# Can drinking too much coffee cause impotence? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 8, 2012, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-drinking-too-much-coffee-cause-impotence/608818 "2012-01-08T12:58:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Theophane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/77aa72/32.png) [@Theophane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Theophane)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2012, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-drinking-too-much-coffee-cause-impotence/608818/1 "2012-01-08T12:58:14Z")
This is a very serious matter for someone who loves his coffee as much as I do. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2012, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-drinking-too-much-coffee-cause-impotence/608818/2 "2012-01-08T15:31:29Z")
Impotence (aka erectile dysfunction) is not generally recognized as a consequence of coffee consumption by the mainstream medical community. However, most docs (including me) would tell a patient that they’re free to try stopping it for a while and see if it makes a difference for them. ---
**Author:** ![Foggy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foggy/32/1082_2.png) [@Foggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Foggy)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2012, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-drinking-too-much-coffee-cause-impotence/608818/3 "2012-01-08T15:35:42Z")
When given a choice between coffee and sex, I choose coffee. It’s less messy and takes less time. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2012, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-drinking-too-much-coffee-cause-impotence/608818/4 "2012-01-08T16:50:22Z")
> [@Foggy](#): > > When given a choice between coffee and sex, I choose coffee. It’s less messy and takes less time. You’ve never tried to brew a decent espresso, have you? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2012, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-drinking-too-much-coffee-cause-impotence/608818/5 "2012-01-08T17:16:37Z")
drinking enough to get the caffeine jitters might make it hard (or not). ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2012, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-drinking-too-much-coffee-cause-impotence/608818/6 "2012-01-08T17:18:28Z")
> [@Foggy](#): > > When given a choice between coffee and sex, I choose coffee. It’s less messy and takes less time. is that without cream? ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2012, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-drinking-too-much-coffee-cause-impotence/608818/7 "2012-01-08T17:31:05Z")
If I drink coffee before bed, I’m up all night. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2012, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-drinking-too-much-coffee-cause-impotence/608818/8 "2012-01-08T18:42:05Z")
It did, for me. Ok, I’ve been drinking coffee, on and off, for 40+ years, and didn’t get ED until my 60s.