It is a phenomenon that masquerades under many names, most too crude to list here, but all describing the situation of temporary, alcohol-induced impotence. It is the result of having just one too many drinks, leading to that awkward and likely uncomfortable dichotomy between what your mind wants to do and what your body is capable of doing. While your mind wants to partake in some physical delights, your body refuses to maintain an erection. The most frustrating part, I imagine, is that the more the mind attempts to will the penis into an erection, the more the body resists and the more the distinction between alcohol-induced impotence and performance anxiety begins to blur. But why does alcohol create such an unpleasant side effect when its initial effects are often so pleasant?
Alcohol is the college student’s drug of choice for big parties, small gatherings or just to ease the jitters of an intimate date. That choice is no small coincidence, either. In fact, during the past 10 to 20 years, the very real health benefits of moderate alcohol consumption have led to dietary recommendations, including a “heart healthy” glass of red wine daily to reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes, and the same statement can be made for beer. Additionally, added benefits of particular interest for college students include decreased inhibitions — which I’m sure most of us are familiar with — increased libido and desire, temporary euphoria and a boost in confidence. It is these effects that make alcohol such a double-edged sword. Alcohol can serve as a social crutch for the shy, an icebreaker to ease a date’s sexual tension or a mood enhancer after a grueling round of midterms. But, as we all know, alcohol can sometimes cause people to take things too far. Decreased inhibitions can lead to participating in an activity one wouldn’t normally do — from streaking the Lawn to initiating an unplanned sexual encounter — and the euphoria and self-confidence can lead to a false perception of one’s level of drunkenness and maybe even some particularly dangerous behaviors such as drinking and driving. But more to the point of this article, the consumption of alcohol to increase one’s libido and desire is a high-wire balancing act between having just enough to feel a little randier than usual and an unfortunate side of effect known colloquially as “brewer’s droop” — or a variety of other colorful nicknames alluded to earlier.
The mechanism for this unwelcome side effect of temporary, alcohol-induced erectile dysfunction stems from the relaxing effects of alcohol. Alcohol is a depressant and acts via enhancement of GABA receptors in neurons, allowing them to stay open longer, which leads to more chloride ions passing into the neuron and — in turn — a decrease in the neuron’s excitability. Additionally, alcohol acts as a vasodilator, which means it relaxes the smooth muscles and opens up your blood vessels.
This effect of widening the blood vessels is the key to our little problem of temporary erectile dysfunction. In a normal erection, arterial blood flow — the red stuff from high school biology class that represents blood cells laden with oxygen traveling away from the heart — to the penis is increased. This fills the soft tissues surrounding the penis known as the corpora cavernosa and corpus spongiosum. These structures are comprised of interconnected sinuses, or openings, that surround the penile urethra and fill with blood during an erection. After these structures are filled with blood, the venous outflow — the blue blood that no longer has oxygen — traveling back to the heart from the penis is impeded by constriction, or narrowing, of the vessels. This means the blood stays in the structures of the penis and the erection is maintained. If one consumes too much alcohol, the penis is still able to fill with blood because of the dilation of vessels, but the erection cannot be maintained because the veins are unable to constrict and prevent blood from flowing out of the penis. Hence, there is an inability to maintain an erection during arousal — thus the occurrence of erection followed by no erection and the uncomfortable confusion that follows and the subsequent nervousness that can lead to performance anxiety. Let it be known to all you ladies and gentlemen that this is normal and happens to anyone who takes that one drink too many; it is nothing to be ashamed of or to cause alarm. There’s no need to take an emergency trip to Student Health the next day worrying about early onset ED or whether you should start taking Viagra. Just be aware that you should ease up on the alcohol intake before your next romantic interlude. That way, you should be able to get and maintain an erection without too much trouble.
All of the above isn’t to say, however, that prolonged alcohol abuse cannot lead to long-term or even permanent erectile dysfunction. In fact, the temporary effects of interference with nerves and sensations caused by occasional alcohol use can lead to permanent damage to the nerves in the penis in those suffering from long-term alcohol dependence. Long-term abuse disrupts the normal nervous system pathways between the brain and the penis, preventing the proper signaling to allow for an erection. Additionally, long-term alcohol use can disrupt hormone levels, particularly testosterone, which can decrease libido and sexual function. Alcohol abuse can even cause damage to the cells that produce sperm, leading to decreased testicular size and decreased sperm production. In other words, temporary, alcohol-induced ED is nothing to be concerned about for moderate consumers of alcohol, but for heavy drinkers, alcohol-induced ED can become a permanent side effect of alcohol consumption and is not something that is guaranteed to resolve itself once alcohol consumption ceases. So, as in all things, moderation is key.
Katie McBeth is a University Medical student. She can be reached at k.mcbeth@cavalierdaily.com.
Read More
U.Va. students and physicians team up for another year of free kidney screenings
By Merrill Hart | November 5, 2024Saturday’s screening marked the first by KDSAP at Portico Church, near IX Art Park.
U.Va. Health sees a spike in COVID-19 cases
By Emily Horn | September 4, 2023U.Va. Health ended their vaccination requirements in August, and masks were made optional in most hospital areas in early April.
U.Va. Cancer Center harnesses $12 million grant to support opportunities for undergraduates, ongoing research and new center
By Ellen Wu | January 12, 2023The grant provides an opportunity to establish the Center for Systems Analysis of Stress-Adapted Cancer Organelles, which seeks to find the cause of cancer in individual organelles.
