Okay men, here’s the deal.  You’ve reached a certain age, you’ve put on some weight, your cholesterol levels are elevated, your doctor says you’re pre-diabetic and you are experiencing erectile dysfunction.  Which problem do you want to work on first?  Uh-huh, that’s what I thought – erectile dysfunction.  For men, having erectile dysfunction, is an assault on their manhood and can deflate their libido at the same time. 

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is defined by the Cleveland Clinic as “the inability to achieve and sustain an erection suitable for sexual intercourse.”  Several treatments are currently used to treat ED – medications like Cialis and Viagra, mechanical devices and psychological counseling if it is stress related.

The National Institutes of Health estimates that ED affects as many as 30 million men in the United States.  As a man ages, this number rises.  Men who experience a total inability to achieve an erection is about 4% for men in their 50’s, around 17% for men in their 60’s and increases to 47% for men 75 and older.

But don’t let those numbers scare you.   There are lifestyle modifications you can do today that may help improve your chances of correcting or avoiding ED and maintain your confidence.

1.      Whittle your weight/waist circumference

Want to avoid ED – keep the weight off.  Men who are obese (defined as a Body Mass Index of 30 or higher) and have a waist circumference of 40 inches or greater, are more likely to experience ED. Studied have shown the following:

• ED is strongly correlated with a high waist circumference and waist-to-hip ratio.  When men lost weight, ED was significantly improved.
• Weight loss also led to improved sexual desire, erectile function, mood and self-esteem.
• Weight loss decreased inflammation and increased testosterone which improved ED.

A weight loss of at least 10% within 6 months is a good goal to aim for.  Men who had specific, tailored weight loss interventions, such as weight loss counseling from a registered dietitian, had the greatest improvement with ED.

2.      Control Diabetes

A man with diabetes is three times as likely to have ED.  After the age of 50, approximately 50%-60% of diabetic men will have problems achieving an erection.  When blood glucose levels are out of control, this can damage blood vessels and nerves that control erections. 

Keep diabetes under control by checking blood glucose levels daily, follow your prescribed meal pattern, take any prescribed medications or insulin and exercise. 

3.      Follow a Mediterranean/heart healthy diet

There’s a saying that goes, “What’s good for the heart, is good for other body parts.”  Good blood flow is needed for the penis to become erect.  Men who are eating a diet that contributes to heart disease – unhealthy fats, too much sugar, highly processed foods – will have restricted blood flow in the arteries and to the penis.  In fact, for men experiencing ED, this could be a predictor of coronary artery disease.

The Mediterranean diet is not only good for the heart but also been shown to reduce the incidence of ED.  Here are some foods the Mediterranean diet is composed of:

• Fruits and vegetables
• Whole grains – quinoa, oatmeal, whole wheat bread, brown rice, amaranth, buckwheat
• Legumes, nuts and seeds
• Healthy fats – olive oil, canola oil, sunflower oil, walnuts, almonds, olives, avocados
• Limited sodium – use more herbs and spices
• Limited processed meat – bacon, sausage, hot dogs, salami, deli and/or luncheon meats – increase fish, poultry and choose lean red meat

4.     Don’t smoke and consume alcohol responsibly

Men who smoke are twice as likely to experience ED including second-hand smoke you’re exposed to.  Quitting smoking is tough - ask your doctor’s advice on how to accomplish this.

If alcohol is kept in moderation (no more than 2 drinks a day for a man) it has been associated with decreased ED as this tends to improve HDL cholesterol, the good cholesterol.  Drinking heavily will often lead to a greater incidence of ED.

5.      Exercise

Research has shown exercise to be a strong proponent of reducing ED.  One study had older men do interval training for 45 to 60 minutes a day for 8 weeks.  They had significant improvement of ED which was speculated to be due to increased production of nitric oxide that led to smooth muscle relaxation and blood flow.

Thirty minutes of daily exercise that burns at least 300 to 500 calories will help improve ED.  Any form of aerobic exercise – fast walking, running, swimming – is recommended.

6.      Consume adequate zinc

Even though zinc deficiencies are uncommon in the United States, men with a deficiency tend to have low testosterone levels along with a reduced sense of smell which can reduce libido.

Zinc deficiencies can be brought about by an inadequate dietary intake, alcoholism, gastrointestinal disorders, vegetarianism, sickle cell disease and some medications such as ACE inhibitors, thiazide diuretics and stomach acid reducers.

Men need 11 mg of zinc daily.  Animal sources of zinc are absorbed better than plant sources.  Oysters (often considered an aphrodisiac) contain more zinc than any other food.  Other good sources include:

• lean red meat
• poultry
• beans
• nuts
• crab
• lobster
• yogurt
• whole grains and fortified breakfast cereals.

In conclusion, lifestyle modifications can be a practical option for men experiencing ED.  The more of these modifications you put into practice, the greater the likelihood you can avoid ED.  At the very least, you’ll improve your health along with raised expectations and high hopes of finding that loving feeling once again. 

ABOUT CHERYL MUSSATTO, REGISTERED DIETITIAN

Cheryl Mussatto has over 30 years of experience as a Registered Dietitian and has worked in a variety of settings that cover a wide span of nutrition experience.  Currently she works as an adjunct professor for two community colleges, Allen Community College in Burlingame and Butler Community College in Council Grove, Kansas teaching two courses, Basic Nutrition and Therapeutic Nutrition. Cheryl also is a contributing author for osagecountyonline.com, an online newspaper and Edietitians, a global free nutritional and health magazine. Her articles for both publications pertain to nutrition topics that cover a diversity of health and nutrition interests for the general public.  She is also certified as a health and wellness coach.