Alcohol... the drink, the myth, the legend
However, it can also impair judgement to the point of taking risks that you normally wouldn’t take. While research has found that people who drink are more likely to have sex, it’s also found the sex to be riskier. People also continue to think that alcohol improves sexual performance when, in fact, it more often does just the opposite, including having a direct role in the development of erectile dysfunction. While alcohol can be enjoyed in moderation in many settings, excessive or chronic alcohol use can have impacts on health that extend beyond its temporary, passing effects.
What's going on down there?
Erections are the result of a complex series of internal processes, coordinated by your system in an amazing way. This multi-step process involves both the nervous and cardiovascular systems, usually starting with either mental or physical stimulation. With sexual stimulation, the parasympathetic nervous system is activated. This is the nerve network that relaxes the body, especially after periods of stress or danger. It also help run life-sustaining processes when you feel safe and relaxed. With sexual thoughts or stimulation, nerves inside penis release natural chemicals, which are neurotransmitters that cause the blood vessels to relax. As the blood vessels widen, blood flow to the erectile tissue is increased, and voila! You have an erection.
While it is usually automatic and natural, the process of getting an erection is complex, to say the least, involving your brain, nerves, blood vessels and hormones – all things that are affected not only by sexual stimulation, but also by alcohol. Alcohol can disrupt this process in several different ways.
What happens when you drink alcohol?
Alcohol is a central nervous system depressant, slowing it down. This can interfere with the signals that normally would cause the penis to fill with blood, and can also interfere with the ability to feel sexual stimulation. Altogether, the disruption can make it more difficult to get and keep an erection.
Alcohol is also a diuretic, causing your system to remove fluids more rapidly (you pee more often). This can lead to dehydration, reducing total blood volume. Since erections are dependent on good blood flow and volume, being dehydrated can have an obvious negative affect on maintaining one. Dehydration also increases levels of a hormone called angiotensin. Angiotensin narrows blood vessels and can limit blood flow to the penis.
Because excessive alcohol use can damage your nervous system, cardiovascular system and hormonal balance – all things needed for healthy erections – it can also have a cumulative negative impact on your sexual health.
Connection between alcohol and erectile dysfunction
Just as the factors that cause and effect ED can be complex, and vary with each individual case, the relationship of alcohol to ED is can also be complex in terms of cause and effect. What can be said with some certainty, is that there is a proven connection between different levels of alcohol use and the occurrence of ED.
Alcohol consumption that is not considered problematic can still affect the ability to get an erection, because of the systems it affects. A night of excess drinking may cause only short-term erectile dysfunction. However, long-term or excessive alcohol abuse can lead to chronic ED. In a 2020 study, approximately half of heavy alcohol users had some form of automatic nervous system dysfunction, which is the most common symptom of ED. Another study of heavy drinkers found that over half had a sexual dysfunction of some type, ranging from lower sex drive and arousal dysfunction, to ED and trouble having an orgasm. Other research illustrates the severity of ED is directly correlated to the level of alcohol use or dependence.
Besides the negative effects alcohol can have on the nerves that are critical for having erections, it can also create or magnify psychological factors like depression and anxiety. This can cause stress in both the individual and in relationships. Stress and psychological factors usually play a major role in erectile dysfunction issues.
Finally, alcohol can also cause a drop in testosterone levels. A deficiency in testosterone limits nitric oxide production, a chemical compound that is key to relaxing the blood vessels in your penis. It can also result in a decreased libido, or sex drive. The impact of alcohol on testosterone is greater than most people realize. Excessive drinking, over a long period of time, can even cause the testes and penis to shrink. And nobody wants that.
You can enjoy both
Using alcohol, or not, is a lifestyle choice. Done in moderation, along with having a healthy lifestyle, your sexual health shouldn’t be affected by drinking. Both your overall health and your sexual health will benefit from a balanced diet (fresh foods, vegetables, fruits, protein, etc.), getting some regular exercise, watching your weight, controlling stress and getting proper sleep. On top of that, address any relationship issues that come up early on.
Drinking becomes a problem for both general health and sexual health when alcohol consumption is excessive and abused over a long-term. That’s when it is more likely to be a factor in causing erectile dysfunction. If you believe you have an alcohol dependence, abuse or addiction problem, you should seek counseling or medical help.
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SOURCES
- https://www2.hse.ie/living-well/drink/h/health/effects-on-your-body/sex-life-fertility/
- https://atlanticurologyclinics.com/blog/alcohol-and-erectile-dysfunction-what-you-should-know/
- https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/erectile-dysfunction/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20355782
- https://www.numan.com/erectile-dysfunction/causes/alcohol-and-erectile-dysfunction
- https://www.healthline.com/health/alcohol-and-erectile-dysfunction
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11155632/
