Do Penis Enlargement Pills Work?
Often marketed as a cure-all for sex-related issues, many penis enlargement pills promise not just a larger member but also better sexual confidence and performance.
But do penis enlargement pills work? Or are they just a scam?
As is the case with herbal supplements promoted as sexual function boosters, pills that claim to give you a larger penis aren’t supported by scientific evidence.
Below, we’ll explain what these penis enlargement products are, plus why they’re probably not worth your money and may even open you to various risks.
We’ll also share what you can do to actually increase your penis size and sexual self-confidence, with tips including making lifestyle tweaks and trying vacuum erection devices.
What Are Penis Enlargement Pills?
Sometimes called penis growth pills, penis enlargement pills are exactly what they sound like: They’re pills that claim to make your penis bigger, whether by adding length or increasing girth.
Some of these pills make specific claims about how much your penis could grow with use. Others take a more general approach and simply claim to promote natural penis growth.
Penis growth pills are marketed using a range of theories and promises about their effects and potential benefits.
Common claims assert that these pills can:
Boost blood flow to erectile tissue
Increase testosterone levels
Improve sexual stamina
Physically increase penile size
Boost semen volume
Stimulate sex drive
Shorten the refractory period (the length of time after orgasming before you can get another erection)
Make you more attractive to other people
Improve your sex life and make sexual activity more fulfilling
But do penis enlargement pills really work? Unfortunately, there’s very little evidence that these products can fulfill any of the promises listed above.
How Do Penis Enlargement Pills Work?
Trick question. We hate to break it to you, but penis enlargement pills don’t work. They’re not supported by any scientific evidence, and there isn’t any plausible way that they can give you a bigger penis.
The penis enlargement pills available in the United States aren’t pharmaceutical medications. Instead, they tend to be supplements containing various herbal extracts, minerals, vitamins, and other fancy-sounding ingredients like horny goat weed, I-arginine, and maca root.
Though such ingredients won’t impact your penis size, they may affect your sexual function in other ways. For instance, a 2020 review on some of the most common ingredients in aphrodisiacs revealed the following potential benefits of certain ingredients:
Horny goat weed. Horny goat weed, which contains the chemical compound icariin, has long been used as an aphrodisiac due to its ability to improve blood flow, enhance smooth muscle proliferation, and act like testosterone in the body.
L-arginine. L-arginine is an amino acid that helps the body make nitric oxide, thereby improving blood flow. This improved blood flow may support better erections, though it likely won’t enhance the girth or length of your penis.
Maca root. Maca is a nutrient-rich root vegetable that has been traditionally used as a nutritional supplement and fertility enhancer. There is some limited research backing its ability to enhance erectile function. But, like horny goat weed and L-arginine, there’s absolutely no solid evidence that it’ll have any effect on your penis size.
It’s also worth mentioning that these ingredients aren’t approved or regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the same way medications are. This brings us to the next topic: safety.
Are Penis Enlargement Pills Safe?
Safety is an issue to keep in mind when considering whether or not to try penis enhancement pills. Because these pills are sold as dietary supplements, not medications, they don’t need to prove they’re safe or effective.
For example, medications for treating sexual performance issues, like sildenafil (the active ingredient in Viagra Connect), have to go through several phases of large-scale clinical trials before becoming available to the public. These trials test whether the medication in question is safe and effective for the specific condition it’s being approved to treat.
With penis growth pills, such requirements don’t exist. Because of this, manufacturers are under no obligation to provide any information about how a given product works (or whether it’s effective).
This lack of testing and regulation means certain pills marketed for their penis enlarging capabilities may also contain ingredients that aren’t just ineffective, but are also unsafe.
FDA Warnings About Male Enhancement Pills
Over the years, the FDA has investigated numerous sexual enhancement pills, including some marketed as penis enlargement supplements. It found that many contained hidden ingredients that may be unsafe.
For instance, in 2021, the FDA published a news release warning consumers about weight loss and male enhancement products sold online through Amazon, eBay, and other popular marketplaces.
In this warning, the FDA noted that it had identified nearly 70 weight loss and male enhancement products containing hidden ingredients that could pose a health risk.
These ingredients are concerning because they can be included in excessive doses or produced in unsafe facilities. The hidden ingredients may also cause interactions with other medications that many people use.
The FDA maintains an online database that catalogues notifications about these products.
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Penis Enlargement Side Effects
One of the hidden ingredients in some penis enlargement tablets is sildenafil, a common PDE5 inhibitor medication used to treat erectile dysfunction (ED).
Sildenafil is generally safe and effective when used as prescribed by a licensed healthcare provider. However, it can cause side effects and potentially severe interactions when used in conjunction with certain other medications.
Common side effects of sildenafil include:
Headaches
Dyspepsia (indigestion)
Abnormal vision
Flushing
Back pain
Nasal congestion
Myalgia (muscle pain)
Dizziness
Rash
In addition to these side effects, sildenafil and similar medications that may be hidden in penis enlargement pills can potentially cause serious drug interactions, particularly blood pressure medications like nitrates.
When sildenafil is used legally with a prescription, these side effects are still a risk. But being aware of what you are consuming provides you the opportunity to discuss the issue with your healthcare provider and then choose the right dose for your needs.
When it comes to unlicensed, under-regulated, and unregulated penis enlargement pills, there’s no way to know what hidden ingredients you may be getting, let alone the dosage.
That’s why we recommend avoiding any unapproved, under-regulated supplements that claim to enhance your penis size or promote better sexual performance.
We also strongly suggest following the FDA’s advice and throwing away any gas station sex pills or other male enhancement supplements if you already have some in your home.
If you’re concerned about your penis size, talk to your healthcare provider about your options. These may include some of the other treatment options outlined below.
What Else Can Help With Penis Growth?
While penis pills might seem appealing, the cold, hard truth is that there’s no evidence that they do anything for penis size. The even tougher truth is that outside of surgery, which has its own set of disadvantages, there isn’t that much you can do to make your penis larger.
Pharmaceutical companies have yet to produce any form of penis enlargement medicine, and there’s no evidence that any type of lotion, cream, or fancy penis stretching exercise, like jelqing, has any real size-increasing effects.
In other words, when it comes to how to make your penis larger, there aren’t any good options — at least in terms of supplements or over-the-counter medications.
That said, there are several ways to increase the perceived size of your penis and boost your sexual self-confidence. These include making certain lifestyle changes and trying medications that may help you maintain firmer, more consistent erections.
Good options for improving your perceived penis size and sexual function include:
Losing excess weight
Talking to your partner
Considering trying ED medication
Wearing a penis sleeve
Talking to a healthcare professional
Keep scrolling for specific tips and guidance.
Lose Excess Weight
If you have overweight or obesity, extra fat around your midsection could make your penis look smaller than it actually is. Research has found that a higher body mass index (BMI), is associated with a reduced visible penis length.
For improved sexual wellness, try to eat healthy, exercise, and maintain a BMI in the healthy range.
You may notice that as your waist shrinks, your penis appears larger. You can also explore weight loss medication if you believe you might benefit from more support.
Talk to Your Partner
If you’re worried about how your partner views your penis, talk to them about it! Getting this conversation started may feel uncomfortable, but you’ll likely feel better after getting your feelings out in the open.
You may find that your partner is totally satisfied with your penis size and doesn’t need—or even want—you to make an effort to make your penis larger.
Consider Trying ED Medication
Medications such as sildenafil (Viagra), tadalafil (Cialis Together), vardenafil (Levitra®), avanafil (Stendra®), and chewable ED meds won’t actually make your penis physically bigger. But they can help you achieve and maintain an erect penis more easily during sex.
ED treatment can be helpful if you find it difficult to stay completely hard during sex and feel like your penis isn’t quite as firm as it could be.
Wear a Penis Sleeve
A penis sleeve, or penis extender, is a support device you can wear on your penis during sex to enhance sensation and pleasure — both for you and for your sexual partner.
Using a penis sleeve can make your penis look and feel bigger during sex, which could be helpful if you’re worried about your partner’s sexual experience.
Talk to a Healthcare Professional
If you still have concerns about your penis size, or suspect you have a micropenis, let your healthcare provider know. They can advise you on options and help you make the most effective decision for your sexual health and performance.
You might also want to consider talking to a therapist. If worries about your penis size are beginning to affect your self-confidence and mental well-being, meeting with a sex therapist or mental health provider to chat about how you’re feeling could help.
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Other Penis Enlargement Options
So, you’re still not convinced. There are some alternative interventions to consider, but be warned: Most of these options come with significant downsides and might not be worth the risk for a small and often negligible increase in penis size.
These options include:
Traction devices for penile enlargement
Penis enlargement surgery
Vacuum pumps
We’ll discuss these treatment options in more detail below, including how each treatment works and the potential benefits it might offer for your penis size.
Traction Devices for Penile Enlargement
Penile traction therapy devices, or traction devices, are physical devices worn on the penis. These penile extenders claim to work by straightening your penis — an effect that may help with Peyronie’s disease, a health condition involving plaque buildup in penile tissue, causing a curved penis shape. It claims to stretch the tissue to increase its length.
As far as scientific evidence, some research shows that traction devices may work for increasing the length of the penis, albeit at a cost.
Andro-Penis Traction Device
A small study involving 15 men looked at a specific penile traction device named the Andro-Penis®.
It found that the device could add 0.9 inches to flaccid penis length after six months of daily use. The men wore the device at least four hours a day, adding up to at least 720 hours of wear over six months.
That’s a long time to spend with your penis in an uncomfortable-looking device, all for a modest increase in length!
The study didn’t find any increase in penile girth, and participants weren’t followed for the long-term to check if their results were long-lasting.
RestorX Traction Device
A different penile traction device called RestorX® was tested in a six-month clinical trial with 110 men. The men who took part in the study all had Peyronie’s disease.
After six months, the men who used the RestorX device showed an average increase in penis length of 0.79 to 0.87 inches. They also saw improvements in penile curvature and reported higher scores on a survey of erectile function and Peyronie’s disease symptoms.
While this study is certainly promising, it’s important to remember that the results may differ in men without Peyronie’s disease.
Penis Enlargement Surgery
Another option for men seeking a larger penis — albeit one that’s more invasive and comes at a higher risk — is penis enlargement surgery (or penile augmentation).
One type of surgical procedure for penis enlargement involves cutting the suspensory ligament that attaches the penis to the pubic bone. By doing this, the penis hangs lower than before. Sometimes a fat graft from another part of the body is then placed onto the shaft of the penis.
We know what you’re thinking — ouch.
Research suggests that most men who seek penile elongation surgery have normal penis lengths but tend to perceive their penis size as below average. Many of these men decide not to go ahead with the procedure after learning about the potential risks and complications.
Vacuum Pumps
Vacuum pumps, or penis pumps, are devices used to pull blood into the penis. They may help treat erectile dysfunction for men who don’t respond to ED medications, like sildenafil or tadalafil.
Research on vacuum devices shows that they might produce a small increase in penis size over the course of six months. However, the increase is small (just over one-tenth of an inch) and not significant enough for most guys. Plus, maintaining it requires a commitment of 20 minutes almost every other day.
In other words, it’s a fair amount of daily work for a potential increase in penis size that’s small — if there’s an increase at all.
Our guide to vacuum erection devices goes into more detail about how these products work, along with their potential benefits for erectile health and sexual function
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How Well Do Penis Enlargement Pills Work? A Final Word
Penis enlargement pills may seem like a miracle: Many claim to enlarge your penis, boost stamina, and even make erections harder. And they’re available from your local gas station at any time of day, all without the need for a prescription.
If this seems too good to be true, that’s because it is. Penis enlargement pills don’t really work, and there are several reasons to avoid them:
First, we don’t know what’s in them. These products aren’t FDA-approved or regulated like medications are, which means they don’t need to pass clinical trials showing they’re safe and effective to use.
Second, they could contain hidden ingredients, including prescription drugs. This can be a serious safety issue, especially if you currently use prescription medications that have the potential to cause drug interactions.
Third, even the “natural” ingredients inside can be harmful. Natural doesn’t always mean safe. And many herbal ingredients in penis enlargement pills have the potential to cause negative side effects if used too frequently or taken in excessive doses.
If you’re concerned about your sexual performance, you’ll get far better results by talking with a healthcare provider than by relying on sketchy pills sold on eBay or at your local gas station.
We offer access to a range of erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation (PE) medications online, following a consultation with a healthcare provider.
You can learn more about your options for improving your sexual performance and feeling better about yourself in bed by taking part in an online ED consultation.
You can also find out more about what’s actually average (as well as what most women prefer) in our guides to average penis size and the penis size women report preferring the most.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. The information contained herein is not a substitute for and should never be relied upon for professional medical advice. Always talk to your GP about the risks and benefits of any treatment.