Liquid Cialis: what you need to know

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a condition that affects over 30 million men in the US, preventing many men from having the sex lives they desire (Sooriyamoorthy, 2022). The good news is there are many treatment options available to help you have a satisfying sex life. You’ve probably heard of some of the most popular medications for ED—namely, Viagra and Cialis—but is liquid Cialis an option? Not right now, but keep reading to learn more.  

Cialis is a medication used to treat ED. People living with ED have difficulty getting and maintaining an erection strong enough for satisfying sex. 

While many take it for granted, an erection is actually a pretty complex process. Many things have to work just right for a person to have a successful erection. One essential part of a successful erection is having enough blood flow to the penis—and that’s where Cialis can help people with ED. 

Cialis (also known by the generic name tadalafil) is a PDE-5 inhibitor, a type of medication commonly used to treat ED. Cialis works by improving blood flow to the penis during sexual arousal and stimulation (Dhaliwal, 2022). 

There are two different ways to take Cialis for ED. You can take a low-dose pill at the same time every day, or you can take a higher-dose pill about an hour before a sexual encounter (DailyMed, 2022). 

Currently, Cialis is only available in tablet form. Recently, the FDA approved Tadliq, a liquid form of tadalafil that comes in an oral suspension. At the moment, it is only approved to treat pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and is not yet indicated for ED (CMP Pharma, 2022).

In the meantime, most people tolerate the tablets just fine. However, if you have trouble swallowing pills, speak with your healthcare provider about the option of getting liquid Cialis from a compounding pharmacy. 

Compounding means taking one form of a medication and changing it into another form, based on a person’s individual needs. A compounding pharmacy can make Cialis tablets into a liquid form, with specific instructions provided by your healthcare provider.

While compounded medications are common, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warns about one potential risk of compounded medications; once they are changed out of their original form, it’s not possible to say they have the same efficacy or quality as in their original form (FDA, 2022). 

A quick search online will provide many options for places to get liquid tadalafil, but these often do not come from reputable pharmacies, and shouldn’t be used. If you’re concerned about not being able to use Cialis in tablet form, talk to your healthcare provider about how you can get Cialis compounded into a liquid form.

Cialis is not the only medication that can be used to treat ED. Other PDE-5 inhibitors can be used, including:

• Viagra (sildenafil)

• Levitra (vardenafil)

• Stendra (avanafil)

Other treatments may help, too. If factors such as depression or anxiety are contributing to your ED, therapy or medications can be beneficial. Sometimes, other medications you may be taking have ED as a side effect. Stopping or decreasing the dose of that medication (under your provider’s supervision) may improve ED symptoms. 

There is also a medication called alprostadil used to treat ED. It’s given by injection into the penis or by a suppository inserted into the urethra to help you get an erection (Sooriyamoorthy, 2022). 

Vacuum devices can be used, in which a plastic tube is placed over the penis, and a pump is used to make a vacuum and draw blood into the blood vessels of the penis to harden it. A plastic ring is then placed at the base of the penis to keep the blood there during sexual activity. In some cases, a surgical procedure to place a penile implant can be an effective option (Sooriyamoorthy, 2022).  

If you’re experiencing ED, seek medical advice from a healthcare professional. They can help determine the cause of your ED, and come up with the best ED treatment plan for you. 

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Current version

November 30, 2022

Written by

Julie Scott

Fact checked by

Chimene Richa, MD

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About the medical reviewer

Chimene Richa, MD

Dr. Richa is a board-certified Ophthalmologist and medical writer for Ro.