5 Ways of Reversing Erectile Dysfunction You Can Commit to Immediately

We're constantly told how important exercise is for our health. What we're sometimes not told is that exercise directly benefits erectile function. Getting your heart rate up, even just for a few hours a week, can do wonders for your erection.

"Men have tremendous control over their bodies, which is a beautiful thing," said Amy Pearlman, M.D., the director of men's health at the Carver College of Medicine at University of Iowa Health Care. "A healthcare provider can play somewhat of a role, but there's so much a man can do for himself. One thing we know for sure from research is, exercise, moving one's body, increases blood flow to the genitals."

Indeed, one systematic review suggested that as little as 40 minutes of aerobic exercise four times per week can bring improvement to erectile function.

Depression and anxiety are usually listed among the potential causes of ED, but we're not often told about the underlying physiology.

If you're feeling depressed or anxious, sex is probably the last thing on your mind. But there's also a strictly physiological reason why erectile dysfunction may occur when you have these kinds of mental stressors. It has to do with the way our body's electrochemical signaling works.

"I heard this quote recently from a colleague: You shouldn't tell someone [ED] is all in his head, but it might be all in his brain," Pearlman said. "Meaning if someone feels anxiety or is stressed about anything, the brain is sending signals that are telling the penis to open up blood flow or to shut it down.

"A lot of these signals come from the brain. These are actual chemical reactions and signaling molecules that have impacts on the rest of the body. When we say 'stress,' it's not stress in and of itself; it's what the feeling of stress does on a chemical-molecular level in our bodies," she said.

Understanding that ED is the result of normal electrochemical signals during times of depression or anxiety is the first step. Getting professional counseling to address the underlying issues is the next.

Since 2001, the rate of diabetes in the United States has skyrocketed, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Some 37.3 million Americans have been diagnosed with diabetes, and another 96 million have prediabetes.

These statistics are important to men's sexual function because erections are dependent on blood flow and nerves, two bodily systems that are severely affected by diabetes. The nerves and blood vessels that feed the penis are often the first ones affected by diabetes because they're the smallest. They're even smaller than the fine nerves and blood vessels of the toes and fingers, which are notoriously damaged by diabetes.

Testosterone levels, so critical to erectile function, are also closely intertwined with diabetes, as are a host of other problems.

"And then there's the testosterone issue," said Neel Parekh, M.D., a men's fertility and sexual health specialist with Cleveland Clinic. "About a quarter of men with diabetes also have low testosterone. On top of that, lots of diabetics have other underlying problems: high blood pressure, they're overweight or obese, they have high cholesterol. So those are all compounding risk factors when it comes to sexual function."

One way you can start increasing your odds of getting good erections is to quit smoking. Whether you get it from e-cigarettes or the old-fashioned kind, nicotine has adverse effects on erectile function. Evidence collected over decades demonstrates this connection.

"The penis is, sure, this magical organ," Pearlman said. "But at the same time, let's talk about blood flow. There's not a lot of good research on e-cigarettes specifically, but nicotine vasoconstricts, and that limits blood flow to the penis. Anything that contains nicotine constricts the blood vessels."

Some people don't like hearing that they need to eat their vegetables. But understanding the direct impact a healthy diet can have on your erections may help you choose fruit over french fries more often.

"Anything that's pro-inflammatory can mess up the nitric oxide pathway, and that pathway is all about increasing blood flow to the penis," Pearlman said. "So, in general, fruits and vegetables are good for the heart and they're good for the penis, and limiting processed foods is going to be beneficial."

If you are experiencing erectile dysfunction, your healthcare provider has a number of simple and effective treatments available to help. They typically begin with medications, injections or vacuum devices, none of which is effective for everyone, and negative side effects are common.

Eddie^® is an FDA-registered Class II medical device designed to treat erectile dysfunction and improve male sexual performance. Worn at the base of the penis in front of the scrotum during sexual activity, it is a safe treatment that does not have the side effects of prescription pills, nor does it require a prescription to obtain. In 2021 clinical trials, 95 percent of men who used Eddie reported a positive effect on their sex life.

The point is that making healthy choices on a daily basis isn't just something that makes us healthier in the abstract; it can literally help you have better sex today.

"Erectile dysfunction is a symptom," Pearlman said. "It's a symptom of underlying blood and nerve problems. ED is not a disease; it's a problem with blood flow. So when we talk about all these behavioral things that can lead to ED, they're all things that can impact blood flow.

"It's a way to literally make eating well, getting exercise, getting good sleep, and laying off drugs and alcohol a sexy topic," she said. "Look, if you make these better choices, you might have better sex—that's a sexy topic."