Caffeine and Erectile Dysfunction

By Lindsay Curtis Updated on May 01, 2023
Medically reviewed by Jamin Brahmbhatt, MD

This article is a repost which originally appeared on verywellhealth

Edited for content. The opinions expressed in this article may not reflect the opinions of this site’s editors, staff or members.

Key Points

‧ Moderate doses of caffeine may improve sexual function.

‧ Caffeine consumption can have a positive effect on emotional health.

‧ Caffeine sensitivity usually increases with age.

Coffee before sex may do more than just wake up the brain. Some research suggests that males who drink two to three cups of coffee a day have lower odds of developing erectile dysfunction, possibly because coffee may stimulate blood flow to the penis.

This article explains how coffee affects sexual performance and reproductive health.

How Coffee Improves Sex

In addition to providing a boost of energy, drinking coffee can make sex better in a variety of ways. Coffee is rich in antioxidants, which can protect blood vessels, aid circulation, and possibly improve blood flow to the penis, helping men get and maintain erections.

Erectile Function

Men who drink two to three cups of coffee per day may have an easier time getting and maintaining an erection.

In fact, one study found that men who consumed between 85-170 milligrams of caffeine per day were 42% less likely to experience erectile dysfunction, which is the inability to get or maintain an erection that is firm enough for sexual activity.

Those who consumed between 171-303 milligrams of caffeine a day were 39% less likely to report ED compared to those who didn’t consume caffeine.

This may be due to caffeine relaxing the arteries and smooth muscle in the penis, allowing more blood flow and improving erectile function. It may also be because caffeine intake may boost testosterone levels, and having low levels may contribute to ED. Research shows that men who regularly consume caffeinated coffee have higher levels of testosterone than those who do not consume it.

However, a more recent study found no association between caffeine intake and ED.

ED Prevalence

ED is very common. Though the risk of ED increases with age, young men can also experience the condition. Estimates on the prevalence of ED vary, but it is estimated that one out of every 10 men will experience the condition at some point during their life.

Improved Libido

It’s possible that caffeine can ramp up your sex drive. Caffeine is a stimulant, which is a drug that can increase energy and alertness by speeding up your brain and body. This increased energy may also give your sex drive a boost.

In addition to boosting energy levels, caffeine may also increase testosterone levels in men. Research shows that men who regularly consume caffeinated coffee have higher levels of testosterone than those who do not consume it.

One study found that consuming more than 4 milligrams of coffee prior to exercising boosts testosterone levels in athletes. An older study showed that chewing caffeine gum may elevate testosterone levels by up to 14%.

Caffeine’s possible ability to increase testosterone levels may also boost sex drive, as low levels have been linked with low libido.

However, scientists haven’t published research on the effect of coffee on libido in humans.

Decreased Stress

Caffeine may lower anxiety and elevate mood, which could make a coffee drinker happier and more relaxed during sex.

Researchers believe that caffeine can reduce anxiety by blocking receptors of the chemical adenosine, which can prevent the brain from causing a stress response.  However, this may only be the case for low to moderate coffee drinkers. Heavy caffeine intake can actually cause higher anxiety levels.

Side Effects

Though coffee may offer some health benefits, it’s important to drink it in moderation. Too much caffeine can cause a host of unwanted side effects, including:

‧ Anxiety
‧ Jitters
‧ Headache
‧ Insomnia
‧ Increased heart rate
‧ Upset stomach
‧ Dependency

The Food and Drug Administration recommends consuming no more than 400 milligrams (about four to five cups of coffee) per day to avoid side effects.

Caffeine Sensitivity

If you have caffeine sensitivity, even a small amount of caffeine can make you feel unwell. There are varying degrees of caffeine sensitivity: one person may be unaffected, while another won’t be able to sleep hours after consuming it. Caffeine sensitivity tends to increase with age, so you may find you need less coffee as you get older.

How Much Coffee Before Sex?

Coffee boosts energy levels, improves physical endurance, and increases neurotransmitters associated with elevated mood, which can all serve to help improve your sex life.

However, you don’t need to drink an excessive amount of coffee before sex to enjoy the benefits. One or two cups 45 minutes prior to sexual activity may help improve ED, boost testosterone, and give you the energy you need for a positive sexual experience.

Do Energy Drinks Help Sexual Performance?

While caffeine consumed in coffee is generally well tolerated by most people, energy drinks can have a number of negative effects, and there is no evidence to show that energy drinks can help with sexual performance. In fact, long-term consumption of energy drinks is associated with an increased risk of developing cardiovascular problems, sleep disorders, dental problems, obesity, and calcium deficiency.

Summary

Coffee may be a natural way to help improve your sex life. More research is needed to say for sure, but it appears that drinking coffee can reduce your chances of erectile dysfunction and increase your libido. Coffee may also reduce anxiety and stress, thus making sex more relaxing and enjoyable.

You don’t need to drink much coffee to benefit from its effects. One or two cups 45 minutes before sex should be enough. Avoid drinking more than four or five cups a day, since excess caffeine can lead to unwanted side effects like insomnia and anxiety.

Though some people do find coffee to be helpful, be sure to talk to your healthcare provider if you have ED or other concerns about your sexual performance.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does drinking coffee before sex improve testosterone?

Research suggests that coffee may temporarily boost testosterone levels, which may be beneficial before sex.  Drinking coffee can also result in the relaxation of the cavernous smooth muscle found in the penis and improve blood supply through penile arteries to enhance blood flow to the penis.

What is the link between coffee and testosterone?

Coffee may help boost testosterone levels in men. One study found that men who consumed caffeine five times a day had higher levels of testosterone than men who did not consume it. Researchers concluded that caffeine may act as an aromatase inhibitor (blocking estrogen), which may boost testosterone production. Another study found that caffeine may improve exercise and training outcomes due to its ability to moderately boost testosterone levels.

Does caffeine improve ED?

Moderate levels of caffeine consumption may help improve erectile dysfunction. Research shows that men who consume between 85-170 milligrams of caffeine are 42% less likely to experience erectile dysfunction compared to those who don’t consume caffeine.

Do the symptoms of caffeine sensitivity increase with age?

Yes, caffeine sensitivity increases with age. Young people metabolize caffeine much more quickly than older adults. One study found that it takes seniors 33% longer to metabolize caffeine compared to younger adults.

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Lopez DS, Wang R, Tsilidis KK, et al. Role of caffeine intake on erectile dysfunction in US men: results from NHANES 2001-2004. PLOS ONE. 2015;10(4):e0123547. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0123547

Maggi, M., Rastrelli, G., & Corona, G. (2020). Both comorbidity burden and low testosterone can explain symptoms and signs of testosterone deficiency in men consulting for sexual dysfunction. Asian Journal of Andrology, 22(3), 265. https://doi.org/10.4103/aja.aja_61_19

Wedick NM, Mantzoros CS, Ding EL, et al. The effects of caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee on sex hormone-binding globulin and endogenous sex hormone levels: a randomized controlled trial. Nutr J. 2012;11(1):86. doi:10.1186/1475-2891-11-86

Lopez DS, Liu L, Rimm EB, et al. Coffee intake and incidence of erectile dysfunction. Am J Epidemiol. 2018;187(5):951-959. doi:10.1093/aje/kwx304

Cleveland Clinic. Erectile dysfunction.

Anwar, S., Verma, P., & Dutt, R. (2022). Role of caffeine in inducing anxiety by reducing brain serotonin synthesis blocking adenosine receptors (A1, A2A, A2B, and A3). Current Traditional Medicine, 8(4). https://doi.org/10.2174/2215083808666220321145436

Richards, G., & Smith, A. (2015). Caffeine consumption and self-assessed stress, anxiety, and depression in secondary school children. Journal of Psychopharmacology, 29(12), 1236–1247. https://doi.org/10.1177/0269881115612404

Food and Drug Administration. Spilling the beans: how much caffeine is too much?

Landry TM, Saunders MJ, Akers JD, Womack CJ. Caffeine added to coffee does not alter the acute testosterone response to exercise in resistance trained males. J Sports Med Phys Fitness. 2019;59(9):1435-1441. doi:10.23736/S0022-4707.19.09183-7

Lopez DS, Liu L, Rimm EB, et al. Coffee intake and incidence of erectile dysfunction. Am J Epidemiol. 2018;187(5):951-959. doi:10.1093/aje/kwx304

Beaven CM, Hopkins WG, Hansen KT, Wood MR, Cronin JB, Lowe TE. Dose effect of caffeine on testosterone and cortisol responses to resistance exercise. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2008;18(2):131-141. doi:10.1123/ijsnem.18.2.131

Polasek TM, Patel F, Jensen BP, Sorich MJ, Wiese MD, Doogue MP. Predicted metabolic drug clearance with increasing adult age. Br J Clin Pharmacol. 2013;75(4):1019-1028. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2125.2012.04446.x

 

 

Mens’ Sex Drive May Rise and Fall Due to One Brain Enzyme

Male sexual desire may be driven by the brain’s aromatase (CYP19A1) enzyme.

Posted Sep 11, 2020

This article is a repost which originally appeared on Psychology Today

Edited for content

For the first time, researchers at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine have identified how a single gene called aromatase (CYP19A1) triggers a chain reaction in the brain that converts testosterone into estrogen and seems to drive sexual desire in male mice. These findings (Brooks et al., 2020) were published on September 10 in the journal Endocrinology.

Until now, researchers didn’t know how aromatase fueled males’ sex drive. “This is the first key finding to explain how testosterone stimulates sexual desire,” senior author Seder Bulun said in a news release. “For the first time, we demonstrated conclusively that the conversion of testosterone to estrogen in the brain is critical to maintain full sexual activity or desire in males. Aromatase drives that.”

For this study, first author David C. Brooks and colleagues selectively knocked out the brain-specific aromatase enzyme in a cohort of genetically engineered mice. Despite continuing to have high levels of testosterone circulating in their blood, sexual activity in these knockout (bArKO) mice decreased by 50 percent in comparison to a control group of male mice with normal levels of aromatase in their brains.

Typically, if a male mouse with healthy amounts of aromatase in its brain were left alone with a female mouse in a laboratory habitat, it would “chase after her and try to have sex,” the authors observed. However, after knocking out brain-specific aromatase, a male mouse’s sex drive and sexual activity with female mice diminished significantly. “The male mice are not that interested,” Bulun noted.

“[Without aromatase] male mice partially lost interest in sex,” corresponding author Hong Zhao added. “Aromatase is the key enzyme for estrogen production. Estrogen has functions in males and females. Testosterone has to be converted to estrogen to drive sexual desire in males.”

Historically, estrogen has been considered a “female sex hormone,” whereas testosterone (which is produced by men in the testicles) is conventionally thought of as a “male sex hormone.” Therefore, for many of us, it may be surprising to learn that the latest research in mice suggests that mens’ sex drive may ultimately be driven by estrogen—which has been converted from testosterone via CYP19A1 aromatization.

The latest (2020) findings by Brooks et al. demonstrate that CYP19A1 aromatization of testosterone into estrogen drives normal sexual behavior in male mice. According to the authors, these research findings could have human implications for men with male hypoactive sexual desire disorder (MHSDD) or, on the flip side, men with hypersexuality who may have a compulsive sexual desire disorder.

“Lust’s passion will be served; it demands, it militates, it tyrannizes. Lust is to the other passions what the nervous fluid is to life; it supports them all, lends strength to them all: ambition, cruelty, avarice, revenge, are all founded on lust.” —Marquis de Sade (1740-1814)

As a hypothetical example, increasing aromatase gene activity could trigger a chain reaction that boosts the sexual appetite of older men with low sex drive. Conversely, inhibiting aromatase could be a targeted intervention that curbs sexually compulsive behavior in men who self-identify as so-called “sex addicts.” (See “The Misleading ‘Sexual Addiction’ Label” by Joe Kort.)

Of course, much more research is needed on how aromatase works in the male human brain. The next step for scientists is to see if they can develop brain-specific aromatase inhibitors/activators and then conduct clinical trials to establish if these pharmacotherapies have the same effect on sex drive in both “mice and men.”

References

David C. Brooks, John S. Coon V, Cihangir M. Ercan, Xia Xu, Hongxin Dong, Jon E. Levine, Serdar E. Bulun, Hong Zhao. “Brain Aromatase and the Regulation of Sexual Activity in Male Mice.” Endocrinology (First published: September 10, 2020) DOI: 10.1210/endocr/bqaa137

David C. Brooks, Hong Zhao, John S. Coon V, Cihangir M. Ercan, Hongxin Dong, Jon E. Levine, Serdar E. Bulun. “OR09-03 Brain Aromatase Is Essential for Regulation of Sexual Activity in Male Mice.” Journal of the Endocrine Society (First published: May 08, 2020) DOI: 10.1210/jendso/bvaa046.1101