Who knew that when ma told her boys to eat their fruits and veggies, she had the best interest of their future mojo in mind? That’s right. A recent study of 250 middle-aged men with high blood pressure and erectile dysfunction found that those who ate a Mediterranean diet had higher testosterone levels, more energy, and were better in keeping it up in bed.
That good, huh? Why yes. Not only were the healthy diet participants able to maintain their erections longer, they were also found to have better blood flow to their hearts and healthier blood vessels compared to their not-so-healthy-diet peers.
What’s behind the better mojo? It’s not clear. But Dr. Athanansios Angelis, presenter of the study, thinks that a Mediterranean diet may improve erectile performance by improving the function of blood vessels and limiting the fall in testosterone that occurs in midlife.
Okay, so what to eat? Participants of this study who self-reported better endurance in bed and had healthier blood vessel function on heart ultrasound were on Mediterranean diets, or diets with
A wide variety of vegetables, fruit, and whole grains
Healthy fats, such as from nuts, seeds, and olive oil
Moderate amount of dairy and fish
Very little white meat and red meat
Avoid processed meat, refined grains, foods and beverages with added sugars
The bottom line: This observational study suggests a diet emphasizing vegetables, fruit, and healthy fats helps middle-age men maintain erectile performance. Healthy diets are typically associated with other healthy habits, such as exercise. More studies need to be done to confirm the positive findings from this study. In the meantime guys, for the love of your heart (and mojo), eat your fruits, veggies, whole grains, and olive oil.