HELMD Drive vs. Hims Hard Mints: How Do They Compare?

HELMD Drive

Drive is a compounded sublingual tablet combining sildenafil and tadalafil (two PDE5 inhibitors) with apomorphine, a dopamine agonist that acts on the brain's arousal pathways. It dissolves under the tongue, the formula is set by a licensed provider, and it comes in two strengths (Drive and Drive Max). See How Drive Works for the full breakdown.

Hims Hard Mints

Hard Mints are Hims's chewable ED product. According to Hims, they're compounded and can contain single-ingredient tadalafil or a combination of tadalafil, sildenafil, and vitamin B12, in personalized dosages and mint flavors. They're chewed and swallowed rather than dissolved under the tongue. Hims is a broad men's-health platform that also sells many other ED formats (standard pills, chews, and blended products).

So the two headline differences are format (sublingual tablet vs. chewable) and the third ingredient (apomorphine vs. vitamin B12).

It's easy to assume a chewable and a sublingual tablet are basically the same thing because you don't swallow either one with water. Pharmacologically they're different.

A sublingual tablet dissolves under the tongue, where part of the medication is absorbed directly through the thin, blood-rich tissue of the mouth. That route can bypass some of the first-pass metabolism a drug undergoes in the liver when it's swallowed. That's the reason sublingual delivery is used when speed of onset is a priority.

A chewable — including a mint — is chewed and then swallowed, so it's absorbed mostly through the digestive tract, much like a standard pill. The main advantages of a chewable are practical: it's easier for people who dislike swallowing pills, and it tastes better. Those are real benefits, but they're about convenience, not a fundamentally different absorption route.

We go deeper on this in Sublingual vs. chewable vs. swallowed ED meds. The short version: Drive's format is chosen for absorption route; Hard Mints' format is chosen for ease and flavor.

Both products pair sildenafil and tadalafil — the same two PDE5 inhibitors that widen blood vessels to support blood flow. The difference is the third ingredient.

Drive's third ingredient is apomorphine, a dopamine agonist that acts centrally, on the brain's arousal pathways — a different mechanism from the blood-flow effect of PDE5 inhibitors. It's important to note apomorphine is not FDA-approved for ED and is used in Drive as part of a compounded preparation. More in Apomorphine for ED.

Hard Mints' third ingredient is vitamin B12. B12 is a nutrient involved in nerve and blood-cell health; it is not itself a treatment for erectile dysfunction. Its inclusion doesn't add an ED mechanism the way apomorphine is intended to.

So on the "third ingredient" question, the two products are doing different things: one adds a central-acting agent aimed at arousal, the other adds a vitamin.

Here's an area where Hims currently has the edge: it operates broadly nationwide. HELMD is available across the U.S. except Arkansas and South Carolina. Confirm availability for your state at checkout with either company.

On price, third-party reviews have reported Hims Hard Mints at roughly $7.50 per dose, which is among the more affordable options in the category. HELMD Drive is priced starting at $8 per dose, with a higher-strength Drive Max option at $12 per dose. Neither is typically covered by insurance, though FSA/HSA funds may apply.

Hims Hard Mints may suit you if you specifically want a chewable, mint-flavored option, you value the lower per-dose price, or you want the convenience of a large platform that offers many product types.

HELMD Drive may suit you if you want the sublingual absorption route, a formula that also targets the brain's arousal pathway (apomorphine), or a provider-customized dose rather than picking from preset options.

Either way, a licensed provider should review your history and decide what's appropriate — the format and ingredients are only part of the picture.

What is the difference between HELMD Drive and Hims Hard Mints?

Drive is a sublingual tablet with sildenafil, tadalafil, and apomorphine. Hard Mints are a chewable with sildenafil, tadalafil, and vitamin B12. The differences are the format and the third ingredient.

Do Hims Hard Mints contain apomorphine?

No — they contain B12 as the third ingredient. Only Drive contains apomorphine. B12 is a nutrient, not an ED treatment.

Is sublingual better than chewable?

They differ. Sublingual absorbs partly through the mouth and can bypass some first-pass metabolism; chewables are absorbed mainly through digestion. Neither is universally better.

Which is cheaper?

Third-party reviews report Hard Mints around $7.50/dose. Confirm current pricing with each provider.

• Different formats. Drive is sublingual (dissolves under the tongue); Hard Mints are chewable.
• Different third ingredient. Drive adds apomorphine (a brain-pathway agent); Hard Mints add vitamin B12 (a nutrient).
• Hims is broadly nationwide; HELMD excludes Arkansas and South Carolina.
• Hard Mints are typically cheaper per third-party pricing; confirm current numbers.
• Neither is FDA-approved — both are compounded; apomorphine is not FDA-approved for ED.