If you have been diagnosed with ED (erectile dysfunction) and are looking for natural support options, you have come to the right place.
ED can be due to low levels of NO (nitric oxide) in the blood vessels of the penis. Actually, NO exists in all blood vessels and its purpose is to relax the blood vessels, aka vasodilation. Vasodilation in the heart blood vessels can help to manage hypertension. Vasodilation in the penis blood vessels results in erection when a man is sexually aroused. Men who have a hard time achieving and maintaining an erection are given medicines like Viagra which have the effect of increasing nitric oxide. While this drug can certainly help with ED, Viagra does have side effects such as headaches, dizziness, and feeling sick. In addition, if a man is taking nitrates for chest pain, taking Viagra may cause an unsafe drop in blood pressure. So, what are natural options for ED?
1. CoQ10: CoQ10 is an antioxidant that helps with energy metabolism. It turns out that ED results in oxidative stress and in this study, in men with mild ED and hypertensive, CoQ10 helped improve ED by reducing this oxidative stress.
2.. Beet powder: Beets is a food source of nitrates which can increase nitric oxide in the body. Drinking beet juice has been shown to lower blood pressure within several hours.. While beet juice has not been studied specifically for ED, in theory, supplementing with beet powder several hours before engaging in sexual activity may help improve ED.
3. Arginine supplementation: Arginine is a direct precursor to NO and in fact, studies have shown that supplementation with arginine “causes a significant improvement in sexual function in men with ED without any side effects“.
4. Clear out senescent cells from the body: Senescent cells are cells that are no longer dividing and release molecules that can lead to dysfunction in the body. In fact, senescent cells are what contribute to aging. Clearing senescent cells are crucial for any dysfunction in the body such as ED. Animal studies have shown that senescence contributes to ED. While senolytics (compounds that reduce senescent cells) have not been. studied specifically for ED, they may be of benefit to ED. Methods to clear out senescent cells include:
- Exercise: The Mayo Clinic published a study that suggests strength training with enduracnc exercise reduces senescent cells in the elderly population.
- Fasting: Engaging in intermittent fasting can clear out sensescent cells. Ideally, abstaining from food for 3-5 days , once every several months is beneficial for health promotion. However, this type of fastng may not be achievale by most people. There is an alternative called FMD (fasting mimicking diet) which consists of eating specific foods for 5 days that mimics the physiological effects of fasting without abstaining completely from food. This is what I recommend in my ED protocol.
- Senolytic supplement -Fisetin -Fisetin is a type of flavonoid that is found in strawberries. Studies have shown that it has a strong ability to clear out senescent cells.
5. Eat nut: Eating 60 grams of nuts a day (about 2 handfuls ) led to improved sexual function. In the Fertinut study, eating walnuts, hazlenuts, and almonds improved sperm qaulity but not sexual function. In another study, these same nuts were shown to improve sexual functioning when added to a western diet that is high in animal fat, with minimal fruits and vegetables.
In summry, there are several natural support options for ED. For a complete list of supplements, check out my ED protocol.
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