Coca-Cola & erectile dysfunction
The myth: Coca-Cola can cause erectile dysfunction
Mojo’s verdict: false, Coca-Cola won’t cause ED (just don’t drink too much)
Coca-Cola is the most popular soft drink in the world, selling 1.9 billion servings in over 200 countries each day.
Erectile dysfunction (ED) affects over 50% of men, and it’s fair to assume that a significant amount of men with ED are enjoying Coca-Cola. The drink is widely thought to be bad for you due to the sugar and sweeteners, leading to some people wondering whether there’s a link between drinking Coca-Cola and erectile dysfunction.
Can Coca-Cola cause erectile dysfunction?
In a nutshell, no. Drinking a can of this soft drink won’t directly give you erection issues.
If you think your ED is caused by Coca-Cola, it isn’t. It’s more likely to be caused by other physical, lifestyle, or psychological reasons. If you’re curious, we’d recommend reading our blog post to see if your ED is physical or psychological. If it’s psychological, we can provide you with a structured path to erection success here at Mojo.
The causes we just mentioned are direct. Coca-Cola is not directly responsible for ED, but diet is connected to ED. So, sugary drinks can cause other health problems, making them a potential indirect cause of ED. When combined with other health conditions and lifestyle choices, these could negatively impact your erections over time.
Coca-Cola’s impact on your erections
So, Coca-Cola isn’t going to give you ED, but it does contain ingredients that you should only consume in moderation.
Coca-Cola contains sugar (sucrose) in the UK and EU and high fructose corn syrup in the US. Both of these ingredients can contribute to obesity and health problems due to how the body metabolizes them.
Health problems like obesity and diabetes can increase the chances of developing physical ED. Let’s take a look at the ingredients in Coca-Cola that you can keep an eye on to prevent these problems.
Sugar
There are 39g of sugar in a can of Coke, which is over 108% of a man’s recommended daily allowance (RDA). This amount of sugar on a regular basis can cause health problems such as:
- An unhealthy cardiovascular system
- Insulin resistance
- Obesity
High fructose corn syrup
In the US, Coca-Cola sweetens its drinks by using high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) instead of cane sugar. There’s about 33g of HFSC in every can of Coke. HFCS can cause health problems such as:
- An unhealthy cardiovascular system
- Insulin resistance
- A slower metabolism
Let’s look at how these health problems can damage your erectile health.
An unhealthy cardiovascular system
Erectile dysfunction can be caused by endothelial dysfunction. This is where the arteries narrow and can’t work as well. This is because obesity can mess with your testosterone production, increase cardiovascular problems, and cause insulin resistance.
HFCS can also contribute to weight gain and put you at risk of obesity.
How much Coke can you safely drink?
We asked nutritionist Aron how much Coke you can drink safely. He advised that you have Coke very occasionally.
Overall, it’s unlikely that either Diet Coke or regular Coke is the root cause of your erectile dysfunction.
Erectile dysfunction causes
So, we’ve established that while Coca-Cola isn’t a direct cause of erectile dysfunction, it does contain ingredients that aren’t great for your overall health if you drink too much.
Your doctor can help you figure out what exactly is causing your ED. If it isn’t something physical, then your ED is probably being caused by something psychological or lifestyle-related.
Psychological ED
Erectile dysfunction nearly always has a psychological element to it. Psychological ED can be caused by:
- Stress
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Sexual performance anxiety
- Relationship or marriage problems
- A lack of sexual desire (low libido)
If you’re looking for psychological ED treatment, we have it covered. Our Erection Reset course can help.
You can join Mojo by signing up here.
A Coca-Cola Conclusion
Coca-Cola isn’t causing your ED, but an unhealthy diet could be making your symptoms worse if it’s leading to health conditions.
We recommend keeping the sodas as a treat, taking a trip to the doctor to get to the root cause of your ED, and signing up to Mojo to get the support you need in getting better erections.
Mojo aims to provide useful wellbeing resources to its users; however, you should not solely rely on opinions or advice available on the Website or given by the Community. Always seek advice from a qualified medical doctor or other healthcare professional before acting.
About the experts
With 18 years as a psychosexual and relationship therapist, Amanda helps people navigate desire, intimacy, and the changes life brings.
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