If your beau’s been having issues in the performance department, don’t fret: A recent study suggests drinking coffee could throw him a bone (almost literally!).

In the U.S., an estimated 30 million dudes struggle with erectile dysfunction (ED), which is essentially the inability to hold an erection long enough for satisfying sex. Preventative measures include things like eating right, exercising on the regular—and now, drinking coffee.

According to a recent study published in the journal Plos One, men who drank the equivalent caffeine level of two to three cups of coffee daily were roughly 40 percent less likely to experience ED. Researchers at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) found that caffeine may (ironically) calm the penile muscles, helping improve blood flow to the region.

“It is counterintuitive since caffeine usually has the opposite effect on smooth muscle in blood vessels, causing them to contract rather than relax,” Dr. Robert Mordkin, chief of urology and director of robotic surgery at Virginia Hospital Center said to Men’s Journal. “It’s intriguing data.”

The study reviewed data from 3,724 men and included four different caffeine sources: coffee, soda (regular and low-cal), tea, and energy and sports drinks. Men who consumed between 85 and 170 milligrams of caffeine daily were 42 percent less likely to experience ED, while those who drank between 171 and 303 milligrams of caffeine daily were 39 percent less likely, compared to men who drank zero to seven milligrams a day.

This trend stayed true among overweight, obese, and hypertensive men, but unfortunately had no impact on men with diabetes. “Diabetes is one of the strongest risk factors for ED, so this was not surprising,” lead study author and UTHealth assistant professor David S. Lopez said in a statement. (Sorry boys.)

But before you hoover that RedBull, keep in mind the study only focuses on caffeine and not the sugar and other icky additives typically found in caffeinated drinks. “Besides caffeine, energy drinks and soda have other ingredients we don’t know too much about,” Lopez said to HuffPost. “We do know a lot about sugar—it’s strongly linked with diabetes and obesity. There are other drinks that are sugar-free, but some of those ingredients are associated with cancer.”

Long story short: If you want your next romp in the sack to be a little more Armagedditon and a little less Disappointing Miss Daisy, stick to black coffee, which has been linked to plenty of other health benefits already—not that we need another reason to enjoy drinking coffee, but whatev.

Come on, spill the beans (pun totally intended): Has drinking coffee given your sex life a boost?

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Drinking coffee image via Shutterstock

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According to a new study, the type of coffee drinks we prefer offer greater insight into our personality types.

Clinical psychologist Dr. Ramani Durvasula conducted a study of 1,000 coffee drinkers to see if certain personality types coincided with the coffee drinks they ordered. While the survey was just for funzies, Durvasula did come across some interesting patterns:

People who preferred black coffee drinks were considered purists – they like to keep things simple. They’re patient and efficient, but are set in their ways and resistant to change.

Latte drinkers were considered open books and people pleasers – they go out of their way to help others, but are often over-extended and don’t always take good care of themselves.

Those who enjoyed frozen/blended coffee drinks had bold personalities – they’re spontaneous trendsetters, but can be reckless.

People who ordered very specific coffees had perfectionist tendencies and focused on healthy choices, but are overly sensitive and chronic worriers.

Finally, people who leaned toward instant coffee drinks were found to be laid back procrastinators who are too laid back for their own good.

While I’m in agreement with Durvasula, who said “we’re no more defined by our coffee orders than we are by our astrological signs,” my coffee drink preference and personality are bang-on with her findings (I’m a latte drinker, as is my mom, so now I know who to blame). But, says Durvasula, “It’s quite possible you may be a controlling latte drinker or a neurotic black-coffee drinker.”

I’m sure there are also those who don’t commit to a specific type of coffee at all, but enjoy a wide variety of coffee drinks – and I’m sure I used to date them.

Do any of these personality types coincide with your coffee drink of choice?

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The Hidden Costs of Fast Coffee

Image: Will Keightley

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