What drinks help you last longer in bed?

Lasting longer in the sheets is a common goal for plenty of men, even though our estimates around how long sex should last are typically off by a mile. For example, sex lasting 3–13 minutes is considered “normal,” with the actual average hovering somewhere around 5.4 minutes (a bit longer if you’re younger, a bit shorter if you’re older). 

You may have seen TikToks or articles online sharing apocryphal stories of how drinking this or that can help you last longer in bed. Before we get started, let’s clear the air with some truth: to date, no studies have found a direct link between drinking certain beverages and increased sexual stamina. In general, what you eat and drink has a limited, if any, impact on your sexual performance.

Having said that, there are studies suggesting that different drinks can be better for your health, as well as various factors tied to sexual health in particular, such as blood pressure. Drinking these beverages may indirectly help with sexual performance. Plus, they often boast other health benefits, so what’s the harm in giving them a try?

With that caveat out of the way, let’s take a look at ten drinks that may help you last longer in bed.

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Before we dive into the drinks that may have an indirect effect on how long you last in bed, it’s helpful to understand how erections and ejaculation work, exactly. Here’s a quick review:

When you get aroused, your brain sends a message that starts a chemical response throughout your body. It encourages the muscles in your penis to relax and get larger, so blood can rush in and fill it up. At the same time, the veins that allow blood to leave your penis get more rigid, so the blood becomes trapped, creating a hard erection. If there’s a hiccup in that process, it can lead to erectile dysfunction (ED), which is when you can get or stay hard long enough for satisfying sex. While the definition of satisfying sex differs for everyone, if you find that you can’t stave off ejaculation for more than three minutes, it may be a sign of premature ejaculation. 

Whether you find that you’ve experienced ED, PE, or both, there are two important things to remember: 

1. They’re both common. 

2. There are safe and effective treatments available for both. 

Now, if you’d like to learn more about drinks that will help you last longer, keep in mind that while the drinks below may not directly impact your ability to get or sustain an erection or stave off ejaculation, they can help with other parts of the process, such as improving blood circulation or pressure, your cardiovascular health, or your physical stamina, so you can keep thrusting. Let’s get into it.

1. Water

Water is vital for our overall health and sexual health, too, it turns out. Staying hydrated affects blood pressure and blood flow to your muscles, both of which can impact your erections. 

If plain old water is too boring for you, try coconut water instead. Thanks to its high antioxidant content, coconut has long been used as a medical plant to treat impotence and ED. And, studies of rats have found it had a positive effect on various sexual behaviors, from mounting and penetration to ejaculation.

2. Pomegranate Juice

Pomegranate juice is a rich source of antioxidants and plant polyphenols. Animal studies have found that regular consumption of pomegranate extract can reduce oxidative stress, increase blood flow to the penis, and improve smooth muscle relaxation, thereby improving the erectile response. 

In one small study of men with mild to moderate ED, participants reported improved erections after drinking pomegranate juice for two months. And while that might sound promising, the researchers did note that statistical significance was not achieved, meaning they couldn’t attribute the better erections to the juice. Another small study of men getting penile implants suggests that drinking pomegranate juice can help improve erections in men with ED who don‘t respond to PDE5 inhibitors like Cialis or Viagra.

3. Green Tea

Similar to pomegranate juice, green tea is rich in antioxidants, polyphenols, and other micronutrients that may offer some benefit to people with ED. In one study, researchers isolated epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), the most potent antioxidative ingredient in green tea, and fed it to rats. After a period of three months, the researchers found that it improved various markers of the rats’ erectile function, including the relaxation of smooth muscle. 

So, you may want to try swapping your cup of coffee for a cup of green tea, or better yet, matcha (a powdered, highly concentrated version of green tea).

4. Ginseng Tea

If green tea isn’t your jam (er, tea), you might try ginseng tea instead. You can also get ginseng on its own or as a dietary supplement. 

A scientific review of nine studies of men with mild to moderate ED, aged 20 to 70 years old, found that those who consume the root are more likely to self-report an improved ability to have sex, as well as a mild improvement in their satisfaction with said sex. However, the researchers noted that ginseng may only have a trivial effect, at best, on erectile function and dysfunction, when compared to placebo.

5. Yohimbe Tea

Yohimbe is another type of tea that may help you last longer in bed, albeit according to limited evidence. The bark of the yohimbe tree contains yohimbine, an extract that has often been used as an aphrodisiac in Africa. 

Several studies have found that yohimbe outperforms placebo in improving erectile function, although some have found it needs to be combined with other supplements to truly be effective.

6. Ashwagandha Tea

Ashwagandha is yet another extract you can add to tea to potentially strengthen your erections and sexual stamina. The herb has long been used in Ayurvedic medicine to promote better health, stronger muscles, and endurance — all things that can help you last longer during sex. 

However, the research is mixed. While several studies have found that ashwagandha can increase serum testosterone levels and sexual well-being, many have also found that it doesn’t have any significant impact on other markers of sexual performance, including fatigue, sexual well-being, or psychogenic ED (erectile dysfunction related to stress, anxiety, depression, or other psychological causes).

7. Beetroot Juice

Studies have found that the nitrates in beetroot juice can have a positive effect on blood pressure in both healthy people and those with hypertension (high blood pressure). Hypertension is strongly associated with ED, which may be caused by either the high blood pressure itself, or the medications taken to manage it. 

So, drinking beetroot juice may help improve cardiovascular health and erectile health.

8. Maca Root Powder Smoothie

Maca extract is a root in the mustard family, historically used in the Andes as an aphrodisiac. You can get it as a powder and add it to your morning smoothie. 

One study of 50 men with mild ED compared the effects of maca powder with a placebo. After 12 weeks, both groups of men experienced improvements in erectile function, but the effect was more pronounced in those who had the maca root compared with those who took the placebo. Additionally, only the men in the maca group reported improvements in physical and social performance.

However, a separate review of clinical trials using maca found that the evidence for maca in improving sexual function is limited.

9. Watermelon juice

Watermelon is rich in L-citrulline, an amino acid that boosts nitric oxide production. Nitric oxide, in turn, relaxes your blood vessels, which can improve blood flow to the penis during sex. 

A small study of men with mild ED found that oral supplements of L-citrulline improved erection hardness, although to a lesser extent than PDE5 inhibitors like Viagra or Cialis. They also ended up having more sex during the treatment period, which is a happy side effect we can all get on board with! 

10. Aloe vera

The aloe vera herb — yep, the same one you find in creams and lotions — also has properties that may help with sexual stamina. 

The antioxidant has been used as an aphrodisiac thanks to its positive effects on testosterone levels and blood flow, which may indirectly help erections. You can add aloe vera powder to a smoothie or mix the jelly into your drink.

It depends. While alcohol lowers inhibitions and helps you feel aroused, it can also make it much harder to get and sustain an erection, especially if you binge drink. Alcohol can contribute to dehydration and disrupt nerve communication between the brain and the penis. Together these two factors can make it harder to get hard— hence the notorious “whiskey dick.” Heavy drinking has also been associated with premature ejaculation and blood vessel damage which negatively impacts blood flow to the tissues around the penis which is crucial for getting an erection. 

However, some research suggests that light to moderate drinking (1–2 drinks per day) may actually protect against ED.

Given that the evidence tying drinks to stronger erections is limited, you might be interested in other things you can do to last longer in bed. There are a lot of techniques you can use to last longer during sex, from improving your general health to trying therapy and medication.

Eat well

In a way, what you eat can affect your ability to last as long as you want in bed. Diabetes and hypertension are both associated with premature ejaculation, and both conditions can either be improved or worsened by your diet. People who follow a Mediterranean diet — i.e. a diet high in fruits, vegetables, nuts, fish, and whole grains, but low in red meat and processed foods —are less likely to have ED, and more likely to be sexually active. 

Different foods may also help you last longer in bed, including:

• Tomatoes

• Leafy greens

• Peppers

• Oysters

• Nuts

• Coffee

• Dark chocolate

Manage your stress

Stress can make it tough to get in the mood in the first place, and once you’re feeling frisky, it can rear its ugly head again, creating performance anxiety. Worse, premature ejaculation makes you feel even more stressed, further adding to your frustration. 

Explore meditation and relaxation techniques to lower your stress levels, or consider talk therapy if you need a bit more help.

Exercise regularly

Exercise can help stave off some of the conditions that can contribute to premature ejaculation or ED, such as obesity and high blood pressure. Plus, it’s a great way to relieve stress. 

Studies have shown that men who regularly engage in physical activity last longer in bed than those who lead a more sedentary lifestyle. To prevent coming too early, experts recommend exercising at least 30 minutes, five times a week.

Try behavioral techniques

A number of behavioral techniques can help you last longer in bed, including masturbating before sex. Other options include:

• The stop-start method, also known as edging. In this method, once you’re about to orgasm, you stop having sex and wait until that “point of no return” feeling subsides. Then, you dive back in.

• The squeeze technique. With this one, you also stop right at the brink of climax. Then, you or your partner squeezes the head of your penis until the feeling goes away, and you get back to it.

• Pelvic floor exercises. Also known as Kegels, these strengthen your pelvic muscles, so you can better control when you come. These are the same muscles you tighten when you’re trying to avoid going pee. Hold them for a few seconds, then relax, and repeat a few times a day.

• Wearing condoms. Adding that extra barrier reduces the sensitivity you feel during sex, which can enable you to last longer.

Changing up your sex positions more often and spending more time during foreplay can also help sex last longer, as can having sex more often. Who’s in?

Address other health issues

Several health conditions have been linked to ED and premature ejaculation, including diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking, alcoholism, benign prostatic hyperplasia, and hypogonadism. Treating these conditions may help you last longer in bed. 

If you’re dealing with depression, or your stress feels overwhelming, consider talking to someone through therapy. Cognitive behavioral therapy can also be helpful in treating premature ejaculation and other hang-ups around sex.

Ask about medication

If lifestyle changes and the tips above don’t seem to help, talk to your healthcare provider about treatment for premature ejaculation. 

Applying topical anesthetic creams, including lidocaine and benzocaine, 20 minutes before sex can make you last longer in bed. But, they can also cause numbness for you and your partner (wearing condoms can prevent the numbness from affecting your partner). SSRIs and antidepressants can also delay ejaculation and may be prescribed off-label for this purpose.

The drugs prescribed to treat ED, namely Viagra (sildenafil) and Cialis (tadalafil), may also be prescribed for premature ejaculation. Some studies suggest that both Viagra and Cialis can delay ejaculation, but others concluded that more research is still needed.

It is totally possible to last longer in bed with some adjustments, whether it’s taking care of your health or finding a prescription that works. Talk to your healthcare provider about your options.

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How we reviewed this article

Every article on Health Guide goes through rigorous fact-checking by our team of medical reviewers. Our reviewers are trained medical professionals who ensure each article contains the most up-to-date information, and that medical details have been correctly interpreted by the writer.

Current version

December 19, 2023

Written by

Amelia Willson

Fact checked by

Yael Cooperman, MD

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About the medical reviewer

Yael Cooperman, MD, Ro

Yael Cooperman is a physician and works as a Senior Manager, Medical Content & Education at Ro.