help sustain energy levels and delay fatigue. Think increasing the size of the power generator of the factory. -
Potential Muscle Growth Benefits
While tadalafil doesn’t directly increase muscle size, its effects on blood flow and nutrient delivery create an optimal environment for muscle repair and growth after workouts. Combined with proper nutrition and training, it can support your fitness goals.
Tadalafil as a Pre-Workout Supplement
Taking tadalafil before a workout has become a trend among some fitness enthusiasts. Here's why:
- Timing: Tadalafil has a long half-life, lasting up to 36 hours, which means its effects can span multiple workouts if taken strategically.
- Dosage: A low dose of tadalafil (commonly 5 mg) is often sufficient to achieve pre-workout benefits without significant side effects.
- Convenience: Unlike some pre-workout supplements that require precise timing, tadalafil’s extended duration offers flexibility in scheduling workouts.
Is Tadalafil Safe for Fitness Use?
While tadalafil offers promising benefits, it’s essential to approach its use responsibly:
- Consult a Healthcare Provider: Tadalafil is a prescription medication and should only be used under the guidance of a licensed medical professional due to the potency and medical-grade results. These effects can have various implications on numerous organ systems throughout your body as tadalafil will inhibit the enzyme 5-alpha reductase wherever it finds it.
- Monitor Side Effects: Common side effects include headaches, flushing, and nasal congestion. These are typically mild but should be monitored, especially if using tadalafil regularly.
- Avoid Overuse: Using tadalafil without medical supervision or in higher doses than prescribed can lead to complications, such as low blood pressure or cardiovascular strain. These complications can lead to morbidity and death.
Who Can Benefit from Tadalafil for Working Out?
Tadalafil is not FDA approved for this purpose and this would be an off-label use as it is only FDA approved for ED and BPH. Tadalafil for pre-workout is used by:
- Men with Circulation Challenges: Individuals who struggle with poor blood flow may find tadalafil beneficial for improving exercise performance.
- Endurance Trainers: Looking to improve cardiovascular performance and delay fatigue.
- Athletes and Bodybuilders: Seeking enhanced blood flow and better pumps during training.
Tadalafil vs. Traditional Pre-Workout Supplements
The vasodilation effect of tadalafil is one of the same reasons that over-the-counter (OTC) pre-workouts such as Cellucor C4 and Jack3d (before it was banned) are liked by athletes. While it is true that tadalafil is in fact more potent than these OTC pre-workouts when it comes to the vasodilatory effects, tadalafil is not a complete replacement for OTC pre-workout supplements. This is because OTC pre-workout supplements usually are a mixture of ingredients that do more than vasodilation. For instance, pre-workout supplements typically contain a proprietary blend of ingredients like caffeine, arginine, beta-alanine, and creatine, which also contribute towards boosting energy, focus, and performance. Tadalafil has more of a singular focus of enhancing circulation. This is why it should be viewed more as a complement, rather than a substitution for non-prescription OTC pre-workout supplements. Although, because these OTC supps have vasodilatory properties as well, both together can also lead to too much vasodilation which can cause lightheadedness, passing out and hypotension. This is why it is important to discuss with your doctor or one of our doctors the entirety of your health history and routine to be able to safely utilize these medications and supps. Let’s face it, after going to the gym for decades we all have seen an ambulance or two parked outside of the gym taking out a member from passing out.
Tadalafil Effects on Sexual Health
The vasodilatory effects of tadalafil are non-selective. Meaning, the 5-alpha reductase inhibitor does its job and inhibits 5-alpha reductase wherever it may find it in the body. Some organ systems that have the most amount of 5-alpha reductase are the prostate and reproductive tract. Some of the smallest vasculature in the body is your coronary artery (located in the heart) and your pudendal artery (located in the penis); both of these areas have 5-alpha reductase. Hence, one of the most common uses of tadalafil is to increase blood flow to the penis with arousal (erection). As you can imagine, similar effects happen in the heart, hence this is a prescription medication (not OTC supplement) because the health regulatory agencies in the US have determined that a licensed clinician should help make the determination if this medication is safe for you. In some countries such as UK, formulation of this medication are available as OTC supplements (really depends on the regulatory body of the country).
Conclusion: Tadalafil for Unlocking Gym Potential
Tadalafil is more than just a medication for ED—it’s a powerful enabler of circulatory system vasodilation. Due to the improved blood flow, athletes can experience enhanced endurance, and muscle recovery. Increased blood flow means increase of oxygen and nutrients to the muscles that are stimulated from the exercise and trying to grow in recovery. However, it is essential to consult a medical professional to ensure the safety of taking this medication as tadalafil is a prescription medication that affects your organs in the body just as much as the muscles in your body. Note that tadalafil is only FDA approved for erectile dysfunction and benign prostatic hyperplasia; use of this medication for any other purpose would be considered off-label usage.
Are you curious about incorporating tadalafil into your health routine?
At Forty Health, the #1 premium American men’s telehealth clinic, we specialize in Men’s Health with proven, science-backed treatments personalized to your needs. With our nationally acclaimed clinical team, we’re here to help you achieve results.
Why Choose Forty Health?
When it comes to men’s health, not all telehealth clinics are created equally. Here’s what sets us apart:
- Proven Results: Thousands of men have safely and effectively gotten results with our treatments.
- Top Physicians: Our physician-led team includes highly published and world-renowned clinicians.
- Custom Protocols: From starter pill-packs to advanced combination treatment protocols, we drive real results for a lasting difference.
- #1 Premium American Telehealth clinic: Men’s health is all we do. 100% online, we provide discreet, high-quality care tailored to your needs.
