Can Alcohol Cause Erectile Dysfunction? – Safe4cure

Alcohol use and erectile dysfunction

Table of Contents

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is the inability to get or keep a strong enough erection for sexual engagement.

The complicated process of acquiring an erection involves your:

brain chemicals, blood arteries, and nerves
All of these physiological systems can be impacted by alcohol consumption, which can also hasten the onset of ED.

It may become more challenging to get an erection if you drink a lot of alcohol in a short period of time, like one evening. One or more of the following in your:

Hormone levels in the neurological system, circulation
Alcohol abuse that is chronic (long-term) and excessive can harm your blood vessels and nerves permanently.

Continue reading as we examine how alcohol affects ed in more detail.

How can alcohol cause ED?

It takes a lot of effort to get an erection, and ED might arise if there is a problem at any point.

Sexual thoughts or stimulation of the penis trigger the parasympathetic nervous system, which releases neurotransmitters from the penis’ nerves. The arteries of the penis become more pliable as a result of these neurotransmitters, increasing blood flow by 20–40 times. Trustworthy Source.

Short-term causes of ED

Any type of alcohol can, after ingestion, temporarily interfere with erection.

According to a 2018 study, drinking alcohol temporarily slows down your central nervous system’s ability to communicate with your penis and delays that connection. As a result, the penis could become less sensitive.

Alcohol induces dehydration and increased urine production since it is a diuretic. Dehydration can result in higher levels of the blood vessel-narrowing hormone angiotensin. Angiotensin can restrict blood flow to the penis.

Older studies from 1998Trusted Source and more recent animal studies both suggest that alcohol use can lead to a reduction in the level of testosterone in the blood. Your body can only create a specific amount of nitric oxide, a vital molecule that relaxes the blood vessels in your penis.

Other effects of alcohol on sexual function

Alcohol can have a number of effects on sexual function in people of all genders.

2021 research100 individuals who were classified as males with alcohol dependence syndrome were enrolled in a study from Trusted Source in India. 48 subjects were judged to have sexual dysfunction by the researchers. Within those 48:

87.5 percent said they had less sex drive.
Sexual arousal dysfunction affected 79.1% of people.
58 % of people had ED.
54 percent said they had trouble getting orgasmic.

Having a drink may also:

postpone ejaculation
alcohol can boost sex drive in moderation, but it can also decrease it in excess.
Alcohol may: in those whose gender was determined at birth.

Takeaway

Alcohol consumption can assist in the emergence of ED by:

lowering the central nervous system’s rate
resulting in dehydration
decreasing the quantity of your testosterone

Alcohol abuse over a long period of time might harm your blood vessels and nerves.

It’s common to occasionally experience ED, especially when you’re intoxicated.

See this article for details on the causes of Men Health.