How alcohol can affect your sexual life – erectile dysfunction

It’s the oldest of all consumed concoctions, dating back to 9,000 years with a beverage made of fermented rice. It’s a stress reliever, aphrodisiac, sterilising agent, preservative, and party ice breaker. Yes, I’m referring to alcohol. And what a storied history it has had with us over the last few thousand years.

But let’s get to the meat of the matter. What effect does alcohol have on sex and erections? Does it improve or hinder sex? It does both, according to the answer. A drink or two can help to relieve stress and anxiety and make it easier to strike up a conversation. In this sense, it can boost sex drive and motivation by removing the daily stress that suppresses the libido. And, because alcohol weakens your conversation filters, you may find yourself saying things you don’t mean without even realising it.

But alcohol is also a depressant and a sedative and acts like an anesthetic. It numbs things up pretty good. Before the development of the first true anesthesia in 1846 at Massachusetts General Hospital, surgeons routinely relied on alcohol and bullet-biting to carry out operations. Drink enough of it and alcohol can numb sensation to the penis to the point that it can be hard to get and maintain an erection. Not only that, orgasm is harder to reach and is often blunted.

Literally over the same couple of hours, alcohol can both boost sexual motivation and flatten your performance. It’s a fine line to walk. And, of course, sexual performance isn’t the only thing to consider as you’re deciding whether or not to order a cocktail. If you have trouble controlling your consumption or if you’re going to be driving, consider skipping the liquid courage and take heart knowing that your erection and sex will be the better for it.