Instant erection pills: are they safe and effective?

If you’re hunting for “instant erection pills,” the truth is there really aren’t any. Of course, certain prescription medications like sildenafil (Viagra) or tadalafil (Cialis) can work quickly. And some herbal supplements claim to boost sexual performance and relieve erectile dysfunction (ED). But the truth is, any over-the-counter male enhancement pill won’t necessarily give you an instant hard-on.

You know what they say: When it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. That said, there are legit treatment options out there that do work pretty fast when it comes to sexual dysfunction.

Erectile dysfunction, or a persistent difficulty in getting or maintaining an erection that’s strong enough to have enjoyable sex, is common, affecting at least 30 million people in the US. 

In this article, we dive into what instant erection pills claim to offer, along with their (spoiler alert: lack of) safety and effectiveness.

Then, we review several proven and evidence-based treatments that can actually improve sexual performance and erections in a timely manner.

Instant erection pills are over-the-counter supplements that claim to enhance your sex life. They might promise to give you harder erections, help you last longer in bed, make your penis bigger, boost your sexual confidence, or offer some combination of these effects. They are often also advertised as fast-acting male enhancement pills or “stay-hard” pills.

Their marketing can often contribute to confusion between the pills and the proven treatments approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), such as Viagra and Cialis. 

So, it can be easy to assume they’re all equally effective. But the truth is they’re not.

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Instant erection pills vs. prescription ED treatments: what’s the difference? 

Like any other medication, FDA-approved treatments such as Viagra come with a list of side effects and potential interactions. But they’re regulated and proven to be safe and effective for most people.

Plus, they require a prescription from a healthcare provider, which can allow for an informed conversation about the drug. On the other hand, instant erection pills are widely available over the counter, but their safety and effectiveness remain questionable due to a lack of FDA regulation.

Because they’re dietary supplements, instant erection pills are not regulated by the FDA. They don’t have to go through the same safety and testing processes as prescription drugs.

If you enjoy a thrill, you may be thinking, “Yeah, yeah, so there’s some risk; if it works, who cares?” Well, currently, no herbal approaches are completely safe and effective in treating ED. There’s only a small amount of research on them and it’s usually focused on individual ingredients rather than a combination, and on animals rather than humans. 

Why prescription ED medications are safer 

Many over-the-counter erection pills are marketed as “all-natural” and contain herbal ingredients, such as horny goat weed, ginseng, L-arginine, and maca. But as a dietary supplement, they don’t have to list all their ingredients—and many often don’t, according to a 2018 study.

In fact, another study found that six male enhancement products advertised as 100% natural all contained undisclosed sildenafil, the active ingredient in Viagra. While sildenafil can be safe for many people, it may not be for those with certain conditions or those taking certain medications.

Additionally, sildenafil can be dangerous when combined with nitrates, which can be found in some instant erection pills.

The point is that the lack of transparency among these supplements can lead to potentially dangerous interactions. 

The appeal of fast-acting male enhancement pills is understandable. They’re widely available, too, with a level of accessibility that can be enticing, as it allows you to sidestep any potential awkwardness of talking to your healthcare provider about your sex life. But remember, they lack  FDA oversight, and their claims are often misleading. In fact, the FDA recommends against using these types of pills given how dangerous they can be. 

Once you get over any initial discomfort of discussing your ED with a healthcare provider, there are plenty of reasons to go the prescription route, starting with safety.

Here’s how prescription ED medications compare to over-the-counter erection pills on key safety measures:

It’s hard to say if instant erection pills work, in large part because male erection pills are not regulated by the FDA. In theory, it may be possible for enhancement products, such as instant erection pills, to work. But there’s no way to know without published clinical trials backing them up. 

Instant erection pills are sold as dietary supplements, so they’re not subject to the same rigorous review, safety, and approval process that prescription medications are. This means they can go to market without being tested for safety, and their manufacturers aren’t required to back up their marketing claims with scientific evidence or clinical trials.

Some pills to get hard promise immediate results, but the reality is that no supplement can instantly guarantee an erection without proven active ingredients. In short, medication that gives you an instant hard-on might be a myth.

And when you try instant erection pills, you’re taking a gamble not just on whether it will work for you but also on whether it will be safe for you to take. That’s because the FDA relies on consumer reports to issue warnings about any products, but reports can only happen after a product is already on the market.

Considering the variety of proven, research-backed treatments currently available for ED and premature ejaculation (PE), the risk may not be worth it.

The safety risks of instant erection pills that you get over the counter may be significantly higher than those of other medications, according to the research.

Whenever you try a new medication or supplement, there’s a risk it may not work for you or cause side effects you weren't expecting. At least in FDA-approved medications, you know what the ingredients are. 

Sexual enhancement products are one of the most common over-the-counter products to be adulterated, meaning they often contain hidden ingredients not listed on their labels, some of which may be unapproved or even banned.

In the 2018 study, researchers combed through FDA-issued supplement warnings from 2007 to 2016. They found that over 157 products (20.2%) contained more than one unapproved ingredient.

Some of these products continued to add new, unapproved ingredients after receiving a warning (or multiple warnings) from the FDA. Among these adulterated products, nearly half (47%) contained unregulated sildenafil, the active ingredient in Viagra. 

Other unapproved pharmaceutical ingredients included:

• Tadalafil (the active ingredient in Cialis)

• Dapoxetine (an antidepressant that’s not approved by the FDA)

• Sibutramine (an ingredient in weight-loss supplements that’s banned in the US due to its cardiovascular risks)

Another researcher continued the work of the previous study and reviewed the FDA’s database through 2021. Sexual enhancement products continued to include active pharmaceutical ingredients, with some supplements including as many as five active ingredients. 

(You can view the current list of FDA warnings on the organization’s database of Tainted Sexual Enhancement and Energy Products.)

Even if the FDA issues warnings and recalls these products, they may still remain on the market. One study found that a “natural” male enhancement pill called “Rock Hard for Men” combined tadalafil with glyburide, an ingredient that lowers blood sugar levels, which is prescribed for people with diabetes.

Sadly, this combination appeared in other instant erection pills and led to more than a dozen deaths, the researchers noted. Taking diabetes medication unknowingly increases your risk of dangerously low blood sugar levels, which can lead to death.

Clearly, it’s not uncommon for instant erection pills to fail to list all of their included ingredients or to contain hidden pharmaceutical ingredients despite claiming to be all-natural. The problem is, if you don’t know what’s included in a supplement, you don’t know whether it’s safe for you to take.

Many of the ingredients found in fast-acting male enhancement products have the potential to interact with other medications or supplements you might be taking, and some of them can be unsafe if you have certain underlying health conditions. 

Despite what the product labels on instant erection pills may claim, a magic fix to treat ED just doesn’t exist. However, there are a number of relatively fast-acting treatments for ED and PE that come close, plus, they contain safe, FDA-approved ingredients.

You can find so-called “instant erection pills” over the counter, claiming to work quickly. They may help, but they won’t work like prescription drugs, including Viagra or Cialis. Remember, supplements are usually not regulated by the FDA. This raises concerns about their safety, effectiveness, and potential side effects.

If you’re looking for the best over-the-counter ED pills that work fast, you might be hoping for something that delivers reliable, prescription-like results without the need for a visit with your healthcare provider.

While no true "Viagra alternative" is available over the counter, some supplements contain ingredients that may help support erectile function. However, their effectiveness varies, and they lack the rigorous clinical testing that prescription ED medications undergo.

Additionally, many over-the-counter ED pills are marketed aggressively with exaggerated claims and little transparency about their actual benefits.

If you want a more reliable option without the hassle of an in-person visit, online telehealth services like Ro offer a discreet way to access FDA-approved ED medications like sildenafil (Viagra) and tadalafil (Cialis) while still involving steps that promote safety. 

These medications are clinically tested, provide more predictable results, and can be shipped directly to your door—giving you the privacy and convenience of an over-the-counter purchase with the safety and effectiveness of prescription treatment.

Instant erection pills in stores—do they work?

Probably not—at least, there’s no reliable evidence that they do. Most instant erection pills sold in stores haven’t been clinically tested, so there’s no way to know if they’re effective or even safe.

Clinical testing is designed to answer two key questions: Does this treatment work? Is it safe for people to take? 

Prescription ED medications like Viagra and Cialis have undergone years of studies with thousands of participants, ensuring they consistently improve blood flow to the penis without posing unnecessary risks.

These studies help determine everything from the right dosage to potential side effects and how different people may respond to the medication.

Over-the-counter erection pills, on the other hand, don’t go through this same level of testing. That doesn’t mean every ingredient in these supplements is ineffective, but it does mean there’s no verified way to measure how well they work—or if they’ll work for you.

Without controlled studies, there’s no reliable data on whether these pills provide a real physiological effect or if any improvements people experience are due to the placebo effect––when someone feels better simply because they believe the treatment is working.

While you might see promising claims on the label of store-bought ED pills, the reality is that without proper clinical testing, there’s no way to know if they’ll deliver the results you’re looking for. 

If you want a treatment that’s proven to work, prescription options—whether through an in-person healthcare provider or a telehealth service—are the safest bet, as you’ll know exactly what you’re getting.

It’s important to be vigilant when searching for ED supplements. Many fraudulent products may contain ingredients that can pose serious health risks, potentially leading to harmful side effects or dangerous interactions with other medications.

Here are some tips to help you identify potentially sketchy health products and scams:

Unrealistic claims. Be wary of pills that promise instant results or miraculous improvements in sexual performance. If the claims sound too good to be true, they probably are. There’s a very good reason most healthcare providers recommend prescription medications for ED and not over-the-counter male enhancement products instead.

Lack of transparency. Legitimate products typically provide clear information about the amount and type of ingredients in them, as well as the science backing their efficacy. If the manufacturer is vague about what’s in the pill or how it works, it’s a red flag.

Marketed for erectile dysfunction. Supplements can’t legally be marketed for ED as they aren’t subject to the same rigorous testing as prescription medications. If a product claims to be an alternative to an FDA-approved treatment, it’s likely a scam.

Unverified customer reviews. Check for third-party reviews or testimonials. Be cautious of products that feature only glowing reviews on their official websites, as these could be fabricated.

Low pricing. If the price of a supplement seems unusually low compared to similar products, it may mean the product is poor quality or contains cheap, potentially harmful ingredients.

In your search for ED treatments, you may have come across some websites offering sexual performance medications without a prescription. Buying prescription medications like Viagra (sildenafil) or Cialis (tadalafil) online without a prescription is highly risky. Here’s why: 

• Counterfeit drugs: The online market is rife with counterfeit medications, which may contain harmful substances or no active ingredients at all.

• Unknown ingredients: These counterfeit drugs may contain unknown or dangerous substances that can cause severe, potentially life-threatening side effects.

• Lack of medical oversight: When you buy prescription medications online without a prescription, you bypass the necessary medical evaluation to ensure that the medication is safe and appropriate for you, specifically.

• Legal risks: Buying counterfeit medications online without a prescription is illegal in the United States.

Here’s a quick comparison of popular fast-acting ED treatments, how long they take to start working, and how long their effects typically last:

There are several proven treatments for ED, and while they don’t work within seconds, they can work within minutes to hours.

PDE5 inhibitors are the first-line treatment for ED, and they're fairly fast-acting. They work by relaxing the muscle tissue and blood vessels of your penis, enabling blood to rush in when you’re aroused, so you can enjoy a harder, longer-lasting erection.

Here’s a quick overview of PDE5 inhibitors, in order of how quickly they start to work:

Avanafil can start working in 10+ minutes: Avanafil is the active ingredient in Stendra. It typically starts working within 15–30 minutes, although some studies have found it can kick in as soon as 10 minutes after taking a dose. It lasts around six hours.

Sildenafil can start working in 30+ minutes: Sildenafil is the active ingredient in and the generic name for Viagra. It usually starts working within 30 minutes to one hour. Effects last for about four hours. Sildenafil is available as a generic or brand-name oral tablet.

Vardenafil can start working in 30+ minutes: Vardenafil starts working within 30 minutes to one hour. The effects can last for 4–6 hours.

Tadalafil can start working in 30 to 120 minutes: Tadalafil is the active ingredient in and the generic name for Cialis. It usually starts working within two hours, though it can take longer. At 36 hours, Cialis provides the longest-lasting effects compared to other traditional ED medications, giving it the spicy nickname of the “weekend pill.” 

How long each medication lasts in your body may depend on your age, kidney or liver function, and if you’re taking certain other medications. In these situations, your healthcare provider may recommend a different dosage of Cialis or Viagra to adjust for differences in how your body processes the medication.

While all of these drugs are often available as oral tablets, certain PDE5 inhibitors can be found in other formulations as well. For example, tadalafil is the active ingredient in Ro’s Daily Rise Gummies. These chewable gummies contain 7 mg of tadalafil and are designed to be taken daily, so you can be ready for sex whenever the occasion arises.

Then there are PDE5 inhibitor-containing lozenges, such as Ro Sparks. This combined treatment contains sildenafil and tadalafil in a sublingual (under-the-tongue) form and starts working in about 15 minutes.

Though these two particular formulations are not FDA-approved, they are composed of active ingredients that have been FDA-approved for ED.

If you’re asking what the best pill is to stay hard over the counter, it’s important to know that prescribed options like sildenafil and tadalafil are the most effective choices, even if they require a prescription. Unlike “get-hard” pills found at gas stations or online, prescription ED medications undergo strict testing to ensure both safety and effectiveness.

Fast-acting male enhancement pills often claim to boost sexual stamina. They may claim to help you last longer before ejaculation. This can be appealing for people with PE, who come sooner than they’d like. The technical definition of premature ejaculation is usually within one minute or less of penetration.

PE is the most common sexual dysfunction issue that those assigned male at birth (i.e., men) face, estimated to affect anywhere between 30–75% of men between the ages of 18 and 59. 

Here’s a quick breakdown of treatments for PE that can help you last longer in bed.

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) may be best known for treating depression, but they can also help with PE and may be prescribed off-label to do just that. Their active ingredients include fluoxetine, paroxetine, sertraline, citalopram, and escitalopram, although you may recognize them by their brand names, like Zoloft and Lexapro. Delayed ejaculation is the most common sexual side effect of these medications, and is thus why they can be helpful for PE. It may take a few weeks for your body to fully respond to the medication.

Topical solutions

Topical lidocaine sprays or creams contain lidocaine as their active ingredient. These topical anesthetics can have a numbing effect on your penis, so you’re less sensitive and have more control over when you orgasm.

You simply apply the medicated cream to the tip and shaft of your penis about 10–20 minutes before you plan on having sex. In clinical studies, men who used a lidocaine 5% spray reported that it took them significantly longer to ejaculate and that they had more sex as well.

Wipes for delayed ejaculation

Benzocaine wipes (such as Roman Swipes) are another topical option for treating PE. You just give your penis a solid wipe about five minutes before you plan to have sex. According to one study, men who used benzocaine wipes reported significantly higher rates of sexual satisfaction and lower rates of PE than men who didn’t use wipes.

At the first month check-in, they were able to increase their time to orgasm from one and a quarter minutes to nearly three minutes. A month later, they were having sex for five and a half minutes, on average—an increase of four times longer than where they started.

You may see ads for instant erection pills that claim to rev up your sex drive and testosterone levels, even though testosterone may not be the problem. While low levels of testosterone can contribute to ED, other causes of ED are far likelier, including diabetes, obesity, and depression.

However, if you’re experiencing symptoms like low libido, fewer spontaneous hard-ons (including morning wood), and unexplained fatigue, low testosterone might be to blame. You’ll want to talk to your healthcare provider to find out for sure. Testing involves bloodwork and tends to be fairly straightforward.

According to various studies, some herbal ingredients, including fenugreek seed and ashwagandha root extracts, can positively affect testosterone levels. However, these ingredients are not fast-acting; increasing testosterone levels takes time. For example, it can take 4–12 weeks to start seeing results from ashwagandha or fenugreek supplementation. 

If your healthcare provider diagnoses you with low testosterone, they might suggest testosterone replacement therapy (TRT). This treatment supplements your body with a pharmaceutical form of testosterone via pills, creams, gels, or injections.

You might start to see improvements in your libido and erections in as little as three weeks, although it can take up to six months to enjoy the maximum impact on erections and ejaculation.

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Instant erection pills might sound appealing, especially when they promise quick results without a prescription, but the reality is more complicated. These supplements aren’t regulated like prescription medications, and there’s no guarantee they’re safe or effective.

• Instant erection pills aren’t clinically proven. Most of these products haven’t gone through the testing needed to show they work—or that they’re safe to take.

• They may contain hidden or risky ingredients. Many so-called “natural” pills have been found to include undisclosed pharmaceutical drugs, which can pose serious health risks.

• Prescription medications are more predictable. FDA-approved options like sildenafil (Viagra) and tadalafil (Cialis) have been tested in large clinical trials and shown to help with ED.

• Some meds can interact with ED treatments. Some medications might not be safe to take with ED medicine—another reason to talk to a healthcare provider.

• Online care makes getting treatment easier. Services like Ro offer access to real ED medications with the convenience and privacy of at-home care.

If you're dealing with ED, the best next step is to connect with a healthcare provider who can help you find a treatment that actually works—and does so safely.