ED guide · Medications

Does Cialis Increase Testosterone? What Studies Show

Short answer

Cialis is not a testosterone treatment and does not increase sexual desire, according to the Cialis (tadalafil) label. Small studies report mixed hormone findings; if getting or keeping an erection is your main concern, start an online ED visit and bring up any change in desire too.

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Updated Oct 31, 2026 · Written by the Mendoxa editorial team · Sources: DailyMed/FDA labels, NIH/PubMed research and the NIH-hosted AUA criteria summary. See References.

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On this page Jump to a section
  1. Key facts
  2. Does Cialis increase testosterone?
  3. What each study found
  4. Libido vs erections
  5. If low T is the real issue
  6. Cialis with testosterone therapy
  7. What each path includes
  8. Why do bodybuilders use Cialis?
  9. Safety checks before ED medication
  10. If ED is the problem you want treated now
  11. Mendoxa plans and prices
  12. FAQ
  13. How we wrote this
  14. Sources and references

Key facts at a glance

Label hormone data
Daily-use studies found no adverse effect on mean testosterone; this is not evidence of a testosterone treatmentCialis (tadalafil) label · DailyMed
Desire
Cialis does not increase a man’s sexual desire; sexual stimulation is neededCialis (tadalafil) label · patient information
Study in men with low T
Sildenafil was associated with an average 103 ng/dL rise in 140 men with low testosterone; no separate control group (Viagra (sildenafil) label)Spitzer et al. 2013 · PubMed
Low T diagnosis
Two early-morning total testosterone results below 300 ng/dL plus symptoms or signsNIH-hosted paper summarizing AUA criteria
Compounded status
The Mendoxa compounded tablet is not FDA-approvedFDA compounding Q&A

Does Cialis increase testosterone?

The Cialis (tadalafil) label lists erectile dysfunction (ED), symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), and ED with BPH as indications; testosterone deficiency is not listed. Its reproductive studies found no adverse effect on mean testosterone. That wording addresses potential harm; it does not prove a testosterone-raising benefit.

Research asks a different question: can hormone levels change after ED treatment? The Carosa 2004 abstract reported rises after tadalafil or sildenafil and proposed more frequent intercourse as a likely explanation; the Cialis (tadalafil) label and Viagra (sildenafil) label describe these as ED medicines. An observed hormone change does not establish that either treats low T.

Compare sildenafil vs tadalafil for ED care, or read the tadalafil guide before your visit.

Tadalafil, sildenafil and testosterone: what each study found

Check who was studied before applying a result to yourself. Most studies were small, short and had no placebo group. One enrolled only men who already had low testosterone.

Study → men studied → what happened to testosterone → source (accessed Oct 31, 2026)
Drug · men studied · designWhat happened to testosteroneLimitsSource
Tadalafil or sildenafil · 74 men with ED · open-label, retrospective · 3 months · 2004Total and free testosterone started at the bottom of the normal range and rose in both groups; the reported rise was larger with tadalafil. These were ED treatments, as described in the Viagra (sildenafil) label and Cialis (tadalafil) label.The authors think more frequent intercourse probably explains it, not a direct drug effect. No placebo group.Carosa et al., Clin Endocrinol
Tadalafil on demand · 20 men with ED, hypogonadism excluded · open-label · 12 months · 2006No significant change in total or free testosterone (411.4 → 434.2 ng/dL; not significant). See the Cialis (tadalafil) label.Small, uncontrolled; a ratio change is not a testosterone increase.Greco et al., J Sex Med
Sildenafil · 140 men aged 40–70 with ED and low testosterone · 3–7 weeks · 2013Mean total testosterone rose 103 ng/dL; the authors suggested a direct testicular effect. See the Viagra (sildenafil) label.No separate control group; men with low T only.Spitzer et al., Andrology
Tadalafil 10 mg or 20 mg daily · men in label studies · 6 to 9 monthsNo adverse effect on mean testosterone, LH or FSH; sperm concentration fell in two of three studies (clinical significance unknown).Designed to check for harm, not to raise testosterone.Cialis (tadalafil) label

Sources: Carosa 2004; Greco 2006; Spitzer 2013; Cialis (tadalafil) label; Viagra (sildenafil) label. Abstract figures only. Accessed Oct 31, 2026.

How to read this: the sildenafil finding came from men with low testosterone and no separate control group; it is not a head-to-head comparison with the tadalafil studies. The Cialis (tadalafil) label and Viagra (sildenafil) label do not indicate these drugs for testosterone deficiency.

Do not count the Spitzer papers as independent groups: the 2013 hormone analysis describes the sildenafil phase of the same Testosterone and Erectile Dysfunction trial reported in the 2012 combination-treatment paper. See the Viagra (sildenafil) label for the approved ED use.

Does Cialis increase libido? Does Viagra make you horny?

Neither pill creates desire. The patient information in the Cialis (tadalafil) label says Cialis does not “increase a man’s sexual desire” and that “some form of sexual stimulation is needed for an erection to happen.” The Viagra (sildenafil) label says sildenafil “has no effect in the absence of sexual stimulation.”

Does Viagra make you horny? The Viagra (sildenafil) label reports improved desire questionnaire scores in ED trials, but also says sildenafil has no effect without sexual stimulation. Those questionnaire results do not establish it as a treatment for low desire.

Describe the problem in your own words at the visit: “I want sex but lose firmness,” “I rarely feel interested,” or “both.” For related questions, read low testosterone and ED or performance anxiety and ED.

If low T is the real issue

Low testosterone is diagnosed with blood tests and symptoms, not with an ED pill. Under AUA criteria, low T means two early-morning total testosterone results below 300 ng/dL; deficiency means low levels plus symptoms or signs (NIH-hosted paper summarizing AUA criteria).

  • Low sex drive or reduced sexual function
  • Difficulty reaching orgasm
  • Low energy, low mood, irritability
  • Reduced strength, endurance or muscle; fat gain

These symptoms come from the same NIH-hosted paper summarizing AUA criteria; use this list to prepare questions for your clinician. Testosterone therapy is a separate prescription for deficiency caused by a medical condition (see the AndroGel (testosterone) label; FDA’s testosterone labeling update keeps the limitation for age-related hypogonadism). For the fuller picture, read low testosterone and ED.

Can you take Cialis with testosterone therapy?

Have your prescriber assess the pairing. The Cialis (tadalafil) label, Viagra (sildenafil) label and AndroGel (testosterone) label do not list an interaction with one another. An absent interaction listing does not establish that a combination is suitable for you; share your full medication list.

The Spitzer 2012 randomized trial tested sildenafil with testosterone gel, not tadalafil: 140 men with ED and low testosterone received optimized sildenafil, then testosterone or placebo gel for 14 weeks. Adding testosterone was not superior for erectile function; this cannot answer whether Cialis plus testosterone would help you (Viagra (sildenafil) label; AndroGel (testosterone) label).

The trial did not test testosterone without sildenafil. Read does TRT help ED? to prepare that separate conversation.

What each path includes

Start with the problem you want help with. Use this guide to prepare for the visit and decide which questions to bring.

What each path includes · accessed Oct 31, 2026
Your priorityStarting pointWhat to discuss
I mainly want firmer erectionsOnline ED visit or in-person clinician; Viagra (sildenafil) label and Cialis (tadalafil) labelWhich treatment fits your health and medicines; both drugs need sexual stimulation. Prescription required.
My desire, energy or mood has droppedTestosterone testing with a clinician (NIH-hosted paper summarizing AUA criteria)Two early-morning tests plus symptoms; read low testosterone and ED.
I already use testosterone therapyThe clinician who prescribes it; AndroGel (testosterone) labelTell both prescribers about every medicine; see does TRT help ED?
I want to know whether Mendoxa fitsMendoxa online ED visitIndependent licensed providers assess suitability; the compounded tablet is not FDA-approved. Ask the provider which concerns this ED visit can address.

Sources: Viagra (sildenafil) label; Cialis (tadalafil) label; NIH-hosted paper summarizing AUA criteria; AndroGel (testosterone) label; FDA compounding Q&A; Mendoxa care information. Accessed Oct 31, 2026.

Before your visit: note when the problem started, whether desire or firmness changed first, any testosterone results with collection times, and all medicines and supplements. ED medication options can help you prepare questions.

Could Mendoxa ED care fit you?

Online ED visit · Prescription required · Independent licensed providers · Not available in California

Start my Mendoxa ED visit

Why do bodybuilders use Cialis?

MIMIT Health’s fitness article promotes tadalafil for a hoped-for “pump” or body-composition benefit. Those are not indications in the Cialis (tadalafil) label. In Aversa’s 2017 study, 43 men with mild ED or urinary symptoms were studied for 2 months; abdominal lean mass increased in the daily-use group and returned to baseline after 2 months off treatment (Cialis (tadalafil) label).

The abstract does not report a testosterone increase or establish benefits for bodybuilders. The Cialis (tadalafil) label contraindicates nitrates and warns against ED treatment when sexual activity is inadvisable because of cardiovascular status. For questions about other products, read supplements for ED.

Safety checks before ED medication

Do not add another ED medicine to an existing treatment on your own: the Viagra (sildenafil) label and Cialis (tadalafil) label say combinations with other PDE5 inhibitors or ED therapies have not been studied and advise against such use. See ED medication and nitrates for more detail.

If ED is the problem you want treated now

Make the online visit about your actual symptoms. Share when firmness or desire changed, current medicines, and any hormone results with collection times. Independent licensed providers assess whether treatment is appropriate. Prescription required. See Mendoxa ED care for the process.

Mendoxa offers a compounded rapid-dissolve tablet containing sildenafil, tadalafil and apomorphine. It is not FDA-approved. The Viagra (sildenafil) label, Cialis (tadalafil) label and APOKYN (apomorphine) label concern separate products; APOKYN is an injectable Parkinson’s treatment, and none of these labels establishes the safety or effectiveness of this combination.

Ask whether the compounded combination ED tablet fits your history. If prescribed, the single Mendoxa table below shows quantities and costs; your provider decides whether to prescribe.

Mendoxa ED plans and prices

The Mendoxa ED tablet is a compounded rapid-dissolve tablet with sildenafil (the active ingredient in Viagra), tadalafil (the active ingredient in Cialis) and apomorphine (APOKYN label). It dissolves under the tongue. A licensed clinician decides if it fits you and selects the strength. Compounded medicines are not FDA-approved.

Mendoxa ED plans from the intake, accessed Oct 31, 2026
Tablets per month1-month totalPer tablet (1 month)3-month totalPer tablet (3 months)
6 tablets / month$129$21.50$329$18.28
10 tablets / month$149$14.90$379$12.63
20 tablets / month$179$8.95$449$7.48

The 3-month total covers three months at the monthly tablet quantity shown.

If prescribed · Cancel anytime · Available in 49 states (not California). Prices from the Mendoxa intake at try.mendoxa.co/f/ed on Oct 31, 2026. The intake always shows the current price.

FAQ

Does Viagra increase testosterone?

One uncontrolled Spitzer 2013 study in 140 men with low testosterone found an average rise of 103 ng/dL after sildenafil. The Viagra (sildenafil) label does not list any testosterone effect, and sildenafil is not a testosterone treatment.

Does Cialis increase libido or does Viagra make you horny?

The Cialis (tadalafil) label says it does not increase sexual desire. The Viagra (sildenafil) label says sildenafil has no effect without sexual stimulation, although desire questionnaire scores improved in its ED trials. Bring low desire up separately during your visit.

How long does it take for tadalafil 20 mg to start working?

The Cialis (tadalafil) label says as-needed use may allow sexual activity from 30 minutes after taking it and up to 36 hours afterward; sexual stimulation is needed. This is an opportunity window, not a continuous erection or a fixed start time. Follow your prescription; see how long Cialis lasts.

What is tadalafil used for?

The Cialis (tadalafil) label lists ED, signs and symptoms of BPH, and ED with BPH. It does not list low testosterone or low libido as indications. Read the tadalafil guide for the ED-care discussion.

Can you take Cialis every day?

Yes, if prescribed: the Cialis (tadalafil) label includes once-daily dosing for ED starting at 2.5 mg, and as-needed use no more than once per day. Your prescriber chooses the schedule; see daily tadalafil.

Why do bodybuilders use Cialis?

Fitness marketing promotes a “pump” or body-composition effect, but the Cialis (tadalafil) label does not approve these uses. The Aversa 2017 abstract reports a temporary abdominal lean-mass increase in a small study of men with ED or urinary symptoms; it does not establish a testosterone increase or a bodybuilding benefit.

Ready to see if the Mendoxa ED tablet fits you?

From $129/month if prescribed · Cancel anytime · Available in 49 states (not California)

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How we wrote this

Written by the Mendoxa editorial team · Sources: DailyMed/FDA. Medical facts on this page come from the FDA-approved labels on DailyMed and Drugs@FDA; each drug name links to its label. We checked sources on Oct 31, 2026 and used the saved full labels and PubMed abstracts to audit the draft. Study results apply to the men studied; they do not establish treatment for testosterone deficiency. The AUA criteria are attributed to the linked NIH-hosted summary, rather than presented as a direct guideline quotation. Approved-product labels do not establish the safety or effectiveness of Mendoxa’s compounded combination.

Updated Oct 31, 2026. This page is general information, not medical advice. A licensed clinician decides what fits you.

References

  1. DailyMed: VIAGRA (sildenafil citrate) tablet, film coated, label revised 12/2017. Accessed Oct 31, 2026.
  2. DailyMed: CIALIS (tadalafil) tablet, film coated, label revised 3/2026. Accessed Oct 31, 2026.
  3. DailyMed: APOKYN (apomorphine hydrochloride) injection, label revised 6/2022. Accessed Oct 31, 2026.
  4. FDA (Drugs@FDA): VIAGRA (sildenafil) prescribing information, NDA 020895. Accessed Oct 31, 2026.
  5. FDA (Drugs@FDA): CIALIS (tadalafil) prescribing information, NDA 021368. Accessed Oct 31, 2026.
  6. FDA: Compounding and the FDA, questions and answers. Accessed Oct 31, 2026.
  7. Carosa E, et al. Type V phosphodiesterase inhibitor treatments for erectile dysfunction increase testosterone levels. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 2004;61(3):382-6. PMID 15355456. Accessed Oct 31, 2026.
  8. Greco EA, et al. Testosterone:estradiol ratio changes associated with long-term tadalafil administration: a pilot study. J Sex Med. 2006;3(4):716-722. PMID 16839328. Accessed Oct 31, 2026.
  9. Spitzer M, et al. Sildenafil increases serum testosterone levels by a direct action on the testes. Andrology. 2013;1(6):913-8. PMID 24106072. Accessed Oct 31, 2026.
  10. Spitzer M, et al. Effect of testosterone replacement on response to sildenafil citrate in men with erectile dysfunction: a parallel, randomized trial. Ann Intern Med. 2012;157(10):681-91. PMID 23165659. Accessed Oct 31, 2026.
  11. Aversa A, et al. Tadalafil improves lean mass and endothelial function in nonobese men with mild ED/LUTS. Endocrine. 2017;56(3):639-648. PMID 28133708. Accessed Oct 31, 2026.
  12. DailyMed: AndroGel 1.62% (testosterone) label. Accessed Oct 31, 2026.
  13. FDA: testosterone labeling changes, February 28, 2025. Accessed Oct 31, 2026.
  14. NIH-hosted clinical paper: AUA criteria in the introduction. Accessed Oct 31, 2026.
  15. Mendoxa ED care (product, format, max 1 dose per 24 hours). Accessed Oct 31, 2026.
  16. Mendoxa ED intake: plan prices (term_options). Accessed Oct 31, 2026.

About Mendoxa

Mendoxa (mendoxa.co) is a US telehealth brand. Independent licensed providers (licensed clinicians in the LocumTele network) review each online visit, and prescriptions are filled by Rush Pharmacy, a licensed US pharmacy. Available in 49 states (not California).

  • Prescription required. A licensed clinician reviews every visit and can say no. A prescription is not automatic.
  • A compounded medicine is not an FDA-approved finished product (FDA compounding Q&A).
  • Plans: 1 month or 3 months, from $129. If prescribed · Cancel anytime · Available in 49 states (not California).

Explore Mendoxa ED care

Compounded medication prescribed only if a licensed U.S. clinician decides it is appropriate. Not FDA-approved as a finished product. Not available in California. This site is not for emergencies. Call 911 if you need urgent care.