What Vitamins are Good for Erectile Dysfunction

There is a lack of strong scientific proof that vitamin supplements can improve erectile function. ED is often treatable with prescription medications or medical procedures, however, getting enough vitamins, either in your diet or with the help of dietary supplements, is a healthy goal.

Talk with your doctor first about taking vitamins and other supplements. If you take certain medications, you may need to be careful of taking large doses of vitamins. Too much of anything, even something healthy like a vitamin, can cause health problems.

What Vitamins Are Good for Erectile Dysfunction?

DHEA:  Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA)

DHEA  is a hormone produced in the adrenal glands. It’s a natural booster of hormones like testosterone and estrogen. Low levels of DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone) are found in some men with ED.

Citrulline and L-arginine

One of the vitamins for erectile dysfunction is Citrulline. It’s an amino acid that may cause blood vessels to relax, similarly to how Viagra works. It is the precursor of arginine, another amino acid which widens blood vessels. Watermelon is a source for citrulline which you can use as herbal viagra. 

You can also check out Cialis which is an FDA-approved prescription drug that has an active drug ingredient tadalafil. This medicine has PDE5 inhibitors, a class of drugs that inhibit the enzyme phosphodiesterase 5. Cialis treats ED by relaxing the blood arteries leading to the penis, allowing more blood to flow into it. Cialis relieves BPH symptoms by relaxing the muscles in your bladder, making it easier to pee.

Cialis is only accessible with a doctor’s prescription. It isn’t sold over the counter.

Vitamin D and Vitamin E

Vitamin D is primarily known for its role in bone health and endocrine diseases such as diabetes.  Researchers have suggested that Vitamin D plays a role in effectiveness with your sexual function. 

“Recent clinical works have suggested that low vitamin D levels may somehow be associated with the occurrence of sexual disturbances, especially erectile dysfunction, even if not all the studies agree on this point,” wrote the researchers. “These results need confirmation because of their potential revolutionary approach to the treatment of sexual dysfunction.”

Medically reviewed by researchers who found that higher levels of 25(OH) vitamin D were significantly associated with high values of total testosterone and all of the IIEF questionnaire parameters. Furthermore, higher testosterone levels were significantly and positively associated with increased levels of erectile function and IIEF scores.

In the subsample that received vitamin D supplementation, total and free testosterone levels increased and erectile function improved. Also, Vitamin E improves erections by increasing blood flow and oxygenation to the penis.

You may also want to take note of the relationship between Vitamin D and Magnesium. Magnesium helps blood arteries relax under normal circumstances. Low magnesium levels can cause constriction of blood vessels and elevated blood pressure. Low magnesium may also prevent the penile vein from fully relaxing, resulting in erectile dysfunction.

You may want to consult first with your attending urology physician to get professional medical advice regarding the use of Vitamin D and magnesium.

Vitamin B3 (Niacin)   

Vitamin B3 is commonly used for vascular conditions, a daily dose vitamin B3  improves erectile function in men with high cholesterol, a new study finds. 

The results show that the 80 men who took niacin and began the study with moderate or severe erectile dysfunction (ED) reported an improvement in their ability to maintain an erection. The 80 men who took a placebo pill, who also began the study with only mild ED, did not have a change in symptoms.  

Too much niacin can cause problems such as ulcers, gout, arrhythmias and increased risk of stroke. 

Niacin is naturally found in foods like turkey, avocado and peanuts

Folic acid (Vitamin B9)

Folic Acid is linked to nitric oxide production and erectile response.  Folic acid can be found in herbal remedies as oranges, leafy green vegetables, bread, grains, cereals, pasta, rice and beans. 

Zinc 

Zinc helps regulate testosterone levels in some men, which may help with ED symptoms

Other Natural Remedies

If you’re considering taking a natural remedy for ED, you should know that they—like all herbal supplements—are not FDA-approved or regulated. That means you can’t be 100% sure of the strength or purity of what you buy.

Unlike prescription ED medication, natural treatments are not required to be proven clinically effective. However,  studies have found that certain vitamins and supplements have been shown to increase nitric oxide, which in turn increases blood flow to the penis. And some vitamins and supplements also might have overall health benefits. 

Horny goat weed

Horny goat weed is a traditional Chinese medicinal herb that has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for thousands of years to treat fatigue and low libido or sex drive. Some anecdotal reports and animal tests suggest that horny goat weed might help address ED by improving erections. Horny goat weed contains icariin, a substance that is a mild inhibitor of PDE5 Inhibiting PDE5 is how ED medications like Viagra and Cialis work. But studies on icariin have been conducted on animals and in test tubes; it may not work the same way in the human body.

Yohimbe

Yohimbine, the active ingredient in yohimbe bark, is a common ingredient in supplements sold as aphrodisiacs or male sexual enhancers. 

Red ginseng

Korean ginseng has been touted for the treatment of erectile dysfunction for years. In one meta-analysis  of 24 controlled trials involving 2,080 men with ED, researchers found that ginseng “significantly improved erectile function” and “may be an effective herbal treatment for ED,” although they cautioned that more studies were needed before that could be definitively stated.

Vitamin deficiency and ED

It hasn’t been clinically proven that taking vitamins can effectively treat ED. However, there are some connections between vitamins and sexual health.

Getting sufficient amounts of all vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients in your diet is important for your general health. One example is iIf you’re deficient in one area, such as having a low vitamin D level, then taking vitamin supplements may be a good idea.

Vitamin D

A study in the Journal of Sexual Medicine found that a large percentage of men with ED also have low levels of vitamin D. If you’re experiencing ED, you may want to have your level of vitamin D checked. Other symptoms of a low vitamin D level may be too subtle to notice. However, if you have serious vitamin D deficiency, you may have bone pain or muscle weakness. Vitamin D levels can be checked with a simple blood test and for most people corrected with a supplement.

One study found that men who were deficient in vitamin D deficiency were 32% more likely to have trouble with erections (Farag, 2016). According to the CDC, one-third of the US population had insufficient amounts of vitamin D. Your doctor can determine if you’re vitamin D deficient with a blood test.

Vitamin C

Ascorbic acid is also known as Vitamin C which helps improve blood flow. Blood flow affects your erectile function, so vitamin C may help sexual function. Vitamin C can’t be stored in the body, so you need to eat enough foods rich in vitamin C every day. Good sources of vitamin C include:

• Citrus fruits
• Berries
• Melons
• Pineapple
• Papaya
• Tomatoes
• Spinach
• Broccoli

Vitamin (Vitamin B9)

Folic Acid (vitamin B9) is linked to nitric oxide production and erectile response. Some studies have found a correlation between folate deficiency and erectile deficiency (Yan, 2014).

Talk with your doctor

Be wary of any products that are considered sexual medicine for male enhancement or “supplements” that claim to treat erectile dysfunction (ED) or enhance sexual performance just like premature ejaculation and promise to help elevate sperm count. According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), many of these products may contain prescription drugs or other unlisted ingredients that can be harmful. Always check with your doctor before taking any supplements or over-the-counter remedies from pharmaceutical companies.

ED could also be a symptom of other problems, such as heart disease or cardiovascular disease and diabetes. So it’s important to your overall health to tell your doctor about ED. Your doctor can make sure to check your cholesterol and blood sugar levels as well as other markers of health.

It is always recommended before taking any supplements see your doctor or a healthcare professional, your doctor may detect life threatening illness, and restore your sexual health by treating conditions with prescription medication such as low blood pressure, high blood pressure with diet and exercise or controlling your diabetes. You also need to consider checking if there is a side effect to using generic medication to help you with erectile dysfunction.

Relieving stress, stopping smoking and acupuncture are complementary remedies that works pretty well. We highly recommended seek guidance from a doctor or therapist. And remember, if you may have a medical emergency, contact your physician or call 911.

Sources

Najafabadi, B. T., et al. (2021). Vitamin E and ginseng combined supplement for treatment of male erectile dysfunction: A double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized, clinical trial.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S221295881930597X

Crafa, A., et al. (2020). Is there an association between vitamin D deficiency and erectile dysfunction? A systematic review and meta-analysis.
https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/12/5/1411/htm