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The Role of Nutrition and Functional Fitness in Therapeutic Interventions for Erectile Dysfunction

Many men suffer silently with the debilitating condition of erectile dysfunction. ED can be improved with a regular workout program and good nutrition.

Mindith Rahmat

Written by Last updated on Nov 22, 2021

Many men suffer silently with the debilitating condition of erectile dysfunction. ED is a medical condition that can affect men over the age of 40. ED is usually diagnosed in middle aged men and increases greatly in the elderly population. According to the National Institutes of Health, nearly 30 million men around the world suffer from ED. It is estimated that ED could affect 322 million men worldwide by 2025.

ED is defined as “an inability to obtain or maintain an erection for satisfactory sexual intercourse”. Researchers are working hard to try to determine the pathology, prevention, and treatment of ED.
Many previous studies have indicated that there is a relationship between ED and the vascular system, due to the fact that rates of ED are much higher in men with diabetes, high cholesterol, and cardiovascular disease.
It also appears from the research to date that ED present in middle aged men may actually be the result of endothelial damage and endothelial dysfunction, an imbalance between vasodilatation and vasoconstriction in the endothelium.

Understanding the critical role played by the endothelium the relationship between endothelial dysfunction, cardiovascular disease, and high cholesterol, nutrition and exercise are logical tools for prevention and treatment.

A new research review from the Journal of Andrology finds that men with ED who participated in an exercise program did demonstrate improved sexual responses. Overall, this review indicated that nutrition and physical activity positively augment normal erectile function.

Researchers in this review emphasized that this is probably the result of … “reduced metabolic disturbances decreased visceral adipose tissue, and improvement in vascular function”.

It conclusion it appears that the best recommendation would be that males participate in a functional fitness program while also adhere to a clinically recommended nutrition plan to aid in prevention and treatment of ED.

Mindith Rahmat

About Mindith Rahmat

Mindith is a born mover. She has spent her life exploring various athletic disciplines, starting with ballet and modern dance from an early age. She went on to become a E-RYT 500 certified yoga therapist and teacher and discovered CrossFit after the birth of her daughter.

Mindith coached CrossFit at a number of boxes near her home in Southern California, which lead to her involvement in Russian kettlebells and Olympic weightlifting. She has coached a wide variety of populations and cares deeply for women’s health, specializing in pregnancy and postpartum fitness. She is currently studying the principles of Natural Movement and Kettlebell Sport, and is working to complete an additional teacher training in the Taoist art of Yin Yoga with Master Paulie Zink.

Mindith founded Breaking Muscle in 2011. Over 5 million people a month have visited the site, hundreds of thousands of them follow Breaking Muscle on social media, nearly 2,000 coaches have written or appeared on its pages, and there are thousands of free, fully-formed training plans freely available. Breaking Muscle has won numerous awards in the industry and is recognized for pioneering new approaches to fitness and coaching techniques. In 2021, Breaking Muscle was acquired by Barbend. Mindith continues to devote time to her kids, pursue her doctorate in psychology, do research, and teach.

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