5 Vitamins for Male Sexual Health

To all the men out there, sexual health is not just limited to massive libido, macho-sperms and fervent erection. The concept of sexual health is much deeper and comprehensive than just quality sex. For example, optimal sexual health involves adequate physical stamina, vigor and sexual appetite in addition to physical endurance, muscular strength and emotional well-being. It is imperative to mention that several factors can define or affect the male sexual health such as:

• Choice of antidepressants
• Physiological aging
• Mental and metabolic health issues
• Nutritional deficiencies

Healthcare providers believes that some of these factors are non-modifiable (i.e. you cannot alter the risk by ordinary methods); however, some helpful strategies can play a major role in reducing the hazardous effects of these risk factors; such as diet, nutritional supplements and lifestyle modification. A healthy diet rich in all the essential vitamins can improve the functioning of major biological systems. Although, it is advisable to get your vitamins from the food (because of higher bioavailability); but with advancing age, it becomes almost necessary to add some vital supplements to your daily regimen.

Vitamins to Optimize Male Sexual Health

Based on the recommendations of healthcare professionals, following 5 vitamins are best known to optimize male sexual health.

• Vitamin C: Count lemons as your new buddies as all citrus fruits are loaded with vitamin C and are excellent for elevating the flow of blood to the genital tissues. Besides lemon, other rich sources of vitamin C are strawberries, potatoes and peppers. Increased blood flow is responsible for adequate erection that is the key to a fulfilling sexual experience. Vitamin C also helps older men to fight off urinary tract infections. However too much of anything can make you sick, like literally, so don’t take vitamin C in amounts greater than 2000 mg or you’ll end up in the toilet on a splendid evening, stuck with diarrhea and a lot of toilet paper. Not cool!
• Folic acid/folate (vitamin B9): There isn’t much difference between folate and folic acid except folate is the naturally occurring vitamin found in foods and folic acid is a man-synthesized version. After a research in 1996 yielded that folic acid minimizes the risk of major birth defects like spina bifida in babies, the fortification of folate in grain-rich products has been mandated by FDA. Modern research shows that folic acid/folate helps in the reduction of sperm abnormalities. Some studies even suggested that folic acid/folate when taken in conjunction with zinc can escalate the sperm count. Good sources include: peas, avocado, asparagus, cantaloupe, papaya and bananas.
• Carnitine and vitamin E: Carnitine isn’t exactly a vitamin but it’s a compound that assists in transforming fat into energy. Vitamin E enhances the activity of the sperm. Carnitine is not an important nutrient and your body produces sufficient amounts, particularly liver and kidneys are the guys you should thank. Carnitine supplements have been founded to assist in a variety of health issues; such as sexual dysfunction, poor motility and quality of sperm and increased effectiveness of Viagra. Vitamin E has loads of other benefits like anti-oxidation, immune boosting and anti-clotting properties. Rich dietary sources include sunflower seeds, peanuts and almonds.
• Vitamin B12: You certainly don’t want to develop the deficiency of this vitamin; particularly because Vitamin B12 is responsible for keeping your blood and nerves healthy. Individuals who develop Vitamin B12 deficiency are at much higher risk of developing anemia, weakness, poor stamina and impaired sexual health. The rich sources of vitamin B 12 include beef, clams, sardines, liver and lamb. If you are a vegetarian then you don’t have to worry about the sources. This is because, you can get enough vitamin B12 from cheese and eggs; however vegans are more prone to develop vitamin B12 deficiency. Other than vegans, people who are above 60 years of age are also at risk of becoming vitamin B 12 deficient (that is linked to low and lazier sperms). Certain research studies have also suggested that Vitamin B12 supplementation can also improve male fertility.
• Niacin (vitamin B3): Vitamin B3, also known as niacin is also the member of the vitamin B family and is extremely beneficial for both sexual and non-sexual health. Niacin plays a major role in the synthesis of sex hormones and enhancing the circulation, which is way too crucial for having the time of your life under the sheets. Apart from this, it also plays a vital role in regulating normal sleep patterns and erectile dysfunction. Back in January 2010, researches captured the pictures of a protein that responded to molecular signals from niacin. These signals gave information about the levels of oxygen in the cells. Studying these signals further could help in discovering new methods to fight off erectile dysfunction in the near future. You don’t always require supplements loaded with niacin to make it a part of your daily life. You get almost plenty of niacin from your already in-practice diet whether you are into milk, or you prefer red meat or if you are a sucker for beet recipes. If you have certain chronic health issues; you should consider B13 supplementation for excellent sexual performance.

The best way to bring balance to your life is by keeping yourself mentally, physically (particularly sexually) fit. For perfect sexual health you obviously need to work on the relationship skills but vitamins and healthy diet can take care of what happens when you are in bed with the special someone.

References

1. Zhu, X., Xiao, S., Chen, B. O., Zhang, F., Yao, S., Wan, Z., ... & Han, H. (2005). Simultaneous determination of sildenafil, vardenafil and tadalafil as forbidden components in natural dietary supplements for male sexual potency by high-performance liquid chromatography–electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. Journal of Chromatography A, 1066(1), 89-95.

2. Kopena, R., López, P., & Martín, J. (2014). Relative contribution of dietary carotenoids and vitamin E to visual and chemical sexual signals of male Iberian green lizards: an experimental test. Behavioral ecology and sociobiology, 68(4), 571-581.