3 Drinks That Increase Libido
Are there drinks that increase libido and support men’s sexual wellness? Read on to find out.
We can all be affected by a low sexual libido at some point in life. In fact, sexual function issues can be chronic for some men.
And while sex drive isn’t medically necessary, desire for sex undoubtedly impacts your relationships and whether you have a healthy sex life.
From significant life changes to stress and even diet, there are several common causes of low sex drive in men. But luckily, there are ways to increase your sex drive — and some may start with what you drink.
Keep reading to learn about the science behind drinks that increase libido and other ways you improve your sex drive.
The Lowdown on Libido
Libido (or sex drive) is a person’s desire for sexual activity. Everyone’s libido is different and can be affected by hormones — such as low levels of testosterone — or medical conditions.
Low libido (sometimes called sexual desire disorder) may even be due to other sexual dysfunctions, like erectile dysfunction (ED) — although the two are not the same.
While many causes of low libido are psychological, certain lifestyle choices can affect your sexual health and drive — such as diet, including what you drink.
Sure, it would be great if a beverage was the key to the fountain of youth. But unfortunately, one single thing won’t help you have a strong sexual libido your entire life.
While there’s no solid scientific evidence linking certain drinks with increased libido, a healthy, balanced diet can improve your energy level and overall health — which can impact your sexual health and sexual desire.
Below, we’ve listed a few drinks that increase libido and how they help.
3 Drinks That Increase Libido
Looking for a way to boost your sexual desire? These three drinks may have certain nutritional benefits that could increase libido.
Red Wine
The jury’s still out on whether alcoholic beverages hurt or help support a healthy libido.
Some research suggests that even moderate drinking can increase your chance of erectile dysfunction. But red wine also contains a decent amount of a libido-friendly nutrient — a flavonoid called quercetin.
Quercetin can help lower the risk of heart disease, among many other benefits. A 2016 review also found that the flavonoid can successfully lower blood pressure at doses greater than 500 mg (milligrams) per day.
There haven’t been too many studies on the effects of quercetin and other flavonoids on men’s sex drive or sexual health. But heart disease — along with several other health conditions — can lead to erectile dysfunction, which could affect your libido.
In moderation, red wine can help prevent heart disease and possibly even increase your sex drive. Of course, there’s always the potential of too much of a good thing, and larger amounts of alcohol can negatively affect sexual function.
Water
One of the keys to good health and a healthy sex drive is staying properly hydrated. Water may seem like an obvious beverage choice to stay healthy, but the ways this drink increases libido might surprise you.
Dehydration can cause headaches, sleepiness and irritability while negatively impacting muscle endurance and strength.
Even mild dehydration can have acute mood effects, according to a small-scale 2011 study. Some studies suggest people may have a decrease in sex drive when experiencing acute mood effects, such as feeling sad or depressed.
According to the American Psychological Association, chronic or long-term stress can affect your body’s production of testosterone and make you less interested in sex.
Better hydration also means better blood pressure management and improved blood flow — an important part of erectile function.
While there haven’t been direct studies on the impact water has on libido, this beverage is a necessity. It not only keeps your body happy and healthy but also helps you have a healthy sex drive.
Tea
Tea is the most popular beverage in the world after water. Just a cup of it can offer several health benefits — some of which may help increase libido.
Tea is often a caffeinated beverage — although it contains less caffeine than coffee — and a source of polyphenols like flavonols, theaflavins and catechins.
The catechin found in green tea can help get rid of free radicals that may damage blood vessels while promoting healthy blood flow.
On the other hand, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), a flavonoid in green tea, might reduce testosterone levels. However, the study supporting this theory was done on male rats.
While animal studies suggest potential health benefits of tea due to its high polyphenol content, human studies have generally been less conclusive — but they do show some promise. There may also be promising results about erection tea for men or the research behind whether tea can help with erections.
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What About Caffeine?
Is there an association between caffeine and low libido? If you’re worried you’ll have to give up your morning cup of coffee to boost your sex drive and have a healthier sex life, there’s no need.
The libido-boosting effects of caffeinated beverages are unclear, as there haven’t been too many studies conducted on the topic. Though additional caffeine intake can raise blood sugar slightly in people with diabetes, caffeinated products don't have this effect on healthy adults.
Of course, everyone reacts to caffeinated products differently. And while there aren’t direct associations between caffeine and libido, caffeine intake could affect sex drive in other ways.
For instance, caffeine from energy drinks may have positive acute mood effects and give you a short burst of energy, as one review of studies found. But the effects of energy drinks have also been found to have a negative impact on long-term mental health.
Multiple studies in the review suggest that drinking several cans of energy drinks led to increased stress, anxiety and depression — all of which might affect sex drive. However, more research is needed to fully determine the association between energy drinks and mental health.
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More Ways to Increase Libido
The above drinks that increase libido certainly have their health benefits. But there are other ways to increase your sex drive.
Check your testosterone. Low production of testosterone is associated with a range of health issues, including fatigue, mood changes, reduced muscle mass and reduced physical strength. If you notice a weak sex drive, you can have your testosterone levels checked through a simple blood test.
Exercise regularly. In addition to boosting testosterone production, regular physical activity improves cardiovascular health and encourages optimal blood flow — one of several important factors for optimal sexual performance.
Limit alcohol consumption. Though we did mention red wine as a drink that could increase libido, research shows that large amounts of alcohol can result in sexual dysfunction. Try to limit your alcohol intake to moderate amounts.
Our full guide on how to increase your sex drive has more ways you can boost your libido.
You might also be wondering about available medications for sex drive. There are erectile dysfunction medications like sildenafil (the active ingredient in Viagra®), as well as hormonal medications, that increase your testosterone levels.
This guide on pills to increase male sex drive explains everything you need to know about medications for improving sexual performance and myths about common supplements for “boosting libido.”
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Drinks for Increased Libido: A Recap
While there’s no one magic beverage that’ll make you feel like you’re a teenager again, some drinks may provide more benefits for your libido than others.
Water, tea and red wine may all help give you a boost in the bedroom. Besides offering hydration, these drinks that increase libido contain certain nutrients called polyphenols and flavonoids that can decrease the risk of heart disease and improve blood flow — both of which are important for a healthy sex life.
There are other ways to boost sex drive, including regular exercise, a healthy diet, quitting smoking and medication, if necessary.
It should be noted that sex drive can constantly vary, not only from person to person but over periods and throughout life. You might be experiencing a low sex drive for one month due to stress at work, then be back to normal the next month.
In any case, if you’re concerned about what’s causing your low libido, talk to your healthcare provider for more insight. You can also explore ED treatment options for improving sexual function at Hims.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. The information contained herein is not a substitute for and should never be relied upon for professional medical advice. Always talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of any treatment or medication.