Cialis is the brand name for tadalafil, a vasodilator medication.
Cialis is primarily used to treat erectile dysfunction (difficulty achieving and maintaining an erection), enlarged prostate, and high blood pressure in the lungs (pulmonary arterial hypertension).
Vasodilators like Cialis work by dilating (widening) blood vessels, which helps to increase blood flow to different organs in your body.
Cialis was approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2003 for the treatment of erectile dysfunction.
It’s available in 5-, 10-, and 20-milligram tablets.
Depending on the reason you’re taking Cialis, you might only take it as needed (such as before sexual intercourse), or you might need to take it daily (such as for hypertension).
You shouldn’t take Cialis more than once daily, and the dose shouldn’t exceed 20 milligrams in a day.
The good news is that Cialis might help with erectile dysfunction symptoms for up to 36 hours after a single dose, so you might not need to take it daily.
Some of the potential side effects of Cialis include:
- headache
- indigestion
- back pain
- muscle pain
- flushing
- stuffy nose
- low blood pressure (hypotension) – especially if taken with other medications like nitrates for chest pain
How long does Cialis stay in your system?
Cialis stays in your system much longer than another popular vasodilator drug used for erectile dysfunction (Viagra/Sildenafil).
Cialis has a half-life of 17.5 hours compared to four hours for Viagra.
After you take a single dose of Cialis, some of it will still be in your system after two days, with most of it clearing after several days.
How much Cialis is left in your system will depend on how much you took (the dose) and how often you took it (one day versus several consecutive days).
What is the half-life of Cialis (Tadalafil)?
Cialis is primarily metabolized by your liver (hepatic system). The half-life of a drug is the length of time it takes for half of the drug to be cleared from your system.
The half-life of Cialis is 17.5 hours. That means that, after taking a single dose of Cialis, half of that dose will remain in your system 17.5 hours later.
Here’s an example of how the half-life works for taking 10 milligrams of Cialis.
| Hours past a 10mg Cialis dose | Amount of Cialis left in your system |
| 0 hours (time of dose) | 10 milligrams |
| 17.5 hours | 5 milligrams |
| 35 hours | 2.5 milligrams |
| 52.5 hours (a little over 2 days) | 1.25 milligrams |
| 70 hours (~3 days) | 0.625 milligrams |
Does Cialis build up in your system?
Depending on how much Cialis you take, it can build up in your system. If you only take one dose of Cialis, most of it will be gone after several days.
However, if you take another dose a day or two after the first dose, the clock “resets” for that dose, so it will linger in your system longer.
If you take Cialis daily for several days, it will take a longer time to eliminate from your body.
If you have liver problems, it can take longer to clear Cialis from your system. The reason is that the method of metabolism of Cialis is through your liver (some drugs are cleared by your kidneys).
If your liver isn’t healthy or fully functioning, Cialis might linger in your system longer than the standard 17.5-hour half-life schedule.
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How to flush Cialis out of your system
There really isn’t a way to “flush” Cialis out of your system on your own. You have to allow your liver to do the work, which can’t efficiently be expedited by anything that you do.
There are some things you can do to support your liver’s ability to clear Cialis from your system. Here are a few ways to support liver health and drug clearance from your system:
- Eat a healthy diet. Your liver works to detoxify your body from toxins, medications, and more. You can support your liver health by eating a healthy diet that isn’t high in added sugars or saturated fats and is rich in antioxidant-rich foods like fruits and vegetables.
- Avoid alcohol. Your liver clears alcohol from your system by metabolizing it. If you drink alcohol (especially excessively), your liver will have a harder time clearing Cialis from your body. Excessive alcohol intake can lead to liver cirrhosis (scarring) and hepatitis (inflammation of your liver), which can inhibit its ability to effectively clear medications like Cialis out of your system.
- Avoid excessive use of other medications, herbs, etc. If you’re taking a slew of medications, herbs, and supplements, it might make it harder for your liver to flush Cialis from your system. If you want to help flush Cialis from your body, be prudent about the use of other medications, supplements, or herbs during that time.
- Stay hydrated. While drinking water probably won’t flush Cialis from your system any faster, staying hydrated is essential for your overall health and organ function.
Cialis withdrawal
Some medications come with the risk of withdrawal, which can include unpleasant symptoms due to the dependence on the drug. Fortunately, Cialis isn’t a drug thought to cause physical dependence.
You shouldn’t stop taking Cialis without the guidance of your healthcare provider if you’re taking it for high blood pressure (high blood pressure left untreated can lead to serious health problems) or other chronic conditions.
If you’re taking Cialis as needed (not daily) for things like erectile dysfunction, then you’re less likely to have problems from discontinuing it.
If you discontinue Cialis, you’re most likely to notice:
- Cessation of any symptoms you were experiencing, such as headaches, flushing, etc.
- Return of erectile dysfunction symptoms (if that’s the reason you were taking Cialis)
- Increase in blood pressure (if you were taking it for forms of hypertension)
Conclusion
- Cialis is a brand name for tadalafil, a vasodilator medication. Vasodilators work to prevent constriction (narrowing) of arteries, helping to increase blood flow to your body’s organs.
- Cialis is primarily used to treat symptoms of erectile dysfunction (ED), as well as some forms of high blood pressure and other prostate issues.
- The half-life of Cialis (the time it takes for half of the original dose to be cleared from your system) is 17.5 hours, which is much longer than the other popular vasodilator for ED (Viagra).
- Cialis is cleared from your system by your liver. While you can’t speed up this process on your own, you can help support your liver’s ability to clear Cialis from your system by promoting liver health (avoiding alcohol & excessive medication use, etc).
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