While it may be premature to think of coffee as “nature’s Viagra,” the staple morning beverage is now associated with a reduced instance of erectile dysfunction.

Researchers from the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston found a lower incidence of erectile dysfunction in men who consume more caffeine. In their study published in the online journal PLOS One, they examined data from over 3,700 men from the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

The study analyzed caffeine consumption from all types of caffeinated drinks such as tea and energy drinks, not just coffee. Men who consumed the equivalent of about two to three cups of coffee per day enjoyed a reduced risk of erectile dysfunction. Those consuming 85 to 170 milligrams of caffeine per day had a 42 percent lower likelihood of erectile dysfunction, and those consuming 171 to 303 milligrams per day reported a 39 percent lower likelihood.

The researchers believe that caffeine may help relieve erectile dysfunction by relaxing smooth muscle and opening arteries in the penis, increasing blood flow and thus facilitating erections.

The same relationship between caffeine and erectile dysfunction was noted in men who were obese, overweight, or hypertensive. The one group of men whose erectile dysfunction did not improve with caffeine was diabetics. Diabetes is one of the strongest risk factors for erectile dysfunction, according to researchers.

The researchers stopped short of attributing a causal relationship between caffeine and resolution of erectile dysfunction. They did note, however, that the results of this study were consistent with the latest U.S. Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee position stating that three to five cups of coffee per day reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease, which are two known contributors to erectile dysfunction.

Viagra Melanoma

While it may be a bit far-fetched to think of coffee as “nature’s Viagra,” the beverage compares particularly well to Viagra in one very important regard: its relationship with the occurrence of skin cancer.

One study has already found a decreased instance of melanoma in coffee drinkers. In a study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, researchers studied data on 447,357 people for an average of 10 years. During that period, 2,904 of the subjects were diagnosed with melanoma. The researchers found that those subjects who drank four or more cups of coffee per day enjoyed a 20 percent reduction of risk in developing melanoma compared to those who drank no coffee. The larger the individual’s intake of coffee, the greater the reduction in risk.

The researchers noted no similar relationship involving decaffeinated coffee or early-stage melanoma that affects only the outer layer of skin.

Viagra, however, can’t claim such a rosy relationship with melanoma. In fact, a recent study published in JAMA Internal Medicine found almost double the likelihood of melanoma in patients who took Viagra. After studying nearly 26,000 men, researchers concluded that those taking Viagra recently had as much as an 84 percent greater risk of developing melanoma. Those who had used Viagra at all also had an increase in instances of melanoma.

The researchers cautioned that these findings do not prove a cause-and-effect relationship between Viagra and melanoma, but they did conclude that further investigation was warranted.