Dark fruits like blackberries, bilberries, and elderberries contain
high levels of anthocyanins, ultrapowerful antioxidants that could act
as erection insurance.
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Eat a Dark-Chocolate Dove Bar
It's erection medicine. Dark chocolate contains epicatechins,
flavonoids that trigger the release of dilating chemicals in the inner,
or endothelial, layer of the arteries. How much should you munch? A
University of California at San Francisco study shows that those who
ate a 1.6-ounce dark-chocolate bar each day increased their
blood-vessel dilation by more than 10 percent.
While the study wasn't done specifically on erectile tissues, anything
that benefits your body's endothelial system will likely benefit your
erections, since the penis is made up largely of endothelial surfaces.
"Keeping those surfaces healthy is crucial to good arterial flow," says
Kevin McVary, M.D., a professor of urology at Northwestern University.
Look for dark chocolate that bears the CocoaPro logo on the labelâe"this
symbol is a visible sign that the candy bar you're buying is chock-full
of flavonoids.
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Open Your Medicine Cabinet
And make a list of all the prescription pills you're popping. "A lot of
prescription drugs may be associated with sexual dysfunction," says R.
Taylor Segraves, M.D., Ph.D., coauthor of Sexual Pharmacology. One
possible culprit is the cholesterol-lowering drug simvastatin, brand
name Zocor. For a full list of erection offenders, visit
MensHealth.com/drug. If you're taking one of them, talk to your doctor.
Often a similar pill, sans side effects, is on the market.