Vardenafil
Which Vardenafil dosage is best for me?
The perfect Vardenafil dose for you is the lowest dose possible which can offer you everything you want from your ED treatment with the least amount of side effects possible.
Which Vardenafil dosage you’re prescribed will depend on a few things, like how your body tolerates Vardenafil (whether you get any side effects), whether it’s your first time trying Vardenafil, whether you’re taking any medications which may interact with it, and whether you have any pre-existing conditions which can up your chances of side effects.
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Medically reviewed by
Dr Alexandra Cristina Cowell
Writer & Clinical Content Reviewer
on Sep 03, 2025.
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Last updated on Sep 19, 2025.
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Vardenafil is the generic active ingredient that was in the well-known ED medication Levitra, which is now discontinued in the US. It comes in doses of 5mg, 10mg or 20mg. If this is your first time on Vardenafil your prescriber will recommend a dose based on your medical history and whether you’re taking any other medications which may interact with Vardenafil. It’s always good to be aware of the side effects of any medication you’re taking or thinking about taking.
Normally if you’re healthy, under the age of 75 and you’re not taking medications like nitrate drugs and alpha-blockers (which are known to interact with Vardenafil), your clinician will prescribe a starting dose of 10mg. If after a few tries you find you’re not reaching your potential in the bedroom, don’t worry. Speak with your prescriber, and they may consider increasing your dose to 20mg if you didn’t experience side effects with the 10mg dose.
Vardenafil 20mg: the max dose
Vardenafil 20mg is the maximum dose available. When you start ED treatment, it’s unlikely you’ll be prescribed 20 mg.
Vardenafil 20mg is what your doctor may recommend if you’ve tried the 10mg dose a few times, didn’t get the results you’re looking for and didn’t experience side effects. As Vardenafil 20mg is the maximum dose there is no Vardenafil or Vardenafil 30mg and you should never take more than one tablet in any 24 hour period.
In clinical trials of 573 men receiving Vardenafil tablets at 20mg, 81% achieved first-time successful penetration and 70% were able to get and maintain an erection. After 4 weeks of treatment, men were able to achieve reliable erections and side effects were mild including headache, flushing and nasal congestion.
Most of us have a preconception that more is better, so a Vardenafil 20mg tablet would logically offer better erections than a 10mg tablet. This isn’t the case — if you’re able to get an erection on the 10mg dose, a 20mg dose isn’t going to beat that. It will only increase your risk of side effects. This is why your prescriber will start you on 10mg, increasing you to 20mg only if 10mg doesn’t offer you results.
If you’re prescribed 20mg and find you’re experiencing too many side effects, speak with your clinician. This isn’t anything to worry about and is just a case of finding the right treatment for you. If 20mg isn’t working, your prescriber may suggest another type of ED pill or an alternative treatment.
How long does Vardenafil 20mg take to work?
Between 25 and 60 minutes. If you’ve taken Vardenafil with or after a heavy meal, it may take longer than the usual 60-minute window to take effect. Once taken, it should stay active in your system for up to five hours. In the same way that Vardenafil 20mg pills won’t give you longer-lasting, harder erections if you can already achieve an erection with a 10mg dose, a higher dose won’t mean that Vardenafil works faster.
If you’re prescribed a 5mg dose, perhaps because of a pre-existing medical condition or because you experience side effects with the 10mg dose, and the 5mg dose gets to work within that 25 and 60 minutes window, “upgrading” to a 10mg dose won’t help it “kick in” faster — it will only increase your chance of getting side effects.
The Vardenafil ODT (Orally Disintegrating Tablet), formerly sold as Staxyn, works a little faster than the oral tablet form. Vardenafil oro-dispersible tablets melt on your tongue and therefore absorb slightly different to regular vardenafil. In clinical trials with vardenafil OD, 34.5% of men with ED were able to achieve an erection within 15 minutes and 21.8% within 30 minutes.
Vardenafil 10mg: the starting dose
Vardenafil 10mg is the standard starting dose when beginning treatment, and for good reason. In clinical trials it’s generally the most effective dose of Vardenafil for the majority of men and is found to have the least amount of side effects.
For example, a 10mg dose of vardenafil works for around 75.5% of men. As far as vardenafil 20mg vs 10mg, a 20mg dose is effective for around 80.8% of men. Whilst there isn’t a massive difference between how effective the two doses are, 20mg will carry a greater risk of side effects. So it’s only prescribed for men who can’t achieve the results they’re looking for with the 10mg dose.
How long does Vardenafil 10mg last?
Vardenafil lasts for four to five hours; this means that during that window of up to 5 hours you should find getting an erection much easier. This is the same for the Vardenafil 10mg dosage, 20mg dosage and 5mg dosage.
If you take the 10mg dose of Vardenafil and find that you get an erection and can continue to get an erection for that 4-5 hour window, a higher dose won’t necessarily mean that Vardenafil’s effect will last longer. What this will do is increase the chances that you will experience unnecessary side effects.
If you find that the 4-5 hour window isn’t long enough, speak with your prescriber. They may suggest swapping to a different ED pill such as Cialis which can offer an effective time of up to 36 hours.
Can you get Vardenafil oro-dispersible in other doses besides 10mg?
The oro-dispersible version of Vardenafil is only available in 10mg tablets. If you’re looking for the most discreet method possible of taking your ED medication, this may be an option. Taken as needed, 25 to 60 minutes before sex, the oro-dispersible Vardenafil has a quick-dissolving formula that melts on your tongue and gets to work a little faster than regular Vardenafil.
One tablet (10mg) is the maximum dose of Vardenafil ODT and there are no other doses available. This means you can only take a maximum of one vardenafil ODT per day. If a 10mg dose of vardenafil doesn’t offer you the results you’re looking for, you’ll need to go with regular Vardenafil which is available at a 20mg dose.
Vardenafil 5mg: the low dose
If you experience side effects when taking Vardenafil or have a pre-existing medical condition that changes how your body metabolizes Vardenafil, you may be prescribed Vardenafil 5mg.
This could be your initial starting dose prescribed by your clinician based on your medical history or any other medications you’re taking, or you may start out on a 10mg dose and come down to a 5mg dose after experiencing side effects.
If you’re starting on Vardenafil 5mg or your dose is lowered, don’t worry. This will be an effort by your prescriber to minimize any side effects you may experience, not a measure of how effective your ED treatment is.
A 5mg dose is still an effective treatment for ED allowing the majority of men treated (64.9%) to both get an erection and maintain an erection for the duration of sex.
Switching dosages on Vardenafil
If your health changes or if you’re prescribed a new medication, it’s a good idea to let your prescriber know as soon as possible. This is because certain conditions and medications can interact with Vardenafil. Letting them know allows them to judge whether your dose should be lowered to minimize the chance of you experiencing any side effects.
Equally, if you start treatment with a 10mg dose but find you aren’t able to get an erection or it isn’t working as well as you’d like, let your prescriber know. After a few goes with Vardenafil both you and your clinician will have a good idea of how your body is responding. For example, if you’re not experiencing side effects on the standard starting dose of 10mg and you aren’t able to get an erection, your clinician may consider increasing your dose to 20mg.
Can I take two Vardenafil tablets if one doesn’t work?
No. You should never alter your prescribed dose by taking more than one tablet at a time. The maximum safe dose is 20mg in a 24-hour period. If you’ve been prescribed 5mg or 10mg tablets and find them ineffective, don’t take another tablet. Instead, talk to your prescriber. They might decide it’s safe to issue you with a new prescription for a higher-strength tablet, such as 20mg.
Reference Popover #ref1
Treated trusted source
Valiquette, L., Montorsi, F., & Auerbach, S. 2008.
Vardenafil demonstrates first-dose success and reliability of penetration and maintenance of erection in men with erectile dysfunction - RELY-II. Canadian Urological Association journal = Journal de l'Association des urologues du Canada. 2(3): 187–195.
Reference Popover #ref2
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Capogrosso, P., et al. 2017.
Time of onset of vardenafil orodispersible tablet in a real-life setting - looking beyond randomized clinical trials. Expert review of clinical pharmacology. 10(3): 339–344.
Reference Popover #ref3
Treated trusted source
Hellstrom, W., et al. 2002.
Vardenafil for Treatment of Breakthroughs in Andrology Men With Erectile Dysfunction: Efficacy and Safety in a Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial. Journal of Andrology. 23(6): 1-9.
Reference Popover #ref4
Treated trusted source
Hellstrom, W., et al. (2003).
Sustained efficacy and tolerability of vardenafil, a highly potent selective phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitor, in men with erectile dysfunction: results of a randomized, double-blind, 26-week placebo-controlled pivotal trial. Urology. 61(4): 8-14, ISSN 0090-4295
This page was medically reviewed by Dr Alexandra Cristina Cowell, Writer & Clinical Content Reviewer on Sep 03, 2025. Next review due on Sep 03, 2028.
Last updated on Sep 19, 2025.
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