Does Viagra make you horny?

Written with

Dr Matthew Chan

If you’re wondering ‘does Viagra make men horny?’ the short answer is no.

Viagra contains the drug sildenafil, and is taken as a treatment option for erectile dysfunction (ED). It’s one of several types of ED pills (called PDE5 inhibitors) which includes Cialis (tadalafil), Stendra (avanafil), Levitra and Staxyn (vardenafil).

In 2019, sildenafil was prescribed to almost 3 million people in the US.(1) It can help men with physical erection issues impacting blood blow, but wasn’t built to help sex drive (libido).

So, if you’re already feeling hot and bothered, Viagra can help you get and maintain an erection, but if you’re just not there psychologically, popping a blue pill won’t automatically turn you on.

Why doesn’t Viagra make you horny?

We asked Urologist, Ramesh Krishnan, about the science behind how Viagra works.

“Viagra works by relaxing the blood vessels in your penis, which allows more blood to flow in. Viagra sends blood to your penis and retains it, helping you get and maintain an erection hard enough for sex. But, in order to activate Viagra, you need to feel aroused.”

Ramesh Krishan, Urologist

Let’s break this down:

When you’re feeling horny (sexually aroused), your brain sends signals to your penis
These signals should trigger the process for your penis to fill with blood and get an erection
Viagra makes it easier for blood to flow to the penis and stay there, so if you’ve taken a Viagra and you’re horny, Viagra might help you get and maintain an erection
But if you’re not feeling horny, your brain won’t send the signals in the first place, blood won’t flow to the penis, and you won’t get an erection – even if you’ve taken a Viagra.

So, in summary, Viagra will only spring into action if you’re already horny, as you need your brain to send blood to your penis for the ED pill to work.

Why Viagra doesn’t work for psychological ED

Psychological erectile dysfunction is when you can’t get it up for mental or emotional reasons. Some causes of psychological ED include:

“When you are feeling anxious your body could be in ‘fight or flight’ mode. It’s busy directing blood to your muscles and brain and away from the penis. This can cause erection issues and could result in a drop in your libido (sex drive). Viagra will only work if you are feeling aroused and men can end up feeling disappointed it isn’t a magic pill that can guarantee an erection.”

Amanda Barge, Psychosexual and Relationship Therapist

Men are often prescribed Viagra, even if they’re having psychological erection issues. If after reading this, you think that you might have psychological ED (or if your libido isn't where you want it to be), you can try a pill-free solution by giving Mojo’s trial a go. We will help you fix the root of your sexual issues, so you can enjoy a better sex life in the long-run, rather than just achieving a one-off, temporary erection.

‍Does Viagra make you hornier?

If you’re already horny, Viagra won't make you hornier – in the same way that it won’t get you horny in the first place.

However, taking sildenafil might ease some of the pressure around maintaining an erection. It could help you feel more relaxed, and give you more confidence about having sex.(2) By removing the pressure to perform, you might be freed up to feel hornier, and this allows blood to return to the penis.

This could be an indirect ‘placebo’ effect’, rather than the direct impact of PDE5s causing you to feel hornier.(3)

Does Viagra make you horny or just hard?

Viagra doesn’t make you horny, and it also doesn’t make you instantly hard. If you don’t feel like having sex, then Viagra won’t give you an erection. You have to feel horny for your brain to send blood to your penis, and only then can Viagra help by encouraging more blood flow to your penis and keeping it there (that's how you get hard).

In a nutshell, if you’re not feeling sexually aroused to begin with, then Viagra won't make you horny or hard.

You can learn more about how erections work here.

How to actually feel horny (or even hornier)

Viagra may not get you horny, but there are lots of ways to send your libido skyrocketing. By tackling the root psychological causes of your erection issues and low libido, you can get hornier, improve your erections naturally, and enjoy the sex life you want.

Here are some ways to feel horny:

Dedicate more time to foreplay

Slow down and focus on foreplay. Try:

Long make-out sessions
Oral sex
Dry humping
Sexting throughout the day

This will add intensity and anticipation to your sex life, and help build up your horniness before sex. Watching your partner enjoy themselves might also be the visual stimulation you need to turn you on.

Erotic exploration

Take some time to experiment with what turns you on:

Explore your erotic template, (consensual) kinks, fetishes, or roleplay
Watch porn with your partner (only if both of you are into it)
Use sex toys, lube, or new lingerie
Try masturbating together
Read or listen to erotic literature, and see if this makes you horny

Notice sensual sensations

Re-sensitize your body and genitals to the pleasurable sensations that arise during sex. This can increase your chances of feeling horny. You can do this by:

Mindfully masturbating
Body scans (connecting with parts of your body)
Becoming more physically present during sex

Our ‘Boosting Your Arousal’ series teaches you how to turn yourself on by following these types of exercises. You can explore more by signing up here.

Overcome pre-sex nerves

If you find yourself getting stressed before sex, your brain can become more nervous than excited, and this may mean you feel less horny. Libido begins in the brain, and to get back into your body and enjoy sex, you can use the following methods to overcome nerves and feel hornier:

Box-breathing exercises that bring your body out of ‘fight or flight’ and into a state of relaxation
Meditations that help you let go of negative thoughts and focus on the present

Not sure where to start? Here at Mojo, we have an entire course geared towards overcoming pre-sex nerves. We can help you overcome any psychological blockers getting in the way of the sex you want.

Sexual vigor without Viagra

In summary: Popping a Viagra won’t guarantee that you’ll feel horny (or hornier). And, if you’re not feeling horny, then Viagra doesn’t even guarantee an erection.

The good news is, there are plenty of other ways to get you horny and increase your libido overall.

If you're looking to increase your libido, or overcome any psychological erection issues, we’re here for you. Erections are our expertise, and a better sex life is our promise. Sign up for a trial here.

(1) https://clincalc.com/DrugStats/Drugs/Sildenafil

(2) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16681478/

(3) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7084170/

Mojo aims to provide useful wellbeing resources to its users; however, you should not solely rely on opinions or advice available on the Website or given by the Community. Always seek advice from a qualified medical doctor or other healthcare professional before acting.