Erectile dysfunction is the inability to get and maintain an erection long enough to have sex. It’s a lot more common than many people guess, with research showing it affects over 50% of men aged over 40.
Aging is the biggest factor, and of course, nobody can rewind the hands of time. The good news is that a lot of other leading contributors to ED can be controlled and improved. We’re getting into more holistic and natural treatments that should be tried before seeking medical treatment for ED.
So come with us as we explore natural remedies to help with ED!
6 Simple Tricks To Help Cure E.D.
Outlined here are 6 remedies to help combat the physical and psychological contributors of ED. Bring them into your home and daily life to kickstart positive results.
Improvements in your diet
Starting simply, prioritising healthy food decreases the symptoms of ED and helps prevent future cases. Processed foods high in fat and sugar are linked with high cholesterol and obesity, both of which negatively impact the ability to gain and maintain an erection.
Aphrodisiac foods linked with the release of “pleasure chemicals” or dopamine might also help you get into the mood, like chocolate, oysters and asparagus.
In terms of preventing ED, studies suggest getting into the Mediterranean diet, typically made up of a lot of fresh fruit and veg, whole grains and fish. Combining this healthy diet with exercise increases blood flow and reduces blood pressure, helping the body to do its thing and pump blood where it’s needed, fast.
Physical exercise
A healthy diet leads to improved stamina, great for physical exercise. Some studies have shown that not getting enough exercise can lead to problems with sexual performance. Insufficient exercise is tied to lower levels of testosterone, low libido and increased blood pressure.
Kegel exercises focused on the pelvic area can improve the perineal muscle and increase blood flow to the penis. These are targeted pelvic floor muscle exercises that can help delay ejaculation times and improve overall sexual performance.
Having a regular exercise routine can help you ward off the symptoms of ED as your blood flow increases and your hormone levels balance out. Some beneficial aspects of exercise might be more psychological than physical, too. As your muscles tone and become more defined, you’re likely to feel more confident and perceive your body image in a positive light.
There’s nothing wrong at all with seeing yourself as more sexually appealing, and your lover is likely to feel the same way too, as your physical shape improves. You’ve got to get your sweat on!
Better sleep
Leading on from exercise, a good workout helps to manage sleep. We often see diet, exercise and sleep as a 3-way positive cycle, with each aspect positively fueling the other. Eating well gives you the energy to burn, burning it while working out makes you tired, and then sleeping the tiredness off means you wake up with an appetite for more. See the cycle here?
Healthy sleep patterns are often connected with ED, as nights of restlessness lead to sluggish days where you’re more irritable and you don’t perform as well at work. Getting less than 8 hours of sound sleep results in poorer circulation which affects the blood needed to gain an erection.
On top of sleep’s link with ED, having healthy sleep routines improves your overall well-being and ability to manage stress. There are some fantastic apps out there to help improve your sleep patterns, such as Sleep Cycle, so consider bringing these into your daily life.
Supplements
Many supplements work by helping the body produce nitric oxide and natural hormones like testosterone. Other nutrients like vitamin D are encouraged through supplements, and Vitamin D intake is one of the most studied aspects of ED causes.
Here at Mr. Stiff, our mission is supporting men going through ED and helping them with ways out of it. We intend to provide supplements that promote sexual activity and cause no harm to your health. We’re deeply interested in the research and backing of natural supplements to help improve life in the bedroom, and our products reflect this. Check out our full catalog here!
Professional medication
You should always ask your doctor before trying medicinal treatments, as your GP knows best.
Medications like L-carnitine help support the fat metabolism and sperm production in your body. A 2022 study highlighted how L-carnitine can improve erectile functions in animals through their nervous system. L-arginine is also linked with nitric oxide production, which helps to stimulate erections.
Other plants have been used in traditional Chinese and Indian medicines for their aphrodisiac effects, such as the leafy plant “Tribulus terrestris.” The research on it is not complete and research is stating more human trials are needed to prove its efficacy.
Keep in mind that while there’s a limited amount of research to show how supplements and medicine help with ED, it’s essential to speak with a healthcare professional before trying them. Your health is key.
Managing stress
Sex isn’t very fun (or easy) when your mind is elsewhere. The complexities of ED and the factors we’ve listed today can understandably cause stress in a person. It’s critical to find ways of managing your stress effectively for a multitude of reasons, especially for your overall quality of life.
Physical warning signs of stress include erectile dysfunction. Up to 37% of people reporting ED also responded to having disorders of anxiety and intense stress. Chronic levels of anxiety that lead to ED can be exacerbated by a loss of sexual confidence. You can see the knock-on effect here.
Some alternative therapies like acupuncture and yoga are also linked with helping men overcome ED. Both activities are aimed at reducing stress and combine physical activity with holistic practices to improve mental health.
There are some great apps out there helping millions of people deal with stress in new ways, like Headspace and BetterMe. Trying out tech-based solutions could be the kickstart to better overall well-being, and in the long run, could improve your libido and many other aspects of your life. So why not try?