Men who suffer from erectile dysfunction may find that they are able to improve their condition without tablets by changing their diet.
Plenty of people have suffered the disappointment of losing an erection or being unable to remain erect during intercourse.
For many, pills like Viagra have been the solution, but research now shows that what we eat could have an effect on the condition.
And, there are few people who don’t want to revitalise their sex life due to the impact erectile dysfunction can have on your confidence, libido and relationship.
It turns out, the Mediterranean diet could help to treat impotence.
The diet focuses on fruit, vegetables, whole grains, fish and heart-healthy olive oil.
When following the diet, you should moderate the amount of dairy products and red meat you ingest, but on the plus side it’s been dubbed the “healthiest diet in the world” by experts.
The Mediterranean diet has been linked to a delay in developing dementia and a healthier heart.
And, critically for erectile dysfunction patients, it may lower blood pressure levels.
Scientists know that men with high blood pressure – also called hypertension – are twice as likely to suffer with impotence than men with normal blood pressure.
This is partly because high blood pressure can narrow the blood vessels making it harder to get an erection.
In Greece, researchers studied 250 men with both hypertension and erectile dysfunction.
The participants were an average age of 56 due to the fact that the risk of both conditions increases with age.
Each man filled out a quiz and was assigned a score relating to how closely their diet matches that of the Mediterranean diet, reports the Sun.
The men’s fitness levels, heart health and testosterone levels were also taken into account.
And, when it came to sexual performance the men had to answer five questions and they were then given a score of 0 to 25.
The higher the score, the better their erections were.
Data taken from the study showed that the closer the men’s diet wad to the Mediterranean diet the better their erections were.
Men whose diet scores were above 29 out of 55 also had an erectile performance score of at least 14 out of 25.
Their eating habits mean that their arteries were less likely to be stuff and blood was more free flowing, tests showed.
And, the men were more likely to be fit when they took a treadmill test.
Study author Dr Athanasios Angelis of the University of Athens, Greece said: “In our study, consuming a Mediterranean diet was linked with better exercise capacity, healthier arteries and blood flow, higher testosterone levels, and better erectile performance.
“While we did not examine mechanisms, it seems plausible that this dietary pattern may improve fitness and erectile performance by enhancing function of the blood vessels and limiting the fall in testosterone that occurs in midlife.
“The findings suggest that the Mediterranean diet could play a role in maintaining several parameters of vascular health and quality of life and in middle aged men with hypertension and erectile dysfunction.”
It should be noted that the study is observational – meaning that a link has been found between the two correlating results. This does not prove cause and effect.
But, it means that it’s likely that a Mediterranean diet will improve penile function.
The NHS claims that one in three people in the UK have hypertension which can be diagnosed through a blood pressure test.
Risks of the condition include heart disease, heart attacks, stroke, kidney disease, dementia and more.
The NHS website states: “If you have high blood pressure, reducing it even a small amount can help lower your risk of these health conditions.
“All adults over 40 are advised to have their blood pressure checked at least every 5 years.
“Getting this done is easy and could save your life.”
Reducing your salt intake, losing weight, cutting down on alcohol and exercising can all lower your blood pressure.
You can get a blood pressure check at your GP, some pharmacies and some workplaces.
For more stories from the Daily Star, sign up to one of our newsletters here.
Source: Read Full Article