If I Stop Drinking Will My ED Go Away? – Introduction
Drinking becomes one of the social cultures a majority participates in. However, drinking in excess has its adverse effects on the body and mind. Alcohol can also trigger erectile dysfunction, a pathology defined as the failure of a man to achieve and maintain an erection for sexual contact with his spouse. Men frequently wonder whether ED is curable by quitting alcohol. In this article, we’ll see how ED can be associated with alcohol and how we can eliminate ED by cutting out alcohol.
Understanding Erectile Dysfunction
Erectile dysfunction consists of the inability to develop or maintain a erection good enough for sexual intercourse. It can be affected by a range of factors, including psychological conditions (anxiety and depression), physical conditions (diabetes or heart disease), and habits (smoking or drinking alcohol).
The Role of Alcohol
Alcohol is a depressant of the central nervous system that can affect sexual performance. To some extent, moderate drinking can ease social anxiety and facilitate erotic pleasures; to others, overeating has negative consequences. What alcohol does to erections:
Inhibition of the Nervous System: Alcohol blocks the brain pathways that participate in arousal and sexual activity. It can reduce desire and slow the body’s production of an erection.
Hormonal Changes: Excessive drinking could create hormonal dysfunction that could lower testosterone, an important sex hormone for men.
Circulatory Problems: While alcohol increases vasodilation (bulbing), when consumed in excess, it can also slow blood flow. Because the success of an erection depends on greater blood supply to the penis, poor vascular responses can create challenges in maintaining erections.
Psychological Side Effects: Alcohol causes anxiety and depression, both of which contribute to ED. This creates a negative cycle in which ED may drive fear of sexual performance, which in turn drives more drinking and more issues.
Can Stopping Alcohol Improve ED?
If you have ED and you drink heavily, the “yes/no” to whether or not quitting is an effective treatment is a resounding “probably”. What happens when you reduce or eliminate alcohol:
Increased Circulation: Stopping drinking can increase blood flow, which will make it easier for your body to develop and sustain an erection.
Restitution of Hormones: Using alcohol makes your body replenish its hormones, specifically the testosterone levels that are important for sex.
Mental clarity: When we consume less alcohol, we can achieve better mental health. When anxiety and depression diminish, men tend to feel better about sex performance and bed confidence.
Enhanced Physical Health: Overall health enhancements, like liver function, weight loss, and decreased risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease can also boost erectile function.
Healthy Lifestyle Changes: Reducing alcohol consumption often results in other positive lifestyle changes, including better diet and exercise, which support sex health as well.
Realistic Expectations
Though men generally experience better ED after quitting alcohol, you need to keep expectations low. ED is often a chronic illness and multiple factors might be involved in ED’s healing process. Involvement with a psychiatrist or other medical professionals, both for mental and physical health, can help keep you on the right track.
Several studies have shown a strong correlation between alcohol consumption and ED.
Study 1 – Alcohol Use and ED: A National Survey
A population-based analysis from the Journal of Sexual Medicine looked at ED as a causal factor in 8,301 20- to 75year-old males. The researchers determined that men who drank 21 units of alcohol or more per week were more likely to develop ED than men who drank less than 7 units.
Study 2 – Alcohol and Sexual Functioning in Young Men
The second study, published in the journal Andrology, examined alcohol use and sexual functioning in 18-25-year-old men. It concluded that men who drank over 14 units of alcohol per week had a higher risk of ED than those who drank under 14 units per week.
Study 3 – The Impact of Mild Alcohol Use on Sexual Functioning
The third study, which appeared in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, measured how moderate alcohol use impacts sexual functioning in 1,580 men between the ages of 40-79. The study revealed that moderate alcohol use correlated more with ED risk than low alcohol use.
Study 4- ED and Alcohol Use by Type 2 Diabetes Men Study 4
The fourth study, published in the Journal of Diabetes and Its Complications, investigated ED and alcohol consumption among a cohort of Type 2 diabetic men. They determined that men who drank more than 14 drinks a week were more likely to develop ED than those who drank less than 7 drinks per week.
Study 5 – Alcohol and Sex Abnormalities in Men with Chronic Kidney Disease
In a fifth report, published in the American Journal of Kidney Diseases, alcohol consumption was associated with sexual dysfunction in men with chronic kidney disease. They determined that men who had more than 14 drinks per week were more likely to develop ED than those with fewer than 7 drinks per week.
When to Seek Help
If it still doesn’t seem to clear up ED even after quitting or cutting back on alcohol, then it’s time to call in a doctor. Your physician will evaluate you for any underlying issues that might cause ED and prescribe a course of treatment that may include medication and/or therapy.
Conclusion: If I Stop Drinking Will My ED Go Away?
That is to say, excessive alcohol use can lead to ED. A withdrawal from alcohol can rebalance a body in general and, therefore, may influence some aspects of erectility. Yet it’s not a panacea for everyone, and that improvement might not come immediately. You need to stress out all the other lifestyle concerns and seek professional counsel about treating ED. If your mind and body are in good shape, of course you’ll lead a happy and fulfilling sex life.
