Compared to men in the study who consumed zero to 7 milligrams of caffeine a day, men who consumed 85 to 170 milligrams of caffeine a day were 42 percent less likely to report erectile dysfunction, and those who consumed 171 to 303 milligrams of caffeine a day were 39 percent less likely to report the condition, the Texas team said.
Caffeine sources in the study included beverages such as coffee, tea, soda and sports drinks.
The study authors believe that caffeine may help thwart impotence because it relaxes certain arteries and muscles in the penis, improving blood flow and the ability to have an erection.
Another expert agreed. “More research is needed, but what scientists think is happening here is that coffee and caffeine are causing cavernous smooth muscle tissue (found in the penis) to relax, allowing more blood flow to the area and leading to improved erectile function,” said Dr. David Samadi, chair of urology at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City.
The study was published online recently in the journal PLOS One.
According to background information in the study, erectile dysfunction affects more than 18 percent of American men 20 and older.
Copyright HealthDay News May 2015
Coffee Keeps Men Awake In More Ways Than One was originally published on blackdoctor.org
