Protect Your Erection

Watch what you eat.
A diet that's bad for a man's heart is also not good for his ability to have erections.

Research has shown that the same eating patterns that can cause heart attacks due to restricted blood flow in the coronary arteries can also impede blood flow to and within the penis. The blood flow is needed for the penis to become erect. Diets that include very few fruits and vegetables along with lots of fatty, fried, and processed foods can contribute to decreased blood circulation throughout the body.

Anything that is bad for a man's heart is also bad for his penis, says Andrew McCullough, MD, associate professor of clinical urology and director of the male sexual health program at New York University Langone Medical Center.

Recent studies show that ED is relatively uncommon among men who eat a traditional Mediterranean diet, which includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, heart-healthy fats including nuts and olive oil, fish, and wine, particularly red.

"The link between the Mediterranean diet and improved sexual function has been scientifically established," says Irwin Goldstein, MD, director of sexual medicine at Alvarado Hospital in San Diego.