One of the more positive developments of the last few decades has been the increased focus on staying healthy. People may not take advantage of all the advice and information available, but there is a lot out there for those who care to investigate health options – and that includes penis health options, too. Many articles emphasize the role that diet can play in health, and often caffeine is mentioned in this context. So that poses the question, does caffeine have a role to play in erectile function? And if so, what is it?

The answer is: it’s not clear yet.

The case against

For quite some time, it was assumed that caffeine actually has a negative association with penis health; specifically, it was thought to be associated with an increase in the likelihood of erectile dysfunction. However, the basis for this appears to be less due to results from clinical trials specifically investigating the issue and instead on general studies about the effects caffeine has on other parts of the body.

Caffeine is known to be a vasoconstrictor; this means that it narrows blood vessels, which is something that can indeed create erectile issues. However, it’s also thought that continued use of caffeine eventually creates the opposite effect – it helps open up blood vessels over time.

So, it’s more likely that caffeine can have a more indirect impact on erectile function. For example, caffeine can make a man feel jittery or can impede good sleeping patterns, both of which can contribute to erectile issues.

There have been some isolated reports that excess caffeine consumption can lead to premature ejaculation, but these are anecdotal in nature. It’s likely there are other factors in many of these cases that account for the subject being quick on the trigger.

The case for

Recent studies have painted a more favorable picture of the role caffeine may play in penis health. A recent study published in PLOS One Journal, “Role of Caffeine Intake on Erectile Dysfunction in US Men: Results from NHANES 2001-2004” paints a much more positive picture.

According to the study, 18.4% of US men age 20 and up experience erectile dysfunction, with the percentage steadily increasing as men age. Researchers looked at data for 3724 men aged 20 or older. They looked at whether they had reported experiencing erectile dysfunction and then at numerous other factors, including amount of caffeine intake via coffee consumption. After factoring out the influence that these other factors most likely had on erectile function, the researchers concluded that men who drank 2 to 3 cups of coffee every day were much less likely to experience erectile dysfunction than men who did not drink coffee. The reduction applied both to healthy men and to men who were overweight or had high blood pressure; however, it did not make a difference among men with diabetes.

The scientists theorize that the eventual ability of caffeine to open penile blood vessels is responsible for the result.

Coffee was chosen as the caffeinated beverage of choice because power drinks and caffeinated soft drinks tend to contain other ingredients (such as sugar) which may diminish the potential effects of the caffeine.

So, while the definitive results are still out, there does seem to be some evidence that moderate coffee drinking may be beneficial to penis health. (As always, check with a doctor before suddenly making a change to the diet.)

Control of caffeine is not the only consideration in maintaining penis health. Men also need to daily apply a top ranked penis health creme (health professionals recommend Man 1 Man Oil, which is clinically proven mild and safe for skin). The best crème will contain both L-arginine and L-carnitine. The former helps boost nitric oxide production and thereby keep penile blood vessels wider. The latter protects against damage from rough handling that can lead to loss of penis sensitivity.