Yet another compelling reason to lay off the caffeine

A recent study has indicated that moderate doses of caffeine affect sexual behavior in female rats, prompting questions as to whether such findings could be extended to humans.

[...]

However, while it is tempting to speculate that caffeine exposure could also affect sexual motivation in other female mammals such as humans, Ms Guarraci cautioned that may not be the case since most humans consume moderate doses of caffeine on a daily basis.

"These rats had never had caffeine before," she noted. "In humans, it might enhance the sexual experience only among people who are not habitual users."

-- "Caffeine May Be 'Female Viagra,' University Study Suggests," Datamonitor, Jan 9, 06

Comments

[megan]

Huh. In last month's Elle (I think) there was an article about a woman who made her own orgasm diet. On this diet she found that she could climax literally dozens of times in a row. Anyway, part of this diet was giving up caffeine. It hasnt been proven yet (there were 3 parts to the diet, if I remember correctly, and she was trying to find funding to test each part separately). Anyway. Weird.

[molly]

Ha! I'm sure most women are more in the mood after a couple cups of coffee rather than if they have the dreaded caffeine withdraw headache..they only want Juan Valdez to touch 'em.

The orgasm diet? Whaaaaa?!

[Roger]

I really don't find this very surprising or very novel - some researchers come up with the darnedest things to get funded for. Caffeine is, after all, a strong neural stimulant and vasodialator - a perfect formula for sexual response. It's an alkaloid, similar to theobromine and strychnine, the former found in chocolate and the latter found in the infamous "spanish flys"...and rat poison. So why this should be considered news, I just don't know.

The orgasm diet, on the other hand, now that's interesting!

[megan]

I am in the process of starting the semester/moving back in. Once I get organized, I'll find, summarize, and cite the article.

IIRC, the diet was no caffeine, chocolate every day, and an increase in the fatty omega (3? 6?) that are often found in fish.

[megan]

It's called "happy endings" and is written by Zoey Nelson. The orgasm diet was developed by Merran Lindberg, who suggests that four factors come into play for orgasming: sufficient "free" testosterone, the proper balance between the brain chemicals dopamine and serotonn, good blood circulation, and toned pelvic-floor muscles.

Her diet supposedly addresses each of these factors: taking high-grade fish oil, avoiding stimulants (such as caffeine and nicotine), cutting carbs and increasing protein, eating half an ounce of dark chocolate every day, and doing Kegel exercises with a resistance device.

(The resistance device she specifically names -- vaginal cone weights -- are suggested to women who have gone through labor.)

She posted this diet on many message boards and asked women to write back if they tried it. Generally the results were positive.

The author half-heartedly tried the diet and reported that she felt more "tingling in [her] loins," but not more/easier orgasms. She does allow, however, that if she stuck to the diet, it is possible it'd happen.