Marijuana’s effects on male sexual performance remain a subject of controversy. The right dosage can help, but too much can cause problems.
Men searching for a definitive answer to the age-old question about marijuana’s effects on erectile function may find that the effects of weed, like those of alcohol, depend to a considerable extent upon the amount of substance that’s been used.
Both alcohol and cannabis, when consumed in modest amounts, can lower inhibitions and set the scene for romance. However, consume too much of either one, and you might very well be unable to perform up to expectations — both yours and your partner’s.
In a September 2015 article posted at Playboy.com, sex educator Justin Lehmiller, Ph.D., had this to say about the dose-dependent nature of marijuana’s effects on sexual performance: “If you consume marijuana or alcohol in small quantities, the inhibitory effects on sexual performance tend to be pretty minimal. In fact, you may actually experience an overall performance boost with low doses due to these drugs lowering inhibitions and stimulating desire.”
How Much Is Too Much?
However, complicating matters when it comes to quantifying how much is too much in the case of marijuana is the wide and unpredictable variability in relative potency between one strain of weed and another. Yet another factor to consider is frequency of use. Daily pot smokers are three times more likely to suffer from erectile dysfunction than those who don’t use marijuana at all, according to Lehmiller.
The absence of definitive answers to the questions surrounding marijuana’s effects on male sexual performance may be due in part to the relatively limited number of scientific studies on the matter. Most studies that have been done have looked at cannabis as just one of several substances that are suspected to have adverse effects on erectile function.
Recent Study Cited
One such study, previewed online in March 2016 in advance of eventual publication in “Andrologia,” compared the erectile function scores of 101 men diagnosed with some degree of substance use disorder with those of 43 healthy male volunteers with no known history of substance abuse. Among the substance users were men who regularly consumed alcohol, cannabis, ecstasy (MDMA), and opiates.
Researchers at the Alcohol and Substance Research Treatment and Education Center in Ankara, Turkey, had all study participants complete the 15-question International Index of Erectile Function questionnaire as well as a 30-item sociodemographic interview form. The data gleaned from the IIEF-15 questionnaires and the interview forms was then compared between the substance users and the control group made up of healthy non-users.
The good news for pot smokers and drinkers in this study comes in the form of their consistently higher scores than those of men using ecstasy or opiates. The IIEF-15 questionnaires cover four key areas, or domains: erectile function, orgasmic function, sexual desire, and intercourse satisfaction.
Erectile Function Scores
The average score of alcohol users on the six questions relevant to erectile function was 18.9, while those of cannabis users was 16.7. These scores fall into the category of mild to moderate erectile dysfunction. Among the control group, the average score was 21.1, which puts the healthy volunteers into the category of mild ED. The average scores for ecstasy and opiate users were 9.0 and 11.5, respectively, indicating moderate ED.
The average scores for orgasmic function among the users of alcohol and cannabis were 6.5 and 5.6 respectively. For the control group, the average score was 7.5. Scores of 5 to 6 fall into the category of mild to moderate orgasmic dysfunction, while scores of 7 to 8 are considered indicative of mild orgasmic dysfunction. For purposes of comparison, the average scores in this category for users of ecstasy and opiates were 5.5 and 3.4, respectively. The 3.4 score puts opiate users into the category of moderate orgasmic dysfunction.
Not Far Below Control Group
In looking specifically at the IIEF-15 data from cannabis users, authors of the Turkish study emphasize that the group’s average scores are not significantly lower than those of the control group. The average age of men in the cannabis group was 29.9, compared with 32.9 for men in the control group.
Although the adverse effects of marijuana use on erectile dysfunction may be limited and even helpful in some cases where it’s been shown to reduce inhibitions, pot users are unlikely to get access to weed for ED when and if medical marijuana becomes a reality where they live. Conditions eligible for medical marijuana vary from state to state and may include Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, glaucoma, hepatitis C, HIV/AIDS, Lou Gehrig’s disease, multiple sclerosis, nausea, pain, post-traumatic stress disorder, seizure disorders, and wasting diseases.
Medical Marijuana Users Polled
While it seems unlikely that men with erectile dysfunction will get official clearance to treat it with medical marijuana anytime soon, a recent poll of medical marijuana users — prescribed for other ills — indicates that some male respondents have seen benefits in the bedroom. According to a recent article posted at MensJournal.com, the survey was conducted by HelloMD, which describes itself as “a digital health care platform for the cannabis industry.”
Interviewed by MensJournal.com, Harvard-trained physician Jordan Tishler, M.D., said his experiences as medical director of a Boston cannabis clinic have indicated that marijuana use can enhance the sexual experiences of both sexes. “We’ve known for a while, at least anecdotally, that cannabis can enhance the sexual experiences of women,” he told MensJournal, but recent findings indicate that a fairly equal number of men are realizing benefits as well.
2 Doctors Support Pot Use
Both Dr. Tishler and Perry Solomon, M.D., the chief medical officer at HelloMD, disagree with colleagues who contend that marijuana use may actually increase the risk of erectile dysfunction. Both physicians support limited use of medical marijuana to help men suffering from a lack of sexual desire, erectile dysfunction, or an inability to achieve orgasm.
Explaining his support of marijuana as a potential treatment for male sexual dysfunction, Dr. Solomon asks, “Why not try it?” He goes on to point out that Viagra and the other oral ED medications all have side effects, while cannabis has none. “Maybe it’s [cannabis] just making them feel better and relaxed, and that’s making it easier for them to enjoy sex, but it’s still working.”
Don’t Overdo It
Although he clearly sees benefits from marijuana in treating some forms of sexual dysfunction, including ED, Dr. Solomon cautions against using too much weed. Getting so stoned that you no longer care about sex at all is obviously not going to help the problem, he explains. For his male clients, he recommends using cannabis products that contain no more than 14 percent THC (tetrahydrocannabinol, the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana).
Dr. Solomon also suggests that men using cannabis to overcome erection problems go very slowly in their use of marijuana. A single toke from a vape pen may be sufficient to jumpstart the erectile process. The idea is to get buzzed but not stoned, according to MensJournal.com.
If you’d like to read additional articles about possible treatments for erectile dysfunction as well as other topics of interest to health consumers, check out our blog. To order prescription medications like Viagra online, visit eDrugstore.com.
Don Amerman is a freelance author who writes extensively about a wide array of nutrition and health-related topics.
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