Now, that same drug may bring on the Endless Weekend.

Cialis, in a lower dose form, has been approved for long-term daily use for erectile dysfunction (ED).

 According to an article in The Medical Letter, the traditional “ondemand” dose is usually 10 or 20 mg. In Canada, the manufacturer recommends daily dosing starting at 5 mg, possibly dropping down to the 2.5 mg level if that will do the job.

 The objective is to reach a steady state of the drug in the bloodstream, so that any time is the right time for love. A news release from manufacturer Eli Lilly suggests that once-daily Cialis “may be most appropriate for men with ED who anticipate more frequent sexual activity (e.g. twice weekly).”

 Of course, this move needs to be discussed with a physician and, one would hope, any affected sex partner(s) as well. (Those on the receiving end of all this extra loving may not be as eager as the pill-takers.)

 It’s also important to note that all of these so-called PDE5 inhibitor drugs work by enabling erections through altering blood flow in the penis, so it’s a biological thing. What goes on in the mind is a different and probably much more complex matter.

The science behind the dose:

 A major study supporting this new dosing plan was led by Dr. Hartmut Porst in Hamburg, Germany. It was conducted in several countries in a double blind, randomized, placebocontrolled fashion. A total of 268 men, ranging in age from 21 to 78, were tested, all of whom who’d had erectile dysfunction symptoms for more than a year.

 Almost 85 per cent of the men who took Cialis reported improved erections, while only 28 per cent of those getting a placebo said things improved in the bedroom. Even better, about half of the Cialis-taking men reported “no ED” at the end of the study.

Complete article:

http://www.canada.com/topics/lifestyle/relationships/story.html?id=1000511