Major fizzy drinks are associated with erectile dysfunction in men

Emobileclinic Researchers’ Corner

Major fizzy drinks may cause erectile dysfunction in men.Scientists have found that drinking a litre of fizzy drink a day can reduce sperm count by 30% and eventually lead to erectile dysfunction. The study was carried out at Copenhagen University Hospital and found men who classed themselves as being addicted to cola had far less effective “swimmers” than those who avoided the drink.

The study looked at 2,554 men, and found cola addicts had an average sperm count of 35 million per millilitre, compared to 56 million per millilitre in those who consumed less of the drink.
While a sperm count of 35 million still falls within the normal range, it puts men more at risk of eventually becoming infertile. The study found there was no link between caffeine levels in cola and other drinks, therefore indicating the lower sperm count in men was likely due to another ingredient.

The researchers observed that while getting an erection relied on many factors, both physical and psychological, certain ingredients in fizzy drinks appeared to contribute to problems in getting it up. They claimed a sweetener in the drinks could damage arteries in the penis possibly preventing blood flowing freely through the muscle. Scientists concluded that drinking the odd can of coke or other fizzy drinks every now and then would not cause such alarming side effects, but those who drank the fizzy stuff often to cut down on sugar in general.

Source: PLoS One Journal