How Alcohol Affects Erections
The Link Between Alcohol and Erections Might Be Stronger Than You Think
A few drinks here and there might feel harmless, even helpful when it comes to confidence or relaxing in the bedroom.
But over time, alcohol affects far more than your mood.
It can gradually interfere with your blood flow, testosterone levels, and sexual performance in ways that most men don’t realise until it’s already a problem.
This blog isn’t about guilt or judgement.
It’s about understanding how alcohol works in your body, what it’s doing to your erections, and how you can cut back without losing your edge or becoming a different person.
What Alcohol Actually Does to Your Sexual Performance
Let’s break it down.
🍺 1. It Lowers Blood Flow
Erections rely on good circulation. Alcohol is a vasodilator, it relaxes blood vessels - but in high amounts, it leads to reduced pressure and sluggish flow, which can cause softer erections or difficulty staying hard.
🧠 2. It Slows Nerve Signals
Alcohol dulls the central nervous system. This makes it harder for the brain to send clear, fast signals to your body - including the nerves that control erections.
🧬 3. It Disrupts Testosterone
Regular drinking lowers testosterone production over time.
Lower testosterone = lower sex drive, poorer performance, and less confidence.
😩 4. It Increases Anxiety Long-Term
While alcohol may reduce nerves in the moment, it can increase anxiety and low mood the next day, which can feed into performance anxiety or avoidance in the bedroom.
But I Only Drink Socially… Does That Still Affect Erections?
It depends on how much and how often.
Here’s what we see most often in clinic:
Binge drinking (more than 6–8 units in one sitting) disrupts erections even in younger men
Daily drinking, even in small amounts, can lower baseline testosterone
Weekend-heavy drinking patterns reduce recovery, sleep, and hormonal health
Even if you’re not drinking every day, the pattern matters, and it adds up.
How to Cut Back Without Losing Your Social Life
You don’t need to quit completely to see improvements.
Small changes can make a big difference in energy, sleep, libido, and erections.
Here’s how to take back control:
🍷 1. Choose Smarter Drinks
Go for options with fewer ingredients and less sugar.
Choose spirits with soda water over beer or sugary cocktails
Avoid mixing multiple drinks in one night
Have a large glass of water between each alcoholic drink
This reduces inflammation, blood sugar spikes, and next-day fatigue, all of which affect sexual performance.
🕔 2. Set a Pre-Planned Cut-Off
Decide before the night starts how many drinks you’ll have.
Stick to it.
Once you’ve had 2–3 drinks, your judgment is already affected, so making the decision ahead of time protects you from the “ah screw it” moment.
🔁 3. Swap the Evening Wind-Down
If alcohol is your default way to relax in the evening, try replacing it a few nights a week with:
Herbal tea and a hot shower
Watching a series while foam rolling or stretching
Low-light reading or a podcast
It sounds simple, but breaking the habit loop gives your body time to heal, and perform better.
💪 4. Track Your Progress
Notice any of these improvements after reducing alcohol for 2–4 weeks?
More energy in the morning
Better sleep
Stronger, more spontaneous erections
Increased confidence and control
Your body wants to work, it just needs the right environment.
What We See at Men’s Room
Many men come to us with ED or performance concerns and say:
"I didn’t even realise alcohol could be part of the problem."
We help you get clear on what’s affecting your performance, then fix it at the source.
That might include:
Shockwave therapy to restore blood flow
Pelvic floor training for better control
Lifestyle coaching to support energy, testosterone, and confidence
You don’t have to give up who you are.
You just need a plan that works for your life, and gets real results.
📩 Download Our Free ED Info Pack
📞 Book a Free, Confidential Call
FAQs
Can I still drink and have good erections?
Yes: But moderation matters. The more frequently and heavily you drink, the more it can affect blood flow, hormones, and nerve signals.
Does quitting alcohol improve testosterone?
Yes. Research shows that even 2–3 weeks off alcohol can raise testosterone levels and improve sleep, libido, and performance.
What’s the safest alcohol for erectile function?
Clear spirits like vodka, gin, or tequila with soda water tend to be lower in sugar and inflammatory compounds than beer or mixed drinks.