07/25/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 07/25/2024 13:13
Key takeaways:
Foods high in salt and saturated fat can put you at risk for health conditions that can cause or worsen erectile dysfunction (ED).
Alcohol use can make it harder for you to have and maintain a firm erection.
For many people, a Mediterranean diet is great for overall health as well as ED prevention.
If you're worried about erectile dysfunction (ED), you may be wondering if your food choices are putting you at risk. Can certain foods or beverages help you have firmer, more reliable erections?
The short answer is: Yes - food does matter.
Your health is about more than what you eat or drink. And no single food or food group will cause ED. But some foods - like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains - can lower your risk for chronic health conditions. And there's solid evidence that some other types of food, like red meat and fried foods, are risk factors for them. In turn, these health conditions may cause ED (or make it more likely).
Curable causes of ED: Some causes of erectile dysfunction (ED) are reversible or curable. By addressing the underlying cause, you may be able to get an erection without medication.
Do all men get ED as they age? ED is more likely as you age. But men who have better physical health are also more likely to have better sexual health.
Can medications cause ED? Over 100 different medications can cause erectile dysfunction. In many cases, stopping the medication or cutting down on your dose can improve or resolve it.
Read on for the four worst foods for erectile dysfunction.
Fried foods are high in saturated fat and trans fat. You can deep-fry almost anything in oil, but common favorites include:
French fries
Chicken strips
Fried fish
Mozzarella strips
Egg rolls
Fried chicken
Corn dogs
Eating these foods frequently can lead to weight gain, heart disease, and high cholesterol - all of which can cause ED.
Just like fried foods, red meat is high in saturated fat. Red meat generally refers to any animal protein that's not fish or poultry, including:
Beef
Lamb
Pork
Veal
Goat
Venison
Mutton
The saturated fat in red meat can increase your cholesterol levels and cause fatty buildup in your blood vessels - including the ones in your penis. This can make it harder for blood to flow into your genitals. And without good blood flow, your penis can't become erect.
Eating too much salt (sodium chloride) can cause high blood pressure, which some research studies have linked to ED.
About 70% of the salt people eat comes from packaged and processed foods, including:
Bread
Lunch meat
Burgers
Tacos
Rice
Pasta
Pizza
Meat and poultry
Seafood
Soups
A high-salt diet may also be directly connected to ED. But more research is needed before experts can say for sure.
Alcohol can cause major problems with erections. Drinking too much alcohol over time can affect your nerves and blood vessels, including those in your penis. Even 1 to 2 drinks can make it harder to have an erection - especially if you already have a history of erection problems. And keep in mind: Drinking alcohol can also interfere with ED medications like Viagra (sildenafil) or Cialis (tadalafil).
The best thing to do if you have ED is to limit alcohol and eat a wide variety of healthy foods every day.
The Mediterranean diet is a great option for overall health. And there's evidence that following a Mediterranean diet might prevent ED in some people.
This is a style of eating that consists mostly of whole plant-based foods, along with healthy fats and protein. In general, this includes:
Beans
Lentils
Whole grains like rice, couscous, and farro
Mostly whole-wheat breads and pasta
Fruits
Vegetables
Nuts and seeds
Herbs
Olive oil as the main source of fat (in place of butter and margarine)
Poultry, eggs, and cheese
Some fish/seafood
The Mediterranean diet limits many of the foods already known to be risk factors for conditions that can lead to ED. It also limits:
Sugary foods and drinks
Highly processed foods, like packaged snacks or convenience meals
Refined carbohydrates, like white bread and white rice
Saturated fats, like red meat and butter
Limiting these foods can be good for your overall health - and that includes your sexual health.
ED is multifactorial, meaning it's usually caused by several different health conditions at the same time. Food may play a role in those health problems, but so do your genes and the environment you live and grew up in, stretching as far back as before you were born.
Typically, health conditions that cause inadequate blood flow or nerve damage are linked to ED. Here are some examples:
Medications can also affect your ability to have an erection. Common medications that cause ED include:
Water pills or diuretics like spironolactone and furosemide
Blood pressure and heart medications, such as chlorothiazide, lisinopril, amlodipine, and losartan
Antidepressants like selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)
Parkinson's medications like pramipexole and carbidopa/levodopa
Smoking is a leading cause of ED in the U.S. Toxic chemicals from inhaled smoke can damage blood vessels and result in decreased blood flow to the penis. In fact, in 2014, the U.S Surgeon General added ED to the long list of conditions that smoking causes.
The only way to treat ED caused by smoking is to stop smoking. Studies have shown that stopping cigarette smoking can improve ED in many people who smoke.
Manual stimulation can mean massage, touching, or fondling either with your partner or by yourself.
When it comes to erectile dysfunction, making healthy choices about food and alcohol can go a long way. Staying away from saturated fat, salt, and alcohol can help keep the nerves and blood vessels in your penis working well. And this can help you to have firm, regular erections. Remember, following a balanced eating plan like the Mediterranean diet is not only great for your erections - it's also terrific for your whole-body health.
Alberg, A. J., et al. (2014). The 2014 Surgeon General's report: Commemorating the 50th anniversary of the 1964 report of the advisory committee to the US Surgeon General and updating the evidence on the health consequences of cigarette smoking. American Journal of Epidemiology.
American Heart Association. (2022). 7 salty sodium myths busted infographic.
Bauer, S. R., et al. (2020). Association of diet with erectile dysfunction among men in the health professionals follow-up study. JAMA Network Open.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022). About moderate alcohol use.
Kishimoto, T., et al. (2020). High salt intake impairs erectile function in salt-sensitive rats through mineralocorticoid receptor pathway beyond its effect on blood pressure. The Journal of Sexual Medicine.
Pourmand, G., et al. (2004). Do cigarette smokers with erectile dysfunction benefit from stopping?: A prospective study. BJU International.
Sexual Medicine Society of North America. (2022). Can a person's diet have an effect on erectile dysfunction?
U.S. Department of Agriculture. (n.d.). MyPlate.
U.S. Department of Agriculture. (2020). The dietary guidelines for Americans can help you eat healthy to be healthy.
U.S. Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. (2016). Cut down on saturated fats. Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2015-2020 Eighth Edition.
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