All About Marijuana and Erectile Dysfunction

 

Marijuana is now legal in more than 33 states and in 10 for recreational use. In 2015, more than 11 million used people used it according to the data collected from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). So we can say it is common to use it for medical or recreational purposes. 

In the US, people use medical marijuana to control pain. Even the researches have shown that it is fairly good for treating chronic pain. Like most of the drugs, this also has some effects like altered senses, mood swings, pain relief, and many more. This is basically due to the presence of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the active chemical of medical marijuana. However, it is also linked to other sexual side effects like erectile dysfunction. But there are mixed studies that indicate medical marijuana hampers sexual performance in any way. 

Read on to learn about the link between marijuana and erectile dysfunction. Also how this natural herb affects sexual health.

Marijuana and Sex

Though there is no concrete evidence, marijuana users say after smoking or eating the medical marijuana edibles, they are more interested in sex. They also find it more enjoyable when they are high. But these are just the anecdotal claims. 

However, there is very limited research on this. Several studies were carried out to understand how marijuana is associated with better sex!

In 2019, the Journal of Sexual Medicine published a study that women consuming marijuana before sex experienced an increased sex drive and improved orgasm with a decrease in pain. 

A study in 2017 showed that better use of marijuana can be correlated with a better sexual desire. It involved about 50, 000 women and men who reported an improvement in sexual frequency with the consumption of marijuana. 

Another point to note is that in none of the cases did marijuana reported to lower or impair the sexual desire or performance of any individual- men or women. Yet, researchers believe that more and more intensive research is needed!

Marijuana and Erectile Dysfunction Treatments

Of course, there are numerous over the counter medicines available for erectile dysfunction, some are Viagra, Cialis, and Levitra. They work by increasing the blood flow in the penis and fill that soft, erectile tissue as and when needed for an erection. 

Since marijuana is under Schedule I drug, the research in its correlation with Viagra and other erectile dysfunction medications is very less. A few types of research say that marijuana consumption can increase the effects of the Sildenafil, an active ingredient of Viagra, on the cardiovascular system. 

Final Words

Very few states have legalized medicinal and recreational marijuana and in really selected states, thus the research on marijuana and sexual performance is quite limited. As of the present, anecdotal claims do say that marijuana aids in better sex performance. But, on the whole, no proper and solid conclusion can be drawn on the same. If you do experience ED with the usage of marijuana, then consult the marijuana doctor.

Also Read: Is it safe to use Suboxone with Medical Marijuana?