Urological Science
Volume 21, Issue 4 , Pages 163-168, December 2010

Effect of Alcohol Consumption on the Risk of Erectile Dysfunction

  • Bang-Ping Jiann

      Affiliations

    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author. Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, 386, Ta-Chung 1st Road, Kaohsiung, Taiwan

Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan

Received 20 November 2009

Article Outline

Alcohol consumption is a common behavior in social circumstances worldwide. Epidemiological studies have suggested that moderate alcohol consumption reduces cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. The cardiovascular protective effects of alcohol may be attributed to its antioxidant, vasorelaxant, and antithrombotic properties, elevation of high-density lipoprotein or increase of nitric oxide production. Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a harbinger of cardiovascular diseases. Most epidemiological studies have also found that alcohol consumption, like its relationship with coronary artery disease, is related to ED in a J-shaped manner, with moderate consumption conferring the highest protection and higher consumption less benefits. In epidemio-logical studies, it is difficult to distinguish the ethanol effects from those of associated confounding factors. Meanwhile, long-term alcohol users, especially in those with alcohol liver disease, are highly associated with ED. More research is needed to investigate the true effects of alcohol consumption on cardiovascular diseases or ED.

Key Words:  alcohol , coronary artery disease , erectile dysfunction , mortality

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 There are 2 CME questions based on this article

PII: S1879-5226(10)60037-1

doi:10.1016/S1879-5226(10)60037-1

Urological Science
Volume 21, Issue 4 , Pages 163-168, December 2010

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