Are you concerned whether there is a link between coffee and sex drive? There has been some confusion as to whether coffee can have a positive or negative effect on your sex drive, or whether it affects it at all. There has been very little research on this subject. But what has been done suggests that there is a small positive effect. It is thought that caffeine can increase blood flow to the genitals of both men and women.

The effect on Men

For men, a 2015 PLOS One Journal study determined that men who consume 1-2 cups a day lowered their erectile dysfunction risk by as much as 42%. Not bad for a bit of caffeine!! Those who drink slightly more saw a small decrease at about 39%. The one group of men who did not benefit were those with type 2 diabetes, which can be a major contributor to erectile dysfunction. 

The effect on Women

For women, there has been less research. The one study on coffee and sex drive that was done was on female rats who were never given caffeine before the study. The rats that received the caffeine were more likely to the male rats for more sex. They were less interested in spending time with their female counterparts. It would be interesting to see if rats that are fed caffeine on a regular basis retain that drive to go for more sex would still hold true. Like I said, the evidence is less with regard to females. We obviously don’t know if the same can be said for human females. 

So, there is a lot we don’t know about this. We do know that coffee does have positive effects on other aspects of your health. It can improve brain function and focus. It can also improve energy levels and mood. But, as always, don’t overdo it.