In modern society, with the accelerated pace of life, people are paying more and more attention to health issues, especially sexual health. Erectile dysfunction (ED) is one of the most common sexual health concerns in men, and sildenafil (Sildenafil) is a good treatment for patients.
The "rhythm" of sildenafil: before or after eating? This choice has become a hot topic of discussion among patients, attracting their attention like a drama.
Imagine sildenafil as a highly skilled actor and your body as the stage. The actor needs to appear at the right time to perform his most skillful work. Is it more appropriate for this "actor" to appear before or after the meal?
Taking medicine before a meal is like staging an ingenious drama on an empty stomach.
Sildenafil is like a talented actor, and your body is the stage. When the actor takes sildenafil on stage on an empty stomach, that is, before a meal, he is able to show his talent more freely and unrestrainedly.
According to Goodman & Gilman's The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics, sildenafil is best absorbed on an empty stomach and generally takes 10 to 40 minutes to begin to show therapeutic effects. It's like an empty stage without any sets or props, where the actor can fully engage in the performance without any distractions, bringing out the charm and emotion of the character to the fullest.
On this stage, the sildenafil actor was able to quickly enter the role, working synergistically with nitric oxide (NO) in the body to promote vasodilation by inhibiting the activity of phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5), thereby increasing blood flow and improving erectile function. This process is like the perfect integration of the actors, the stage, the lighting and the sound effects, together painting a beautiful visual and emotional picture.
If sildenafil is taken after a meal, it is like performing at a grand banquet. Although the delicacies at the banquet are tempting, they can be an obstacle to the actor's performance. High-fat foods can delay the absorption of sildenafil, just like the hustle and bustle of a banquet and the complicated scenery, distracting the audience and affecting the performance of the actors.
Case Study: Mr. Zhang's Life Experience
Mr. Zhang, a middle-aged gentleman, suffered from erectile dysfunction under the pressure of the workplace, and suffered both physically and mentally. Under the guidance of the doctor, he embarked on the path of treatment, like embarking on a brilliant road to health and hope, and sildenafil became his spiritual navigation. In the first trial, Mr. Cheung was accustomed to taking it after meals, but found that the effect was not satisfactory. In the course of subsequent treatment, he switched to taking it before meals under the guidance of his doctor and was surprised to find that the results improved significantly. It's like on an empty stomach, sildenafil is the "actor" who can play his role better.
Take after a meal: A stage full of delicacies
The actor took the stage at a lavish dinner filled with a variety of delicacies, bright lights and music. Although such a scene is full of temptation and enjoyment, for the actor, it can become a big obstacle to his performance. According to Harrison Internal Medicine, taking sildenafil after tasting delicious food is like stepping into the depths of the soul to explore the mysteries, like being in a dream. The absorption process is delayed, which is like the intricate scenery and lighting effects on the stage, which may add visual enjoyment, but may also distract the audience and reduce the direct impact of the actor's performance.
In this metaphor, high-fat foods are like those gorgeous sets, which add a lot of color to the dinner party, but for the sildenafil actor, it means that he needs more time to prepare, more time to adapt to the environment. This means that the onset time of the drug may be delayed by about 1 hour, like an actor waiting for the audience's attention to divert from the hustle and bustle of a dinner party before he can start his performance.
In this case, the efficacy of sildenafil may be affected, as if the actor is waiting for the audience to be ready to enjoy his performance. The effect of the drug is no longer rapid and immediate, but becomes relatively slow and uncertain. This can cause some distress and inconvenience to patients who need timely results.
Case Study: Mr. Lee's Experience
Mr. Li is an entrepreneur who often takes sildenafil after meals because of his heavy social interactions. But he found that even after taking the drug, he had to wait a long time to feel the effects. On the advice of his doctor, he switched to pre-meal consumption and avoided high-fat foods, which not only shortened the onset of action, but also made the effect more stable.
Combined with the scientific interpretation of Western medicine classics
The mechanism of action of sildenafil is to increase the activity of nitric oxide (NO) in blood vessels by inhibiting phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5), thereby relaxing vascular smooth muscle, increasing blood flow, and improving erectile function. This mechanism is elaborated in Williams Hematology. Food, especially high-fat foods, can affect the absorption and metabolism of drugs in the intestines, thus affecting the effectiveness of drugs.
In order for sildenafil, the "actor", to perform best on stage, it is recommended to take it before meals. This not only speeds up the absorption of the drug, but also avoids the effects of food on its effects. Of course, everyone's physical condition and reaction is different, so when taking sildenafil, it is best to follow your doctor's advice and adjust the time and dosage according to your own situation.
I'm Dr. Na, welcome everyone to like and follow, and say your views in the comment area, let's chat