15 Foods That Help Improve Erections
A crappy diet can do more than wreck your waistline-it can sink your erection, too.
It may sound wacky, but you should treat your penis like a luxury car, says Dr. Brahmbhatt. To keep your ride running smoothly, you need to fill it with the recommended fuel and keep up with the suggested maintenance. Well, your penis needs the same-like healthy foods and plenty of exercise to keep it going strong, he says.
Filling up with the right foods can boost your testosterone, strengthen your sperm, and supercharge your erection. Even better, a good diet will keep your heart healthy. So, what do we recommend as premium fuel? These 15 foods are a good place to start.
Your morning coffee may improve your sex life , according to a study of more than 3,700 men from the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston.
Those who downed the equivalent of 2 to 3 cups of a coffee a day-between 170 to 375 milligrams (mg) of caffeine-were less likely to report erectile dysfunction (ED) issues than men who skipped their cup of Joe.
Why? Caffeine triggers a series of effects in your body that help the arteries in your penis relax and blood flow to increase, producing an effect similar to ED drugs like Viagra, the study authors explain.
Your D needs vitamin D, suggests one Austrian study- and the foods above are great sources of it.
After researchers had men take either 3,332 IU of vitamin D or a placebo per day for a year, they found that free testosterone levels-the powerhouse behind your sex drive-significantly increased in guys loading up with vitamin D.
Plus, insufficient D levels may also increase your risk for erectile dysfunction , Italian researchers found. When you dont get enough vitamin D, you produce free radicals that decrease nitric oxide in your body, a compound that helps your blood vessels function, the researchers say.
Without it, your blood vessels cant relax, hindering the flow of blood to your penis. That makes it difficult for you to get hard, says Larry Lipshultz, M.D., chief of male reproductive medicine and surgery at Baylor College of Medicine.
So how much D do you really need? Thats still up for debate: The National Institutes of Health recommend getting 600 IU daily, while the Endocrine Society notes that some people may need to go much higher with 1,500 to 2,000 IU a day. Talk to your doctor to find out what works best for you.
Need a snack? Choose nuts , researchers from Turkey suggest. After 17 men with ED ate 100 grams of pistachios for three weeks, they all reported a significant improvement in their erectile function, ability to orgasm, libido, sexual satisfaction, and overall happiness in life. As a bonus, they all had higher HDL, or good, cholesterol and lower LDL, or bad, cholesterol, too.
Pistachios contain a high amount of an amino acid that boosts nitric oxide in your body, the researchers say. And like almonds, walnuts, and most other nuts, theyre a great source of healthy fats, which are good for your heart and therefore your penis, says Dr. Brahmbhatt.