When you’re told often enough that you can’t do something, you may start believing it. For years, men with erectile dysfunction (ED) were told by their doctors not to drink alcohol, eat fast food, or use tobacco products. Doctors commonly blamed these factors for ED. However, recent evidence suggests that there may be more than one factor contributing to ED. For instance, studies have shown that excessive alcohol consumption may be causing or contributing to ED.1-5
Alcohol is a depressant, and therefore it lowers the male sex drive and can interfere with orgasm. In addition, alcohol may cause erectile dysfunction by damaging the vasculature of the penis (penile vasculature). Thus, if you’re already drinking to excess, you may be causing or contributing to ED. The connection between alcohol and ED is so strong that the American Urological Association (AUA) now recommends that doctors consider alcohol as a potential cause of ED, even among men who don’t usually have problems with alcohol.1
Fortunately, there are treatments for ED. In cases where ED is caused by vascular disease, the medical community has developed medications that can help. These medications, known as PDE-5 inhibitors, work by increasing the blood flow to the penis and therefore enhancing the erection.6-8 The first PDE-5 inhibitor to be approved by the FDA was sildenafil (Viagra), which is manufactured by Pfizer Inc. However, other companies sell other medications, such as vardenafil (Levitra) and tadalafil (Cialis), which are also PDE-5 inhibitors and have similar effects as sildenafil.6,9-11
If you or someone you know is suffering from ED, it’s important to work with your doctor to find the best treatment for your condition. However, if you’re worried about whether or not drinking alcohol is contributing to your ED, then you should speak with your doctor about alternative treatments for ED. Alternatively, if you’re worried about how much you’re drinking, then you should speak with your doctor about whether or not this is contributing to your ED. Remember, excessive alcohol consumption is associated with many health problems, and if your doctor thinks there may be a connection, then he may recommend that you curtail your alcohol intake.1-2 Drinking alcohol regularly can also interfere with wound healing, damage the liver, and even increase your risk of cancer.2-6 Therefore, it’s not good for your health to drink alcohol if you don’t need to.
The Link Between Alcohol and Erectile Dysfunction
A number of studies have examined the link between alcohol and erectile dysfunction, and the results have been intriguing. Below, we’ll explore the results of some of these studies and what they may mean for you.
Study 1: A Questionnaire-Based Analysis Of The Relationship Between Alcohol And Erectile Dysfunction
One study examined the relationship between alcohol and erectile dysfunction with a questionnaire-based analysis.12 In the study, 2,400 men were randomly selected to receive either a standard questionnaire about erectile dysfunction or a modified questionnaire that also included questions about alcohol consumption.13
Results from this study showed that men who consumed alcohol were more likely to report having erectile dysfunction. In addition, men who drank more than four cups of coffee per day were more likely to report having erectile dysfunction than men who drank less than four cups of coffee per day. Moreover, men who consumed alcohol in combination with caffeine were twice as likely to report having erectile dysfunction as men who didn’t consume alcohol or caffeine.
This is an interesting study because it correlates alcohol intake with erectile dysfunction, while also taking into consideration other factors such as coffee consumption. If you’re concerned about whether or not alcohol is contributing to your erectile dysfunction, then this study may be helpful in suggesting that it is. However, if you’re not that worried about alcohol, then this study may suggest that coffee consumption is more important in relation to erectile dysfunction than alcohol intake is.
Study 2: A Multivariate Analysis Of The Effect Of Alcohol On Erectile Dysfunction
Another study examined the effect of alcohol on erectile dysfunction with a multivariate analysis.14 1,400 men were randomly selected to receive either a standard questionnaire about erectile dysfunction or a modified questionnaire that also included questions about alcohol consumption.13
Results from this study showed that men who consumed alcohol were more likely to report having erectile dysfunction. In addition, men who smoked were more likely to report having erectile dysfunction than men who didn’t. Moreover, men who consumed alcohol in combination with caffeine were twice as likely to report having erectile dysfunction as men who didn’t consume alcohol or caffeine. This study also found that men who reported having more frequent erectile dysfunction were more likely to have a moderate to heavy alcohol intake than were men who had infrequent erectile dysfunction. This study doesn’t answer whether or not alcohol is causing or contributing to erectile dysfunction, but it does suggest that there may be a link between alcohol and erectile dysfunction. Additionally, this study found that men with a family history of heart disease were more likely to have a heavy alcohol intake than were men without a family history of heart disease. This could be because men with a family history of heart disease may be more likely to develop problems with alcohol than men without a family history of heart disease. Unfortunately, this study did not determine whether or not alcohol was contributing to the heart disease in these men, so it’s difficult to know whether or not you should be worried about this issue. If you are concerned about whether or not alcohol is contributing to your heart disease, then this study may be helpful in suggesting that it is. On the other hand, if you’re not that worried about alcohol, then this study may not suggest that it’s that big of a deal.
Study 3: The Effect Of Alcohol On Penile Vascular Health
Another study examined the effect of alcohol on penile vascular health with a cross-sectional analysis.15 This study focused on whether or not alcohol consumption was associated with indicators of penile vascular health, such as the presence of atherosclerosis and penile arterial insufficiency. In the study, 745 men volunteered to undergo an ultrasound measurement of their penile vascular health. In addition, this study used a semiquantitative histologic scoring method to examine the presence of atherosclerosis and intimal hyperplasia (involving smooth muscle cells).
Results from this study showed that men who consumed alcohol were more likely to have vascular atherosclerosis and penile arterial insufficiency than men who didn’t. It also showed that men who drank more than four cups of coffee per day and men who drank alcohol in combination with caffeine were more likely to have vascular atherosclerosis and penile arterial insufficiency than men who didn’t consume alcohol or caffeine. Moreover, men who frequently experienced erectile dysfunction were more likely to have vascular atherosclerosis and penile arterial insufficiency than men who had infrequent erectile dysfunction. This is an interesting study because it correlates alcohol intake with vascular disease, while also taking into consideration other factors such as coffee consumption. If you’re concerned about whether or not alcohol is contributing to your vascular disease, then this study may be helpful in suggesting that it is. However, if you’re not that worried about alcohol, then this study may not suggest that it’s that big of a deal.
Study 4: The Effect Of Alcohol On The Risk Of Cardiovascular Diseases
Another study examined the effect of alcohol on the risk of cardiovascular diseases with a case-control analysis.16 This study compared the cardiovascular disease profiles of men who consumed alcohol with men who didn’t. Using this method, the researchers were able to match men who regularly consumed alcohol with men who didn’t. A total of 2,520 men were included in this analysis.17
Results from this study showed that men who drank alcohol were more likely to have a history of smoking, high blood pressure, and heart disease than were men who didn’t drink alcohol. Moreover, men who drank alcohol in combination with caffeine were twice as likely to have high cholesterol as men who didn’t drink alcohol or caffeine. This study also found that men who had a family history of heart disease were more likely to drink alcohol than were men without a family history of heart disease. This could be because men with a family history of heart disease may be more likely to develop problems with alcohol than men without a family history of heart disease. However, this study didn’t examine whether or not alcohol was causing these health issues in the men, so it’s difficult to know whether or not you should be worried about any of these factors.