Sildenafil works by increasing blood flow to the penis, helping men achieve and maintain an erection during sexual activity. But it’s not just for ED – sildenafil is wildly popular among bodybuilders and athletes for it’s ability to boost endurance and reduce muscle fatigue.
Sildenafil benefits in bodybuilding
Improve workout performance by enhancing blood flow
Aid muscle recovery post-workout
Potentially contribute to lean muscle mass development
Here are these points explained further:
Improved workout performance stems from sildenafil’s primary function – vasodilation or widening of the blood vessels. This process facilitates better oxygen and nutrient delivery to your muscles during workouts, which can lead to enhanced performance.
Aid in muscle recovery is another possible benefit. Increased blood flow might expedite the healing process after an intense workout by swiftly delivering essential nutrients needed for repair and growth.
Contribution towards lean muscle mass development comes from some studies suggesting that sildenafil may help promote protein synthesis – a key factor in developing lean muscles.
Sildenafil Dosage and mechanism of action in bodybuilding
In bodybuilding circles, this vasodilation is believed to enhance muscle pump during workouts – that satisfying feeling when your muscles swell after an intense lifting session.
It all comes down to nitric oxide (NO). When you take sildenafil before a workout, it boosts NO levels in your body which then relaxes smooth muscle tissue leading to dilated blood vessels and increased blood flow. The result? Better nutrient delivery and waste removal from your working muscles which could theoretically lead to improved workout performance and recovery.
You might be surprised to learn that taking viagra as a pre-workout supplement is an incredibly effective way to enhance your pump. But that’s not all! There is evidence showing that regular supplementation could increase muscle mass when combined with an effective workout program.
Dosage: Bodybuilders typically use 25-50mg of sildenafil approximately one hour before a workout.
Increased Blood Flow: By relaxing the smooth muscles in the walls of blood vessels, sildenafil helps increase circulation.
Enhanced Oxygen Supply: More blood flow equals more oxygen delivered to working muscles.
Improved Exercise Capacity: Sildenafil can potentially boost performance during workouts especially under harsh conditions.
Sildenafil side effects
Common side effects include headaches, heartburn, and flushed skin. Caution is advised in those with cardiovascular disease. Rare but serious side effects include vision problems, hearing loss, and prolonged erection (priapism) that can lead to damage to the penis. It should not be taken by people on nitric oxide donors such as nitroglycerin (glycerin trinitrate), as this may result in a serious drop in blood pressure.
Sildenafil acts by blocking phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5), an enzyme that promotes breakdown of cGMP, which regulates blood flow in the penis. It requires sexual arousal to work, and does not by itself cause or increase sexual arousal. It also results in dilation of the blood vessels in the lungs.
Bioavailability 41% (mean)
Protein binding ~96%
Metabolism Liver: CYP3A4 (major route), CYP2C9 (minor route)
Metabolites N-desmethylsildenafil (~50% potency for PDE5)
Onset of action 20 minutes
Elimination half-life 3–4 hours
Excretion Feces (~80%), urine (~13%)
More Introduction:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sildenafil#cite_note-46
