The best alternatives to Viagra in the UK

Viagra has been a go-to treatment for erectile dysfunction (ED) for years, but the medication isn’t suitable for everyone. Perhaps you find Viagra too expensive, cannot get it on prescription, aren’t seeing the results you want, or are experiencing side effects.

Whatever your reasons for not wanting to take Viagra, the good news is that this infamous little blue pill is not the only way to help you get stronger erections and improve your sex life. This article explores the best alternatives to Viagra in the UK so that you can find the right approach to treating your erectile dysfunction.

What are the alternative drugs to Viagra?

Viagra is a trusted and effective ED medication, but if it’s not working for you, don’t worry! Here is a full list of alternative erectile dysfunction pills you might have more luck with:

Cheaper Viagra alternatives

One of the reasons many men don’t want to take Viagra is the cost. If you’re looking to save money, the best cheap alternative to Viagra is Sildenafil pills, the generic version of Viagra. It is almost identical to Viagra—it contains the same active ingredient, works the same way, and offers the same results but at a fraction of the price.

Like Viagra, Sildenafil pills are available over-the-counter or on prescription in the UK and can be purchased as a 25mg, 50mg, or 100mg Sildenafil tablet. Over-the-counter Sildenafil is only available as a 50mg tablet.

You can talk to your doctor about starting treatment with Sildenafil or order the drug online through our online doctor service.

Viagra alternatives that work faster

Sometimes, speed matters. While most erectile dysfunction pills, including Viagra and Sildenafil, take about 30 to 60 minutes to work, there are faster-acting options (1). For instance, Avanafil (brand name Spedra in the UK or Stendra in the US) works in as little as 15 minutes (2).

This fast-acting option belongs to the same class of drugs as Viagra, known as phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5) inhibitors. It can be a great choice if you’re looking for convenience, as you don’t need to “plan” for sex. It is also less likely to cause side effects than other erectile dysfunction treatments, such as Viagra and Cialis.

Viagra alternatives that last longer

Viagra lasts for around 4 hours after you take it, meaning it can improve your erections within this window. If you’re looking for something that provides more flexibility, Tadalafil could be the answer. Like Viagra, Tadalafil is another prescription-only ED medication (3). It’s sold under the brand name Cialis or, for a slightly cheaper option, as generic Tadalafil.

Cialis tablets last up to 36 hours, allowing you to be more spontaneous with your partner (4). Alternatively, you might prefer to take a low Cialis dose daily. This creates a steady level of the drug in your body, enabling you to enjoy spontaneous sex without having to plan ahead.

Non-prescription alternatives to Viagra

So far, all the ED tablets we’ve mentioned are only available in the UK with a doctor’s prescription, but you can get some erectile dysfunction medications over the counter. These drugs typically contain the same active ingredients as prescription pills but at a lower dose. In the UK, your options are:

• Viagra Connect (non-prescription Sildenafil 50mg) (5)
• Eropid (non-prescription Sildenafil 50mg)
• Cialis Together (non-prescription tadalafil 10mg) (6)

You can also buy Eroxon gel over the counter in the UK (7). Rather than taking a tablet, the gel is rubbed onto the head of the penis to stimulate an erection. As well as being a non-prescription option, this could be a good alternative if you struggle to take tablets or want something fast-acting, as it causes erections within as little as 5 minutes (8).

Bear in mind that although these four drugs are available without a prescription, you will first need to speak to a pharmacist in person or, if you buy ED treatment online, complete a short online health questionnaire to make sure the medication is safe for you.

What about other Viagra alternatives?

Aside from medication-based erectile dysfunction treatments, you might want to consider other options, such as devices, therapy, and natural Viagra for men.  

Devices and non-medical alternatives

• Penis pumps: Penis pumps (vacuum erection devices) work by drawing blood into the penis, causing an erection. They have a 90% success rate, so you’ll likely see great results (9).
• Penile implants: Penile implants offer a permanent solution. However, they’re only recommended for severe ED cases once other treatment options have been tried, as they involve surgery, require recovery time, and carry some risk of complications (10).
• Shockwave therapy: A newer non-medical treatment for erectile dysfunction is shockwave therapy. It is safe and effective, but—as a newer form of ED treatment—more research is needed to determine who this treatment is most suitable for (11).

Psychological treatments for ED

Psychological problems like anxiety can cause erectile dysfunction. This could be anxiety directly related to sex, known as sexual performance anxiety, or general psychological problems like chronic stress, general anxiety, or depression.

If you have psychological erectile dysfunction, therapy and counselling may help. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is particularly effective at addressing performance anxiety and underlying emotional issues (12), while meditation, breathing exercises, and mindfulness techniques may help reduce stress and improve your sex life.

Herbal and natural Viagra alternatives

If you prefer a natural approach, certain supplements and herbal Viagra alternatives have shown promise (13). Your natural Viagra options available at most health food stores include:

• Horny goat weed: This is a herbal supplement containing the active ingredient icariin. Studies on animals have found that taking horny goat weed for 4 weeks improves erectile function, which may translate to benefits in humans (14).
• Korean ginseng: Ginseng is one of the most commonly used herbal remedies in traditional medicine, and there is some evidence that it can help men with psychological erectile dysfunction get stronger erections (15).
• Arginine: Arginine supplements are another type of herbal Viagra. Across multiple clinical trials on men with erectile dysfunction, it was found that arginine improved erectile function and overall sexual satisfaction (16).
• Yohimbine: Yohimbine has a long history of herbal medicine in African cultures and has more recently been considered a natural supplement for ED (17). It is thought to work by blocking receptors in the body that prevent erections.

Which Viagra alternative is best for you?

Choosing the right Viagra substitute for you depends on several factors, including the cause of your erectile dysfunction, your budget, personal preferences, and lifestyle:

• Cost of medication: If affordability is your main concern, generic Sildenafil pills or other non-branded alternatives (like generic tadalafil) are usually the most cost-effective.
• Cause of ED: For physical causes (e.g. poor blood flow or diabetes), prescription ED pills are often the most effective. If your ED is psychological, therapy might be more beneficial.
• How quickly you need results: If spontaneity is important, consider a fast-acting option like avanafil, which works in as little as 15 minutes.
• Duration of action: For more flexibility, tadalafil (Cialis) offers a longer window of effectiveness. If you prefer ongoing spontaneity, low-dose daily tadalafil might suit you better.
• Ease of use: If you struggle with swallowing tablets, non-oral options like Eroxon gel or vacuum erection devices may be worth exploring.

What to do when Viagra isn’t working

If Viagra hasn’t worked for you, don’t be discouraged—it’s common for ED medications to require a few tries before delivering the desired results. It’s recommended that you try the medication at least eight times before concluding that it isn’t effective. Make sure you:

• Follow the instructions: Take Viagra on an empty stomach about an hour before sexual activity, and avoid heavy meals or alcohol, as they can interfere with its effectiveness.
• Be sexually aroused: Viagra and similar drugs require sexual stimulation to work. If you aren’t aroused, the medication won’t take effect.

If Viagra or any of its alternatives still aren’t working, one option is to try a combination of treatments. For example, psychological treatments for ED can improve medical treatments like Viagra (18)(19).

Another option is to increase your dose of whatever erectile dysfunction pills you’re currently taking. For example, if you’re taking over-the-counter Viagra Connect, it might be worth speaking to a doctor to see if you’d benefit more from 100mg of prescription-strength Viagra Sildenafil tablets.

Importantly, lifestyle changes can also make a big difference to your ability to get erections, especially if you have diabetes or obesity, both of which put you at higher risk of ED (20). Improving your diet and exercising regularly can help ED pills become more effective by improving overall health (21).

Where to buy Viagra alternatives in the UK

Whether you’re looking for over-the-counter erection pills like Viagra Connect or prescription-only treatments such as Sildenafil or tadalafil, there will be an ED treatment that works for you.

At Oxford Online Pharmacy, you can easily get the right ED treatment online. Request over-the-counter ED pills after completing our online health questionnaire. Or, with the online doctor service, you can access prescription medications quickly and discreetly, all from the comfort of your home—and we’ll deliver them straight to your door.

Citations

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11. Alessia Celeste Bocchino, Pezzoli M, Juan Ignacio Martínez-Salamanca, Giorgio Ivan Russo, Arturo Lo Giudice, Cocci A. Low-intensity extracorporeal shock wave therapy for erectile dysfunction: Myths and realities. Investigative and clinical urology. 2023 Jan 1;64(2):118–8.
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15. Jang DJ, Lee MS, Shin BC, Lee YC, Ernst E. Red ginseng for treating erectile dysfunction: a systematic review. British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology [Internet]. 2008 Oct 1 [cited 2021 Mar 29];66(4):444–50.
16. Rhim HC, Kim MS, Park YJ, Choi WS, Park HK, Kim HG, et al. The Potential Role of Arginine Supplements on Erectile Dysfunction: A Systemic Review and Meta-Analysis. The Journal of Sexual Medicine [Internet]. 2019 Feb 1;16(2):223–34. ‌
17. Satriyo Arif Wibowo DN, Soebad DM, Soebadi MA. Yohimbine as a treatment for erectile dysfunction: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Türk Üroloji Dergisi/Turkish Journal of Urology. 2021 Dec 3;47(6):482–8.
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