Put some pep in your step
It's National Cappuccino Day (obviously) and there has frankly never been a better reason to chug coffee, lads.
Turns out,
studies have shown that men who drink coffee three times a day have a reduced risk of experiencing erectile dysfunction (ED).
Roughly
4.3 million men in the UK alone suffer from ED - yet it's a topic that's rarely discussed. It's believed that by
2025, 322 million men globally will be affected by ED, which is more than double the 152 million which was estimated in 1995.
However in 2015, researchers at the University of Texas found that men who consumed between 85 and 170 milligrams of caffeine a day were 42 per cent less likely to report erectile dysfunction problems, while those who drank between 171 and 303 milligrams of caffeine a day were 39 per cent less likely to report and ED related issue.
Their study found that caffeine triggers a multitude of pharmacological effects that lead to the relaxation of the penile helicine arteries and the cavernous smooth muscle that lines cavernosal spaces, thus increasing penile blood flow.
So next time you find yourself flying at half-mast, order a Starbucks.
Though medicine has progressed miles, previously suggested 'cures' and '
remedies' for ED have been, for lack of a better term, nutty.
In ancient Egypt, people believed that curses caused erectile disfunction and so they would grind up baby crocodile hearts to rub on the affected area. Shockingly, white and blue lotus flowers are still used today, as the active ingredient apomorphine can be used to treat ED.
Medieval theologian Thomas Aquinas believed that demons were to blame for erectile dysfunction - but then again - demons were to blame for everything back then. Men with impotence problems were urged to track down the women who had bewitched their penises and persuade them, with violence if necessary, to restore their erections. This was but one of the many causes linked to the Witch Trials of the 1600s.
In the later 1600's it was discovered that erectile dysfunction had a medical reason - shock, right? However that doesn't mean the weird stuff stopped happening, as in 1918 a Russian scientist believed that transferring monkey testicle tissue into humans would solve the issue.
For the next two decades, all sorts of animal balls were transplanted into humans until scientists in 1935 discovered testosterone and everything began making sense.
Then came the remedies we know and love today, from viagra and penis pumps to injections and transplants.
Still - while coffee has shown promising indicators, it is vital to seek medical advice with suffering from ED.
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