How could diet affect erectile dysfunction?

    Last Updated: October 25, 2023

    The Mediterranean diet, plant-based diets, and diets containing high amounts of fruits and vegetables, nuts, legumes, fish, whole grains, antioxidants, and omega-3 fatty acids and lower amounts of red and processed meat, trans fat, dairy, sugar, sodium, and alcohol are associated with a lower risk of ED.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7]

    However, some studies suggest that any association between the type of diet one follows (i.e., Mediterranean, low-fat, low-carbohydrate, ketogenic, vegetarian/vegan, pescatarian) and ED disappears when controlling for age, BMI, and other risk factors.[8][9] Weight loss achieved through a low-fat, low-calorie diet;[10][11], a high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet;[12] a high-protein, low-fat diet; or a high-carbohydrate, low-fat diet[13] improves erectile function in men with diabetes and/or overweight/obesity.

    References

    1. ^Scott R Bauer, Benjamin N Breyer, Meir J Stampfer, Eric B Rimm, Edward L Giovannucci, Stacey A KenfieldAssociation of Diet With Erectile Dysfunction Among Men in the Health Professionals Follow-up StudyJAMA Netw Open.(2020 Nov 2)
    2. ^Giorgio Ivan Russo, Giuseppe Broggi, Andrea Cocci, Paolo Capogrosso, Marco Falcone, Ioannis Sokolakis, Murat Gül, Rosario Caltabiano, Marina Di MauroRelationship between Dietary Patterns with Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia and Erectile Dysfunction: A Collaborative ReviewNutrients.(2021 Nov 19)
    3. ^ElJalby M, Thomas D, Elterman D, Chughtai BThe effect of diet on BPH, LUTS and ED.World J Urol.(2019-Jun)
    4. ^Chase Carto, Manjari Pagalavan, Sirpi Nackeeran, Ruben Blachman-Braun, Eliyahu Kresch, Manish Kuchakulla, Ranjith RamasamyConsumption of a Healthy Plant-based Diet is Associated With a Decreased Risk of Erectile Dysfunction: A Cross-sectional Study of the National Health and Nutrition Examination SurveyUrology.(2022 Jan 1)
    5. ^Yi Lu, Jiaqi Kang, Zhongjia Li, Xiao Wang, Kang Liu, Kechong Zhou, Wei Wang, Chen ShenThe association between plant-based diet and erectile dysfunction in Chinese menBasic Clin Androl.(2021 May 13)
    6. ^Heiko Yang, Benjamin N Breyer, Eric B Rimm, Edward Giovannucci, Stacy Loeb, Stacey A Kenfield, Scott R BauerPlant-based diet index and erectile dysfunction in the Health Professionals Follow-Up StudyBJU Int.(2022 Apr 28)
    7. ^Mykoniatis I, Grammatikopoulou MG, Bouras E, Karampasi E, Tsionga A, Kogias A, Vakalopoulos I, Haidich AB, Chourdakis MSexual Dysfunction Among Young Men: Overview of Dietary Components Associated With Erectile Dysfunction.J Sex Med.(2018-Feb)
    8. ^Fantus RJ, Halpern JA, Chang C, Keeter MK, Brannigan RE, Helfand BT, Bennett NEThe association of popular diets and erectile function among men in the United States.Int J Impot Res.(2021-Jul)
    9. ^Huynh LM, Liang K, Osman MM, El-Khatib FM, Dianatnejad S, Towe M, Roberts NH, Yafi FAOrganic Diet and Intermittent Fasting are Associated With Improved Erectile Function.Urology.(2020-Oct)
    10. ^Khoo J, Piantadosi C, Worthley S, Wittert GAEffects of a low-energy diet on sexual function and lower urinary tract symptoms in obese men.Int J Obes (Lond).(2010-Sep)
    11. ^Wing RR, Rosen RC, Fava JL, Bahnson J, Brancati F, Gendrano Iii IN, Kitabchi A, Schneider SH, Wadden TAEffects of weight loss intervention on erectile function in older men with type 2 diabetes in the Look AHEAD trial.J Sex Med.(2010-Jan)
    12. ^Khoo J, Piantadosi C, Duncan R, Worthley SG, Jenkins A, Noakes M, Worthley MI, Lange K, Wittert GAComparing effects of a low-energy diet and a high-protein low-fat diet on sexual and endothelial function, urinary tract symptoms, and inflammation in obese diabetic men.J Sex Med.(2011-Oct)
    13. ^Moran LJ, Brinkworth GD, Martin S, Wycherley TP, Stuckey B, Lutze J, Clifton PM, Wittert GA, Noakes MLong-Term Effects of a Randomised Controlled Trial Comparing High Protein or High Carbohydrate Weight Loss Diets on Testosterone, SHBG, Erectile and Urinary Function in Overweight and Obese Men.PLoS One.(2016)