Over the last several years, researchers have found numerous benefits for coffee drinkers. People who drink coffee every day are less likely to be diagnosed with type 2 diabetes (American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, April, 2010; European Journal of Endocrinology, May, 2015) or heart failure (Circulation:Heart Failure, online June 26, 2012). They may also be less susceptible to prostate cancer or early Alzheimer’s disease. We wrote about these benefits and a few known drawbacks here.
Lower Risk of ED
A new advantage was reported last week. Epidemiologists analyzing data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey found that men who reported consuming between 85 and 170 mg of caffeine daily in coffee, sports drinks, tea or soda were 42 percent less likely to report erectile dysfunction. That’s about the amount of caffeine in two or three cups of regular coffee.
This link held up even for men who have high blood pressure or are carrying around extra pounds. Men with diabetes got no apparent benefit from caffeine consumption, however.
Why Caffeine Might Help
The authors suggest that caffeine may help relax the smooth muscle lining the penis and thus increase blood flow.
Although there were many men in the study, their caffeine consumption was estimated based on the answer to a single question. As a consequence, these results should probably be considered preliminary rather than definitive.
