5 Foods Boost Male Sexual Stamina
Can “specific” foods really help you increase your sexual stamina? Well, in a word: YES! At least 5 Foods Boost Male Sexual Stamina.
On the other hand, a very poor and inflammatory diet, can lead to a “decreased” sexual stamina, but, I am not going to go there in this article. Instead, my goal is to focus on a few foods that are “anti-inflammatory” and that will boost nitric oxide production in the body. But first, why nitric oxide? Let me explain.
Nitric oxide (NO) is a parasympathetic neurotransmitter that mediates erections, as well as vascular tone throughout the entire human body. Following sexual arousal, the cavernous nerves in the penis, release NO into synapses onto smooth muscle. The release of NO leads to an increase in intracellular cGMP (cyclic GMP) by converting GTP to cGMP. Cyclic GMP causes smooth muscle relaxation and vascular space engorgement (see diagram below). What does this have to do with 5 Foods Boost Male Sexual Stamina? Just wait….
An erection results from corporal smooth muscle relaxation. By the time the average adult male reaches 50 years of age, he has lost 50% of his endogenous NO production that he had when he was 30, and by the time he reaches 70, he has lost 80%. Think of it as a dimmer switch on a light. At 25%, you have enough light to still move around, but you can’t speed read or perform surgery.
Actions of Nitric Oxide (NO):
- NO helps repair damage to the endothelium (lining of the blood vessel wall)
- NO maintains elasticity of blood vessels
- NO keeps platelets from sticking together which prevents blood clots leading to stroke and heart attack.
- Lack of NO, will lead to erectile dysfunction
As you can see in the above image, as nitric oxide production decreases, atherosclerosis (plaque build-up) increases. Most evidence supports the hypothesis that endothelial NO release protects against atherogenesis, e.g. by preventing smooth muscle cell proliferation and leukocyte adhesion (1).
So, are you still with me? In order for aging men to boost their sexual stamina, it’s going to be necessary to boost their NO production, and there are many ways this can be done, e.g. with exercise, nutritional supplements, and proper diet and nutrition. And yes, 5 Foods Boost Male Sexual Stamina!
Let’s now talk about those 5 foods to help men boost NO and thus sexual stamina:
1. Beetroot
Beetroot, which is known to be a rich sources of antioxidants and micronutrients including potassium, betaine, sodium, magnesium, vitamin C, is also very high in inorganic nitrate (2). The body converts these nitrates to the natural gas, nitric oxide (NO), which then dilates (opens up the blood vessels) to improve blood flow and assist with maintaining an erection. Ideally, to boost sexual stamina, eating both the beetroot and the beet greens and/or juicing them, will produce the most optimum benefits. Beets are my #1 choice of the 5 Foods Boost Male Sexual Stamina.
For a delicious NO-boosting soup made with beetroot and other nutritious foods, give this recipe a try.
2. Pomegranate.
In addition to being an anti-inflammatory super-food, pomegranate with the assistance of its polyphenol content, converts its dietary nitrite content to NO. The high concentration of nitrate and polyphenol content in pomegranate extract augments the delivery of blood, oxygen, and energy substrates to the musculature (3), thereby reducing oxidative stress, a leading factor in the production of coronary artery disease and promoting stronger and longer erections. The vitamin C content in pomegranate also converts nitrites into NO. Need recipe ideas using pomegranate? Try this delicious fish recipe.
Pomegranate is one of the most overlooked of the 5 Foods That Boost Male Sexual Stamina.
3. Dark chocolate
Dark chocolate refers to the unprocessed cocoa and not the popular chocolate bars and not the processed chocolate that contains sugar and other ingredients. Raw cacao is the unprocessed material from which cocoa and chocolate are made. The blood-pressure lowering effect of cocoa-rich products has been correlated with increasing NO production and improving NO-mediated dilation in the blood vessels and reducing oxidative stress (4).
Try this great smoothie recipe using dark unsweetened cacoa.
4. Leafy greens: Arugula & Spinach
Arugula is probably the richest plant source of nitrates, containing 480 mg of nitrates in 100 grams. Regular intake of arugula will increase production of NO. Other nutrients found in arugula include vitamins A, C, K, B9 (folic acid), B1 (thiamin), B6 (pyrodoxine), B5 (pantothenic acid), as well as the minerals iron, calcium, copper, magnesium, and zinc (5).
Spinach has over 250 mg of nitrates in 100 grams. It is also high in magnesium, which helps dilate the blood vessels to promote improved blood flow. Spinach is also high in B vitamins, e.g. folate, which reduces the amino acid homocysteine, that can lead to plaque build-up in the vessels and interfere with erectile dysfunction.
Be sure to eat plenty of leafy greens in your salads and or add them to your smoothies, soups or in your juicer. All other leafy greens, e.g. kale, swiss chard, bok choy all contain high amounts of nutrients that help boost sexual stamina. Try this great salad recipe with your favorite NO-boosting greens.
5. Watermelon
Watermelon contains an amino acid, called citrulline. Citrulline changes to arginine, which is a nitric oxide precursor, and has been shown to increase NO (6). Few foods contain a large amount of citrulline, which is why citrulline is often given via supplements.
So, there you have it: 5 Foods Boost Male Sexual Stamina. Keep in mind, when you eat nitrate-rich foods, such as those mentioned here, the nitrate changes into nitrites and subsequently into NO. This transformation is improved when you properly chew your food and roll the food in your mouth so that it mixes with the good bacteria on your tongue. After swallowing, the nitrites are changed into NO by the action of the stomach acid. (Note: if you are taking ant-acids or prescription medications like proton pump inhibitors), you are reducing this transformation and defeating the purpose of eating these nutritious foods.)
If, despite eating these and other nutritious foods, you still experience decreased sexual stamina and/or erectile dysfunction, contact us to learn about our non-invasive, non-drug, non-surgical GAINSWave treatment to help you get back your mojo! Additionally, learn how to achieve ideal testosterone in men.
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