How Do Erections Work?
Before we talk about diet, let’s review the physiology of ED. An erection doesn’t always occur under spontaneous circumstances—it is a complex process that begins with both mental and sensory stimulation. It occurs when the penis becomes engorged with blood, usually in response to sexual arousal. When a man is aroused sexually, the blood vessels relax and open, allowing them to fill with blood. The blood becomes trapped under high pressure, which causes the erection to occur.
While it sounds like a simple process, for over 30 million men in the United States who are living with ED, it can be a struggle. Lifestyle factors such as being overweight, having high blood pressure or cholesterol, or living with diabetes increases the risk of erectile dysfunction.
Can Diet Really Help With ED?
“ED is an example of how important it is to view our health holistically,” says Ryan Andrews, R.D., a registered dietitian and principal nutritionist with Precision Nutrition in Norwalk, CT. Many factors can influence ED, including
cardiovascular health, metabolic health, reproductive health, and psychological health, Andrews adds. “In fact, ED can be an early warning of other significant cardiometabolic problems—and since nutritional intake plays a critical role in overall cardiometabolic health, this means it can also influence ED.”
What Are the Worst Foods for ED?
Refined or “simple” carbohydrates are not your friends if you have erectile dysfunction; but limiting them in your diet is linked to a lower ED risk. Avoid simple carbohydrates made from refined white flour (such as white bread, chips, crackers, and snack foods). A high sugar diet has also been associated with numerous health problems, including cardiovascular disease, which can impair your body’s blood flow. Sugar is hidden in many packaged and processed foods and is often hard to identify. Common names for sugar added to foods include fructose, maltose, sucrose, lactose, and dextrose. Sugar is also found in ingredients such as cane juice, fruit juice concentrate, corn syrup solids, malt syrup, and honey.
In addition, research shows that eating less red and processed meats (while eating more fish and vegetables) is associated with a lower risk of ED. Avoid consuming red meat (such as beef, lamb, and pork) and processed meats (like bacon, hot dogs, salami, sausage, and ham) to decrease your risk for ED.(See 7 -Foods that helps erectile function)
How Alcohol Affects Erections
Alcohol can both help and hurt your ability to get an erection. Alcohol can relieve stress and anxiety, so it can initially help to enhance sex drive. However, since alcohol is a depressant and can act as a sedative, it can also numb the feeling in the penis, making it more difficult to achieve and maintain an erection.
But what about the long-term effects of alcohol on ED? “Alcohol has widespread effects throughout the body and these effects can vary person to person,” says Andrews. “Current research indicates that moderate consumption of alcohol doesn’t seem to have negative effects in the short term—and may even offer a slight benefit due to disinhibition. However, consuming moderate or high amounts over the long-term may encourage some cardiometabolic and erectile dysfunction.” Bottom line: The most recent research shows that light to moderate
consumption of alcohol doesn’t seem to have negative effects in the short term—and may even offer a slight benefit due to disinhibition. However, consuming moderate or high amounts over the long-term may encourage some cardiometabolic and erectile dysfunction.” Bottom line: The most recent research shows that light to moderate drinking could help prevent ED, but heavy drinking has other health effects (like raising blood pressure) that may impact erectile function.(See 7 foods that helps in erectile function)