We’ve all heard the horror stories making the news: stories of adults smashing upwards of two dozen cans of energy drinks and giving themselves diabetes and heart disease.
And despite that, you probably won’t be surprised to find out that there isn’t plenty of unbiased research out there examining the long-term effects of frequent energy drink consumption.
Even worse for those who take plenty of Monster® or Red Bull® energy drinks – or any energy drink, for that matter – very few studies examine the relationship between energy drinks and their effects on penile and sexual health.
The truth is the majority of what we know about energy drinks and their positive as well as negative effects on health is a ton of circumstantial evidence. And if you’re still reading this, you’ll most likely be interested to learn them. Well, let’s drill down right to it.
Energy drinks: What are their side effects?
Energy drinks have fairly escaped the scrutiny and research that other beverages such as soda or coffee as far as their effects on health are concerned.
Much of what we do know is based on a few studies and anecdotal evidence from the news.
And based on the evidence, energy drinks have been linked to or exacerbate medical issues such as:
- Substance abuse issues and increased alcohol intake
- Stress, anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation
- Increase in heart rate and incidence of palpitations
- Heightened blood pressure
- Higher obesity risk
- Increased likelihood of dental problems
- Kidney disease
- Tiredness
- Sleep disturbances
- Heightened diabetes risk
- Gastrointestinal problems
- Headaches
A 2017 overview of studies indicated that most of what we know about energy drinks is largely confined to two of their main ingredients: sugar and caffeine.
That’s not a good thing, either. Because we do know that there are a lot more ingredients whose effects we don’t know a lot about, particularly for individuals who regularly consume energy drinks.
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Do energy drinks cause ED?
Erectile dysfunction is primarily a condition related to blood circulation. In particular, it has to do a lot with the flow of blood to your penile tissue.
ED can be an indicator of underlying medical conditions such as cardiovascular disease, but it can also arise from nerve trauma, fluctuations in hormonal levels, or other diseases related to your male parts.
That said, do energy drinks cause ED? It all depends on the ingredients.
See, some ingredients in energy drinks –– in particular, sugar –– can have far-ranging consequences to your health when taken in excess. That much we know. And diabetes –– a consequence of excessive sugar consumption –– has been linked to erectile dysfunction.
On the other hand, some ingredients in energy drinks may actually help erectile function. For instance, vitamin B3 (niacin) and taurine have been shown to boost erectile health in several studies. Vitamin B3 improved erectile function in men with high cholesterol levels, while taurine did the same in a study conducted on rats with diabetes-related ED. Taurine and vitamin B3 are common ingredients found in most energy drinks.
On the other hand, what about caffeine? You’ll want to hear this.
According to a 2015 study on caffeine consumption, it was found that taking 2-3 cups of coffee daily helped reduce the likelihood of men with high blood pressure and obesity developing ED (excluding diabetic men). Not bad at all.
That said, will taking energy drinks cause ED? Your mileage may vary. Some ingredients can be classified as risky to your erectile function, while others might very well help you prevent ED.
However, drinking an energy drink every once in a while is highly unlikely to cause damage to your erectile function.
At the same time, it won’t be a good idea to start pounding down energy drinks to get your daily intake of vitamin B3 and taurine –– you’re better off getting your ED-prevention nutrients elsewhere.
Instead of losing sleep on whether your energy drink consumption might cause ED down the line, you’re better off zooming out and seeing the forest for the trees. That’s because there are plenty more substantial risk factors you should be worrying about as far as ED is concerned.
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The final word on energy drinks and erectile function
Everything –– everything –– you put in your body will have a consequence. Your body is a temple, and putting things that are detrimental to its function will surely have some negative effects down the line.
Some may give you that extra boost you need, while others might give you type 2 diabetes and heart disease over the long term. The outcome is all a matter of how often you consume them and how they fit within the context of your health and lifestyle choices.
Now, as far as your penis and erectile function are concerned, there are plenty of things you can do to keep them firing on all cylinders. Lifestyle changes such as getting regular exercise, focusing on your cardiovascular health, reducing your blood pressure, and maintaining a healthy weight can all do wonders for both.
Nevertheless, if you suspect that you might have ED, or beginning to see symptoms, the prudent thing to do is to consult your healthcare provider. They may recommend you to make the same aforementioned lifestyle changes, or they might recommend you to take medication for ED, such as sildenafil (Viagra®) or tadalafil (Cialis®), just to name some of your potential treatment options.
