A study of 50,000 men offers up a simple and tasty way to give men stronger erections and improved sexual health.
Researchers published the results of a study that monitored over 50,000 men for 30 years. The men were periodically asked about their ability to achieve and maintain an erection, tracking back to 1986. This data was compared to what kinds of foods they consumed regularly. The results were surprising to many, but they really shouldn't be.
Polyphenols For A Powerful Penis
The study found that those who regularly ate foods rich in certain polyphenols (e.g., anthocyanins, flavanones, and flavones) had improved sexual function and were far less likely to suffer from any kind of erectile dysfunction.
Foods that contain these particular polyphenols and that were prevalent in the diets of strong-erection men include blueberries, cherries, blackberries, and radishes. Encouragingly, the results were seen from eating what lead researcher Aedin Cassidy described as "just a few portions a week."
How Do They Do That?
Certain polyphenols β anthocyanins and flavonoids in particular β are associated with a reduced incidence of diabetes and cardiovascular disease, and generally speaking, a good heart equals a good erection. After all, it's all about hydraulics.
So it stands to reason that if dietary polyphenols prevent or slow down the development of these diseases, you ipso facto get better erections.
Of course, there are likely other mechanisms involved, too. Certain anthocyanins can activate the enzyme AMPK, which affects nitrous oxide systems, which in turn control the intensity and duration of erections.
How To Use This Info
It's clear that ingesting certain polyphenols, most notably those found in blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, radishes, red wine, apples, pears, and citrus products, can improve erections and help prevent erectile dysfunction.
Exactly how much you'd have to eat requires further study, but it looks like you could easily duplicate the benefits experienced by the men in this study by adding a handful of blueberries to your cereal or protein shake (Buy at Amazon) a few times a week.
Alternately, you could go the supplement route to make things even easier. Indigo-3G (Buy at Amazon) is an anthocyanin product that was designed to increase insulin sensitivity, but it's also about the most concentrated form of the anthocyanins available and should go a long way in fortifying sexual function.
Likewise, the product Superfood (Buy at Amazon), which is a freeze-dried preparation consisting of 19 different fruits and vegetables, contains abundant amounts of the polyphenols singled out in the erection study.
Can't I Just Eat Steak?
Steak eaters have at least one turgid leg up over people who only ate polyphenol-rich foods and not animal flesh. The meat-eaters get lots more vitamin B12 than non-animal flesh-eaters in general, and B12 is essential to strong erections.
The take-to-bed message regarding erections is this, though: A strong and hale erection is indicative of overall health. It's the flaccid canary in a coal mine, and if your canary is dead, failing, or flailing, start by shoring up your nutrition with polyphenols (and maybe even some more animal protein).
Reference
- Cassidy M et al. Dietary flavonoid intake and incidence of erectile dysfunction. Am J Clin Nutr. 2016 Feb;103(2):534-41. PubMed: 26762373.
