Can beer help you get it up?

Here's what you've believed so far: Booze can help you throw caution to the winds, muster courage to buy a drink for that hot chick at the bar. It's also what can land you in trouble, if that chic takes a fancy to you, and you guys end up in the sack. But new Australian research contradicts the booze-ruins-sexual-drive belief, and says that a drink can actually improve a man's performance in bed.

It's an illusion, say the experts
Dr Hitesh Shah, Sexologist and Relationship Consultant says, "Alcohol's primary action is stimulation. It makes you give up your inhibition, but also robs you of sensation." As penile stimulation reduces, a man does not reach orgasm quickly, so, it might give him a false impression that he's lasted longer in bed. Dr Shah cautions that in the long-run, the transmission of desire from the brain to the penis decreases, leading to erectile dysfunction. In fact, a lack of performance will eventually lead to frustration. When the high wears off, you could feel depressed, not to mention irritated over a hangover.

Rubbish! says TV actor
Television actor Chetan Hansraj says there's no way alcohol can boost a man's sexual performance. In fact, it delays an orgasm. "If you are high, you experience a feeling of being uninhibited. It's this care-a-damn attitude you have. That's perhaps what makes you feel like you are having fun in bed."

Why a little alcohol helps you loosen up, socialise with confidence
H'vovi Bhagwagar Clinical Psychologist and Behaviour Consultant
"The reason why you feel happy when you drink, and engage in a conversation confidently, even if you are reticient, is because our brain has neurotransmitters akin to happy messengers. These are serotonin (controls sleep and the body clock), dopamine (controls pleasure), endorphin (relieves pain) and non-adrenaline (regulates excitement). When you consume alcohol, dopamine and serotonin are released, leaving you feeling on top of the world."

Grab a bite before a drink
Khushboo Sahijwani Nutritionist
What happens when booze enters your body
Drinking on an empty stomach, makes sure the alcohol is directly absorbed in the bloodstream, without being broken down by the digestive system. Food helps in the absorption of alcohol, so that only a limited amount enters the blood.
If you binge drink: Your external genitals could shrink, you can experience difficulty in experiencing an orgasm, and your sperm count could drop.

Natural foods that up your sex drive
>>Bananas have enzymes that boost sexual performance.
>>Celery stimulates the male hormone, testosterone.
>>Avocado, asparagus, figs, garlic, strawberries and cranberries up testosterone levels.
>>Chillies contain capsicum, which act like a feel-good hormone.
>>Pumpkin seeds are vital to testosterone production since they are rich in Omega 3 fatty acids.

Do desi men agree with Aussie study?

That's utter nonsense
Kunal Vijaykar, TV host
I don't believe such studies. They keep contradicting each other. The researchers are bored! I am waiting for a study that says cigarettes are good for asthma.

Booze ruins sexual drive
Niketan Madhok, Model
According to what I have read, excess alcohol has an adverse effect on sexual performance.

Hope study is not true
Neil Bhoopalam, VJ
I drink occasionally, so, I hope the study isn't true!

6 smart tips to drinking sensibly
>>Stick to only 1 drink a day.
>>Designate 3 non-drinking days in a week.
>>Wine is a better option since it has minerals like chromium and zinc. The rest have empty calories.
>>If you are drinking, stay away from oily food. It adds to the kilos.
>>Drink slowly. Linger on one drink over one hour. Take sips, don't gulp, so that the alcohol enters your bloodstream in a trickle, and doesn't leave you reeling.
>>Alternate an alcoholic drink with a non-alcoholic one like an orange juice or fresh lime.

What the study says
A new study conducted by Western Australia's Keogh Institute for Medical Research shows that alcohol can improve a man's performance in the bedroom. While it is believed that alcohol consumption could cause erectile dysfunction, this study said the reverse may be true, with drinkers reporting as many as 30% fewer problems than teetotallers.u00a0