Does CBD Interact With Vardenafil (Levitra)?

Other Names For Vardenafil (Levitra)

Vardenafil is sold under many different names. All share the same risk and potential interactions.

Other names for vardenafil include:

• Auvitra
• Filitra
• Levifil
• Penafil
• Staxyn
• Valif
• Vardegra
• Vilitra
• Viprofil
• Vivanza
• Zhewitra

Similar Medications: CBD & PDE5 Inhibitors

CBD and erectile dysfunction medications (PDE5 inhibitors) all share similar risks for interaction and side effects. The main concern with this class is an increased risk of side effects such as headaches, priapism, indigestion, or diarrhea.  

Here’s a list of similar medications that share a similar level of risk when combined with CBD:

• Tadalafil (Cialis)
• Sildenafil (Viagra)
• Avanafil (Stendra)
• Mirodenafil (Mvix)
• Udenafil (Zydena)

Is It Safe to Take CBD and Vardenafil (Levitra) Together?

Vardenafil and CBD’s interaction is considered mild. 

Always take caution when using these two drugs together. The most suitable way to prevent any interaction between these two medications is to consume one drug only when the course of the other drug has finished. 

You should always talk with your medical practitioner if you wish to start using CBD while using vardenafil. 

A low dosage of both the drugs may have fewer side effects. Adequate spacing or taking them on alternate days may prevent or lessen some side effects. However, if you encounter any unusual side effects, contact your medical practitioner immediately. 

Related: What Are the Side Effects of CBD?

Is CBD A Viable Alternative to Vardenafil (Levitra)?

CBD is not considered a direct alternative to vardenafil.

CBD is undergoing studies to see its effectiveness in many conditions, including erectile dysfunction. However, the mechanisms of these two substances are entirely different. 

The benefits of CBD for improving erections come from the anxiolytic action (alleviating performance anxiety as a cause for ED).

Vardenafil is very different — acting directly on the blood flow to the penis, facilitating erections mechanically. This means CBD is not a good alternative for vardenafil. 

There are also some studies suggesting CBD may have a negative impact on erectile function. A study conducted on male mice showed that the chronic use of CBD caused impaired sexual behavior [1]. The more CBD these mice were made to consume, the lower their sexual drive was. Another study showed that ED was twice as high in men who used cannabis regularly [2]. 

A study showed that CBD may be capable of reducing symptoms of ED and increasing libido by decreasing anxiety in the users [3]. 

What is Vardenafil (Levitra)? 

Vardenafil is a phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitor. Levitra is one of its brand names. 

It’s used to treat erectile dysfunction (ED) and pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH).

It is an FDA-approved drug. It is available as a prescription-only drug in most countries.  

Vardenafil (Levitra) Specs:

What Does Vardenafil (Levitra) Do?

Vardenafil works by inhibiting the degradative action of the cGMP-specific phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) on cyclic GMP found in the smooth muscle cells that border the blood vessels in different kinds of tissues. PDE5 is mainly found in corpora cavernosa, vascular smooth muscles, visceral smooth muscles, and platelets. 

Vardenafil increases the blood flow to a flaccid penis, causing it to become erect. 

Generally, in sexual intercourse, after an adequate amount of foreplay, there will be a release of nitric oxide (NO) from nerve terminals and endothelial cells. This action releases cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) too. 

The cGMP’s release causes the muscles of corpora cavernosa in the penis to relax and the blood vessels to get dilated. It leads to a rapid entry of blood into those vessels, causing the penis to engorge, grow large, and get erect. The penis stays so until the end of the intercourse and until after ejaculation occurs.  

The enzyme PDE5 prevents blood vessels in the penis from relaxing. It does this by causing the degradation of cGMP. In most ED patients, the blood vessels in the penis are also affected and lose their ability to relax properly or have some obstructions in them. 

Vardenafil inhibits PDE5 and increases the level of cGMP in the corpus cavernosum. It also allows more blood to flow into the penis and causes the penis to get erect long enough to have sex. 

However, vardenafil needs proper sexual stimulation to do its work. It has a half-life of 4 to 6 hours, which is slightly longer than sildenafil, another popular PDE5 inhibitor drug. 

Apart from the presence of PDE5 in the corpus cavernosum of the penis, PDE5 is also present in the pulmonary vasculature. Hence, vardenafil can increase cGMP within pulmonary vascular smooth muscle cells and cause them to relax. In patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension, this can lead to vasodilation of the pulmonary vascular bed and systemic circulation. Vardenafil can also help to treat premature ejaculation by increasing the ejaculatory control in affected users. 

This drug may show mild to dangerous interactions when combined with some medications. These include nitrates, antihypertensive medications, guanylate cyclase stimulators, antacids, grapefruit products, CYP3A4 inhibitors, and CYP3A4 inducers. Vardenafil should not be used with these medications. 

It is not recommended for use in women and children. It does not cause dependence and addiction. 

Vardenafil is not recommended for consumption alongside alcohol of any form. It must be avoided in users with severe heart disease, hypersensitivity to sildenafil, priapism, severe renal and liver disease, stomach ulcers, retinitis pigmentosa, and blood disorders. 

Side Effects of Vardenafil (Levitra)

• Headaches
• Tingling sensation in the limbs and extremities
• Hot flushes
• Abdominal pain 
• Bluish tinted vision
• Loss of vision
• Sensitivity to light
• Nasal blockage
• Back pain
• Nausea
• Abnormal vision
• Skin rash
• Dyspepsia
• Diarrhea
• Muscle pain
• Prolonged and painful erection

Key Takeaways: Is it Safe to Take Vardenafil (Levitra) With CBD?

CBD can slow down the metabolism of vardenafil in the body and make it more potent. It can also make them last longer, causing greater side effects. So the best way to take them is to finish one’s dosage before starting the other. 

Do not take these medications of your own accord, and always talk to your physician before you begin. 

If you need to take them together, it may be good to take only the minimum dosage of both medications. There must also be proper spacing in timing between them both. 

If you encounter any unusual side effects, contact your physician at once. The research regarding CBD’s potentials as a medication for erectile dysfunction is still lacking.  

References

1. Carvalho, R. K., Andersen, M. L., & Mazaro‐Costa, R. (2020). The effects of cannabidiol on male reproductive system: A literature review. Journal of Applied Toxicology, 40(1), 132-150. 
2. Pizzol, D., Demurtas, J., Stubbs, B., Soysal, P., Mason, C., Isik, A. T., … & Veronese, N. (2019). Relationship between cannabis use and erectile dysfunction: a systematic review and meta-analysis. American journal of men’s health, 13(6), 1557988319892464. 
3. Blessing, E. M., Steenkamp, M. M., Manzanares, J., & Marmar, C. R. (2015). Cannabidiol as a potential treatment for anxiety disorders. Neurotherapeutics, 12(4), 825-836.