Does Caffeine Cause Erectile Dysfunction?

Many men experience erectile dysfunction. Unless there are drastic circumstances (such as injured spinal nerves) cures for infertility can be used to treat this temporary affliction. Some people claim that too much caffeine causes impotence, but there is no concrete scientific evidence to support such claim. However, higher stress levels can contribute to the effects of erectile dysfunction and caffeine by its very nature stresses the body out (whether we notice it or not). Impotence is categorized as persistent and recurring inability to gain or keep an erection. While this is a consistent occurrence in older men, age is not a normal consideration in itself.

Facts: Impotence is a pervasive disorder that afflicts as many as 30 million men in the United States. Yet only 6 million men seek medical attention and even fewer undergo therapy. Only 4.2 million men receive a medication for ED (Gallup Marketing Survey Information, 2001 [unpublished data]). Though 3.8 million prescriptions for the drug sildenafil were filled in the year 2000, fewer than 2.2 million men continue this drug.

Potential reasons for discontinuation of pharmacologic therapy include lack of efficacy, side effects, possible deterioration of underlying disease, psychogenic factors, and partner issues.

Drugs under development for ED include free radical scavengers, NO substrates, direct activators of guanylate cyclase, Rho kinase inhibitors, and fusion compounds.

This malady is most often associated with heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure. Caffeine constricts the blood vessels and causes a sudden rise in blood pressure. The penis needs enough blood flow to achieve erection and high blood pressure can sometimes damage the blood vessels or stop the blood flow to the penis. Regular coffee drinkers develop a tolerance for caffeine and do not experience the same rise in blood pressure, however excessive caffeine intake can lead to abnormal heart rhythms. Erectile dysfunction and caffeine according to Mayo Clinic are not directly connected though there are correlations between the two. Mayo Clinic suggests limiting caffeine intake to about 24 ounces a day. While too much caffeine may not cause erectile dysfunction, it certainly stimulates the urinary tract and bladder causing increased urination.

In many cases, caffeine and this malady are related, but in a positive light. In diabetic rats, caffeine has been shown to have positive effects on erectile dysfunction. The administering of caffeine to these rats has improved their erectile functioning. However, this has not been tested on humans so it is unclear whether caffeine would have the same effect on diabetics. For non-diabetics there is no proof that caffeine causes erectile dysfunction, but it does constrict blood vessels. Men with high blood pressure or heart disease may consider reducing or removing caffeine from their regimen to a positive end. Drugs that help counteract the damage high blood pressure and heart disease do to the vascular walls can help contribute to erectile dysfunction solutions.

As far as erectile dysfunction solutions go, consult a physician. There are myriad medical solutions most of which do not necessarily involve cutting out caffeine. The best solutions for impotence come down to a reduction of stress in a man’s life. If he is in a relationship and there is stress he needs to engage in some therapeutic sessions with and without his partner to work out the stressful issues. Older men should be checked for heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes. There are no outright cures for impotence because it is not a disease it is a condition, a treatable condition that men can overcome through commitment to health conscious lifestyle changes. Exercise and the reduction of alcohol are both contributing steps men can take to relieve themselves of infertility.