7 Foods Causing Your Erectile Dysfunction


Erectile dysfunction is caused by a number of factors, from psychological concerns to diabetes to side effects from prostate cancer treatment. ED is a problem that’s all too common, affecting 52% of all men at some point in their lives. Because erectile dysfunction is so prevalent, the last thing you want is to submit yourself to certain foods that are known to contribute to poor sexual health.

Avoiding the below 7 foods can help you prevent and treat symptoms of ED. I’ll even present you with erection-happy alternatives!

But first what’s the link between what your food and your sexual health?

How do foods contribute to erectile dysfunction?

There are three major reasons that the food you consume has an influence on the function of your penis.

Hormones: A hormonal imbalance or unhealthy endocrine system is directly correlated to erectile dysfunction. The foods that you eat give your body the nutrients it uses to create hormones. Give your body the wrong foods, and it creates an imbalance of unhealthy hormones like cortisol and insulin. Give it the right foods, and you can have high levels of testosterone and growth hormone (which are great for your sex life). Learn more from my article “5 Simple Ways to Normalize Hormones This Week.”

Heart and vessels: The food that you consume directly hurts or helps your heart and vessel health. In “13 Natural, Edible Vasodilators To Treat Your ED,” I discuss how blood flow is crucial to sexual health. You need proper blood flow in order to fill your penis with blood and create a hard erection. This blood flow to the penis starts with a healthy heart and vessels.

Heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and clogged arteries all restrict blood flow and damage nerves. This means the blood can’t get to the penis and create an erection. In fact, ED is often considered the first sign of heart disease. To prevent this, you need to eat foods that promote a healthy heart and blood flow.

Moreover, medicines for heart disease and blood pressure can actually cause ED as well. This means that it’s best to avoid cardiovascular problems altogether by avoiding heart-clogging foods.

Weight: Fat mass is highly correlated with ED. Being overweight or obese is one of the leading causes of erectile dysfunction in men of all ages. Eating unhealthy foods can lead to a higher chance of fat gain, which can contribute to ED.

So what foods should you avoid to keep your hormones balanced, your cardiovascular system clear, and your weight regulated?

1. Packaged foods

Firstly, processed carbs found in packaged foods will make you gain weight at a higher rate than natural, organic foods. A higher number on the scale means a higher risk of ED.

More significantly, packaged foods tend to have high levels of BPA (Bisphenol-A). This is a chemical found in plastics and the linings of canned foods. Research has shown that BPA significantly inhibits the production of sex hormones and reduces sexual function. A 5-year study of Chinese workers exposed to BPA had erectile problems 4x greater than men not exposed. They also had a lower sex drive and lower satisfaction with their sex lives. A Slovenian study also found that there was a statistically significant association between BPA and decreased sperm concentration, count, vitality, and motility.

This is likely because chemicals, pesticides, and herbicides can disrupt the endocrine system. This hormonal imbalance can cause severe erectile dysfunction that’s hard to overcome.


Plus, BPA may even be linked to brain damage, heart disease, obesity, and prostate cancer—all of which can cause erectile dysfunction and other serious symptoms.

Alternatives:

Avoid purchasing pre-packaged goods. Instead, buy whole foods and store them in glass or ceramic containers. Look for products labeled “BPA free.” Also be aware of plastic bottles—like water bottles—which have high levels of BPA. Stick to purified water from the tap.

Moreover, you should never microwave plastic containers or put them in the dishwasher, as the heat can release these BPA chemicals. The BPA can then transfer to your food and cause hormonal imbalances and ED.

2. Animal meats

Animal fat can clog your veins and lead to high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and heart disease. These problems, in turn, cause erectile dysfunction. Furthermore, eating too much protein such as red meat, has been shown to reduce testosterone production.


Lowered T and a hormonal imbalance further contribute to ED. In this way, it’s important to balance out your macronutrients: 50% carbs, 30% proteins, and 20% fats. You can learn more about balancing your foods for overall well-being and sexual health in my 4-week Vitality Transformation course.

Alternatives:

You don’t need to cut out animal fat altogether. In fact, I’m an advocate for eating red meat sometimes! Red meat in small doses can actually help boost your testosterone and muscle-making processes. But, moderation is the key. Too much of a good thing is a bad thing. Try to minimize your red meat intake to once per week to see the T-boosting benefits without the heart concerns.

Choose grass-fed or organic beef and meats. This will help you avoid any chemicals and pesticides like we discussed above with the processed foods.

Try getting your proteins from plants and fatty fish that are rich in omega-3s as well. Olive oil, avocado, seeds, and nuts are all a great source of protein and are part of the traditional Mediterranean diet. Men who derive their protein from a Mediterranean diet have a lower incidence of ED.

3. Soy and Flaxseed

Your hormones hate soy. Soy is highly estrogenic—meaning it can mimic the female hormone estrogen. Excessive estrogen can inhibit testosterone production and lower sexual libido and function. You need the right balance of estrogen and testosterone for healthy functions—and soy throws off that balance. This, in turn, can cause low T symptoms and erectile dysfunction.

Research published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition proved that soy drastically reduces testosterone levels. A Harvard study found that even half of a serving of soy per day cut sperm count by 40% in healthy males.

Flaxseed also has incredibly high levels of estrogen. Per 100g of soy, there are 103,920 mcg of estrogen. Per 100g of flaxseed, there are 379,380 mcg of estrogen. Compare that to watermelon—which can raise T levels and minimize ED symptoms—which has 2.9 mcg of estrogen per 100g.

Alternatives:

Fermented soy is actually good for your digestive system. If you’re a lover of soy, stick to the fermented types like miso soup or tempeh.

If you tend to use soy because you are lactose intolerant, try almond or cashew milk instead. Almonds are a key part of the Mediterranean diet, which can help prevent ED (as discussed above). Almonds and other nuts have been shown to actually treat ED by clearing out the cardiovascular system for better blood flow. They’re also linked to a longer, healthier life.

4. Dairy

Dairy products tend to be high in saturated fat, which leads to blockages in the heart and vessels. These clogs then prevent blood from flowing to the penis.


Moreover, dairy products often come from cows that are fed with artificial hormones. These kinds of pesticides or hormones can disrupt the human endocrine system drastically. A study in the Human Reproduction journal found that men who consumed dairy products regularly had significantly less sperm motility and erectile function than those who avoided dairy.

Alternatives:

You don’t need to cut out dairy entirely. Just lower your intake and focus on organic products (where cows are not fed hormones).

Like the soy alternative, try almond or cashew milk. This can help you get that same creamy flavor to add to your cereal or coffee. You can even find these nut milks fortified with vitamin D to make sure you are getting your “dairy” vitamins.

You can also replace cheese with veggie cheese, which you can find in most grocery stores. I’ll admit most veggie cheese doesn’t taste great right out of the bag, but melt it in your omelet or on a Panini and it tastes just like real cheese!

5. Fried foods

Fried foods severely clog up your heart and vessels, causing heart disease, high cholesterol, and even some cancers. These foods also lead to heavy amounts of weight gain, which directly generates severe ED.

Stop eating fried foods now. When you cut out these foods, you’ll start to feel more energetic and bright within days.

Alternatives:

I know. Fried foods are delicious. But you don’t need to sacrifice taste. Check out this Buzzfeed article with healthy alternatives to fried foods. Definitely try number 4, the baked falafel and spicy feta yogurt dip. It’ll kick start you on that Mediterranean diet that’s great for preventing and treating erectile dysfunction.

6. Salt

Similarly, you need to put down the salt shaker. Salt contributes to cardiovascular disease, elevated blood pressure, and diminished blood flow—which all inhibit that hard erection you so long for.

Alternatives:

Try low-sodium salt when cooking. This will bring out the flavor of your food without adding too much sodium to your diet.

You should also consider seasoning your food with garlic and olive oil, both of which can raise testosterone and lessen symptoms of erectile dysfunction!

7. Alcohol

Although technically not a food, high amounts of alcohol severely damage sexual performance. Drinking heavily and regularly can eliminate testosterone from the body and inhibit the production of testosterone. This creates a double whammy for low T symptoms and possible erectile dysfunction. Plus, chronic drinking can also cause liver damage, nerve damage, and heart damage.

Beer especially throws off the balance of sex hormones. The hops in beer are highly estrogenic, meaning that it can mimic estrogen and inhibit testosterone production in the body. This low testosterone hurts libido and erectile function. It will also contribute to fat storage and weight gain, further worsening or generating your ED.

Alternatives:

Less than 2 drinks per day likely won’t have an effect on your erectile dysfunction. Keep it moderate.

If you’re going to drink, stick to wine. Wine is part of the Mediterranean diet we’ve been discussing, and it can help lessen symptoms of ED. Moreover, wine contains flavonoids and antioxidants that can lower cardiovascular risk and fight off oxidative stress (oxidative stress causes diseases and cancers).  One study even suggested, “a higher habitual intake of specific flavonoid-rich foods is associated with reduced ED incidence.”

Bottom Line

Keep your penis healthy by eating foods that keep your heart, hormones, and weight healthy. Avoid processed foods, animal meats, soy, flaxseed, dairy, fried foods, salt, and alcohol to lower your risk of developing low testosterone and erectile dysfunction.

So what should you be eating? Check out my article with the 13 Natural, Edible Vasodilators To Treat Your ED to keep your vessels and heart healthy… and to keep your ED symptoms at bay.

These 7 foods are just the tip of the iceberg to keeping your body (and penis) vigorous. If you want to feel the best you’ve ever felt in your life, sign up for our Male 90X program right now to get on the road to the happy, fulfilled, and vibrant life you’ve been craving.

10 Reasons Men Over 40 Should Take Probiotics


Hippocrates said, “all disease begins in the gut”—and he wasn’t wrong! Today I’m here to tell you how you can regulate your overall health by consuming tiny, living organisms: probiotics.

You’ve hit age 40, 50, or 60… and are noticing that your health isn’t what it used to be. Your belly is growing, you have new aches and pains, and you get sick easier than you used to. You take over-the-counter meds, prescription meds, supplements, this and that… and still nothing seems to be helping your health.

That’s because those medications simply mask your specific symptoms without getting to root of the problem.

For example, you may notice that after age 40 you’ve started getting sick more often. You take cold medication and amoxicillin when it strikes, and you might even take Airborne or vitamin C to help prevent it. But still, your immune system is down. Without a major system overload, you will continue to get sick time and time again because your immune system isn’t functioning properly.

So how do you know what the real problem is? And how do you fix it?

It may not be as complicated as we think. Recent research shows that overall well-being is linked to the gut. That means that oftentimes those inexplicable ailments in your body relate back to your intestinal system (stomach and colon).

In fact, many scientists and researchers even call the gut “the body’s second brain.” The gut sends signals and nutrients to the rest of your body, telling your brain, organs, and even blood how to work.

What does a healthy gut look like?

85% of good bacteria and 15% of bad bacteria make up a healthy gut. This good bacteria helps keep the rest of your body functioning by helping to absorb nutrients, support the immune system, balance hormones, and keep your organs clear of disease. The good bacteria also help fight off bad bacteria, like disease and infection. Research with Harvard Health discovered that good bacteria can actually prevent and treat common diseases.

Every day, we encounter environmental stressors that can deplete the good bacteria and allow bad bacteria to take over. Unhealthy or processed foods, pollution, antibiotics, pesticides, and even simple aging processes can create a disharmonious relationship between good and bad bacteria. Sickness seeps in as the ratio of good bacteria to bad bacteria becomes unbalanced.

In fact, a study in Neurogastroenterology & Motility found that mice who had higher levels of bad gut bacteria were more likely to engage in high-risk behavior. They also found that their gut bacteria neurochemically altered brain gene activity and organ functioning.

Gut health directly relates to mental and physical health. So how do we keep the gut healthy and the good bacteria at an advantage?

Probiotics.

What are probiotics?

Probiotics are live organisms that add good bacteria to your gut. “Pro” means both “an advantage of something” and “before”; and “biotic” relates to living things and the relation to their ecosystem. Together, this gives us an understanding of probiotics:

Probiotics are living microbes that give our gut an advantage before bad bacteria strikes.

There are multiple strains of probiotics, but the most common are Bifidobacterium longum and Lactobacillus acidophilus.

Probiotics are well known for their influence on digestion, IBS, lactose intolerance, and other intestinal-related issues. But recent research has found that probiotics may also have a lot of other benefits for overall health outside of the gut as well:

  • Reduce inflammation
  • Reduce bloating/gas
  • Improve digestion and constipation
  • Balance hormones
  • Regulate blood sugar levels
  • Promote nutrient absorption
  • Boost immune system
  • Fight off disease, infection, and the common cold

In fact, probiotics help stave off signs of aging in your body by promoting healthy, youthful organ processes. Many people may struggle with a lot of the factors listed above and below and it may prove to be damaging to their confidence as well as their health. That’s why Probiotics such as these probaclac probiotics can help with some of these issues and can help give you a better quality of life. Probiotics may also be beneficial in fighting off age-related concerns like:

  1. Weight gain
  2. Cholesterol and cardiovascular illnesses
  3. Mood disorders and stress
  4. Lowered immunity (more susceptible to illness)
  5. New or worsened allergies
  6. Sagging, wrinkled, uneven skin
  7. Diminished bone mass
  8. Harsher medication side effects
  9. Worsened colon diseases
  10. More stomach acid and ulcers

Let’s take a look at the research to back up these pro-probiotic claims:

1. Promotes weight loss

Everyone naturally gains weight as they age. After age 40, your metabolism drops and it feels like every fry goes right to the gut. In addition, your testosterone levels drop with age—and low T is linked to increased weight gain.

A slow metabolism, low testosterone levels, and low energy all contribute to that growing number on the scale. You may also feel as though no matter what you do, you can’t seem to shed those increasing pounds. Probiotics may be the solution to kick-start your weight loss program.

Probiotics have been shown to reduce body weight and BMI, according to a meta-analysis published in the International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition. They found that ingesting at least two types of probiotics for 8 weeks had the greatest weight loss results. The weight loss was not drastic, so probiotics are not the same as a “weight loss pill.”

Nevertheless, the researchers concluded that probiotics can be a useful addition to a healthy diet and exercise plan as a way to boost weight loss results and encourage a healthful lifestyle. Another study found that the probiotics rhamnosus and bifidobacterium lactis proved especially beneficial in preventing obesity and boosting weight loss.

Even a small reduction in weight due to probiotics can encourage you to pursue a weight loss plan that will lead to overall health and wellness.


One form of probiotics, lactobacillus gasseri, was found to result in a loss of 8.5% belly fat mass over a 3-month period on average. While these results from the British Journal of Nutrition were strong, there was also a strongly opposing caveat. The moment the participants stopped taking the supplement, they gained back all of that weight.

This shows that certain strains of probiotics may help you shed those pounds—but they are not a solution in it of themselves.

Additionally, probiotics have been proven time and time again to help regulate blood sugar. After you eat, your blood sugar spikes. When those spikes are strong enough, your body takes the extra sugar and turns it into fat. Probiotics regulate those spikes, so your body won’t have a lot of free-floating sugar to convert to fat cells.

This means that probiotics may also help individuals with type 2 diabetes.

2. Lowers cholesterol

Probiotics have been linked to cholesterol regulation and heart health. The 2010 Journal of Cardiovascular Disease Research found three ways that probiotics lower cholesterol levels:

a.) Probiotics produce propionic acid.

This acid sends signals to the liver and tells it to produce less cholesterol.

b.) Probiotics break down liver bile acids.

Bile is a byproduct of the liver’s consumption of cholesterol. As probiotics break down bile acids, the liver is forced to produce more bile. This means that the liver needs to use up more cholesterol in order to make that additional bile. This helps naturally lower the cholesterol because your liver is using up cholesterol for its natural processes.

c.) Probiotics actually eat cholesterol and use it as nourishment. Nice!

A 2012 study in Experimental Diabetes Research furthered this theory with proof of certain probiotic strains’ effect on cholesterol. For example, L. reuteri lowered triglycerides, L. acidophilus ate cholesterol, and L. plantarum used cholesterol assimilation to rid of unhealthy cholesterol levels.

Basically, probiotics eat cholesterol, force your liver to produce less cholesterol, and cause your liver to consume its own cholesterol. A triple threat.

3. Improves mood disorders

One of the most surprising and exciting benefits of probiotics is the impact on the brain and nervous system, again reiterating the strong link between gut and overall wellbeing.

After age 40, life hits harder than in the past. External stresses and anxieties pop up, and our body loses energy and strength to deal with these stressors. Probiotics may help keep up our energy and fight off mood disorders, making probiotic users happier and healthier overall.

A Gastroenterology study of mice found that gut flora (aka the amount of good or bad bacteria in the tummy) directly influenced mice behavior and brain chemistry—aside from any external factors. The researchers believe that the bacteria produces some sort of chemical that can influence the brain…meaning that probiotics can help correct mood changes.

This may prove especially true for those who have gastrointestinal diseases or an unhealthy amount of bad gut flora already.

A small Brain, Behavior, and Immunity study found that “multispecies probiotic supplementation reduced cognitive reactivity to sad mood.” Those participants who took a probiotic supplement daily felt happier than those who were taking a placebo. They found the strongest effects with regards to reduced rumination (thinking about sad things) and reduced aggressiveness.

This suggests that probiotics can be a potential preventative strategy for depression, stress, and anxiety.

The Gut Microbes study discovered that two strains of probiotics, L. helveticus and B. longum, had especially strong psychological effects and were best able to reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression.

Additional research has found that bacteria can signal the brain to better deal with “stressors,” so stress doesn’t negatively influence the rest of the body.

But here’s my favorite study on the link between gut bacteria and psychological health:

Research published in Psychopharmacology found that participants taking prebiotics (similar to probiotics) paid less attention to negative stimuli and more attention to positive ones. Those individuals also had less anxiety with regards to negative or threatening stimuli.

But more importantly, those with prebiotics and high levels of good bacteria also had lower levels of cortisol when they woke in the morning (compared to participants taking a placebo). High levels of cortisol has a direct impact on depression.

High cortisol is also related to low testosterone. Cortisol suppresses testosterone production. This means that if you’re depressed or stressed, you get a spike in cortisol and a drop in testosterone. This can lead to low T levels and all the symptoms that come with it, like weight gain (see #1), loss of energy, and low sex drive.

This creates a vicious cycle of depression, anxiety, low testosterone, weight gain, and more. Probiotics may be able to help intervene and reduce cortisol, giving you better control over your moods, your testosterone, your weight, and your energy.

4. Boosts immune health

In the same way that the gut can influence the nervous system, it also influences the immune system. Immunity naturally decreases with age, and it can be hard to re-boost it unless you drown yourself in vitamin C.

A study in Nutrients found that athletes showed less incidence of upper respiratory infection when using probiotics. Another study by Yan and Polk found that probiotics may regulate the functions of immune cells, showing “therapeutic potential for diseases.” In essence, these studies suggest that probiotics are linked to the body’s overall immune-response system when faced with disease and infection.

Antibiotics go in to fight disease and bad bacteria after it’s hit. Probiotics fight off the bad bacteria before disease gets the chance to hit. Having a healthy level of good bacteria and probiotics in the gut can help ward off illness before it strikes. (Hence the prefix “pro”.)

If you keep your gut healthy, you’ll keep your entire body healthy.

5. Minimizes allergies

A study published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that the probiotic B. lactis was able to boost the immune system and lower levels of pro-inflammatory markers. This helped those individuals suffering from seasonal allergies, concluding that B. lactis and other forms of probiotics may be useful for managing respiratory allergies.

If you are struggling with allergies and over-the-counter meds aren’t doing the trick, probiotics are a healthy potential alternative.

6. Improves skin conditions

Probiotics have anti-inflammatory effects throughout the body—including minimizing inflammation in your largest organ, your skin. Studies suggest that there is a link between probiotics and the treatment of psoriasis, eczema, rosacea, and even stubborn adult acne.

Additionally, long-term inflammation is a major cause of wrinkles. Minimize this inflammation with probiotics and restore your face with lots of water… and you’ll be able to fight off signs of aging. Some researchers believe that probiotics also help build collagen; collagen is what keeps your skin youthful and wickedly handsome.

These results aren’t totally proven yet, but we know probiotics won’t make you look older—so give it a shot!

7. Maintains bone density

Age brings with it a loss of bone mass and density. Bone breaks and cracks become easier and more frequent—and also more life-threatening. This is especially true for men with low testosterone levels, as high estrogen levels can take over and deteriorate bones.

According to the National Osteoporosis Foundation, 1 in 4 men over age 50 will break a bone because of bone density loss.

You can protect your bone density with probiotics! Studies have confirmed that “probiotics can increase bone mass density and bone mineral content and help reduce osteoporosis.”

P.S. Did you know that milk doesn’t actually make your bones stronger? “Got Milk” is one of the largest fibs of our modern media! Probiotics are the most natural way to maintain your bone’ strength and durability.

8. Minimizes diarrhea side effects

Unfortunately, a lowered immune system also leads to other diseases and problems that call for medications. A 2012 study found that probiotics may improve symptoms of diarrhea associated with chemotherapy and antibiotic usage.

In addition, the British Journal of Cancer found that those participants who were treated with two strains of probiotics (5-fluorouracil and L. rhamnosus) experienced less severe diarrhea and shorter hospital stays than those patients not taking probiotics. This was especially true for participants who were undergoing chemo for colorectal cancer, likely because probiotics can have other positive effects on the large intestine.

9. Treats diverticular diseases

Probiotics are well known for their ability to aid in digestion and stomach disorders—but they may have even stronger effects on the intestines than previously considered.

Diverticulitis and diverticulosis are much more common after the age of 40, and diverticulosis is one of the most common medical conditions in the U.S. with nearly one-third of all Americans developing it by age 60—and two-thirds by age 85. But just because it’s common doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be taken seriously. In fact, the pain is so intense it often causes hospital stays, and serious cases can call for emergency surgery and long-term health concerns.

But diverticular disease is preventable and treatable. Multiple analyses and studies have shown that probiotics can help prevent diverticular disease by improving digestion and bowel movements. Less poop in your system, the less likely you’ll develop diverticular disease—and the more energy and vigor you’ll have! These studies also showed that probiotics can help treat symptomatic diverticular disease, prevent disease recurrence, and improve quality of life.

One study found that the probiotic L. casei was an especially effective treatment—as effective as the standard medication for diverticulosis. Plus, the probiotics had fewer side effects. A combination of probiotics with prescription medications showed the fastest and most complete recovery.

10. Eradicates ulcers


Similarly, ulcers become a common occurrence with age. Acid builds up over the years (especially when processed foods are consumed), and the stomach doesn’t have the youth and vigor to handle the imbalance of acid. This causes the stomach to eat itself, causing painful and dangerous ulcers and internal bleeding.

Probiotics have been shown to eradicate ulcers and restore the gut’s natural balance. Probiotics attack and eat Helicobacter pylori, a bacteria linked to the development of ulcers. This stops ulcers in their tracks before they even begin to form.

Probiotics thus can reduce peptic ulcers, gastritis, and other stomach atrophies.

Where can you find probiotics?

Have I convinced you of the importance of probiotics in your aging health? Great! So how can you get the probiotics your body so desperately craves?

You can naturally find probiotics in fermented foods such as:

  • Yogurt
  • Kimchi
  • Soft, fermented cheeses
  • Unpasteurized sauerkraut
  • Miso soup
  • Sourdough bread
  • Sour pickles (naturally fermented)
  • Kombucha
  • Kefir (fermented milk drink)


These delicious foods are an easy addition to your diet. I always recommend eating at least one cup of Greek yogurt per day. It’s a healthy snack that will give you your daily dose of probiotics while also helping to slim down your waistline, curb hunger cravings, improve mental clarity, and more.

The unfortunate paradox of probiotic-rich foods is that many of them are lactose-happy. If you are lactose intolerant or sensitive, you should not eat many of these foods. Nevertheless, you especially need probiotics to help overcome your IBS and lactose intolerance problems.

Thankfully, probiotic supplements are easy to come by. You can buy a variety of probiotic strains at your local health grocer, supplement store, or drug store. Taking the daily dose of these supplements will ensure you regulate your gut flora towards overall healthier wellbeing—no matter your age.

Always be sure to consult with your doctor before starting a new regimen. Your doc can help find the best natural probiotic solutions for your health concerns.

Do you want to learn more about ways to boost your health? Sign up for The Male 90X program now.

Transform Your Body In 24 Hours With Intermittent Fasting


Intermittent fasting (IF) has become a craze in the health and nutrition world in recent months… and I’m thrilled to see it’s finally becoming more widespread! Short-term fasting has proven beneficial for years, and IF diet-supplementation is finally getting the props it deserves.

So what is intermittent fasting? What are the benefits?

And how can you implement intermittent fasting to start seeing benefits instantly?

What is intermittent fasting?

What you put into your body isn’t the whole story. Your body responds to more than just calories. When you eat, how often you eat, and how you consume your food also plays a significant role in how your body responds to and uses your food-based nutrients. This is where the idea of intermittent fasting comes in.

Intermittent fasting is a dietary practice that limits the number of calories you consume in a daily or weekly period. While other dieting practices focus on what you eat, IF focuses on how you eat.

IF is not the same as starving yourself. Rather, it restricts your food consumption to a specific window of time. This “feeding” period ensures you still receive the proper daily nutrients your body needs for healthy functioning. Then the “fasting” period—the time in between meals—helps your body use those nutrients to reset and rejuvenate for optimal health.

There are a number of forms of intermittent fasting, which we’ll discuss below in our IF diet plans. But first… why should you even hop onboard the IF train?

What are the benefits of intermittent fasting?

1. Boosts weight loss

Maintaining a healthy weight is crucial to overall health. Obesity is linked to a number of serious and chronic diseases like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, gallbladder disease, arthritis, gout, and even cancers. Maintaining a healthy weight is also crucial to hormone regulation and a functioning endocrine system. This is especially important for men who are suffering from symptoms of low testosterone or erectile dysfunction.

Intermittent fasting can help improve your weight loss efforts in two key ways.

Firstly, your body uses food as its energy source. When fasting, your body still needs energy in order to function. When you’re not consuming energy through food, your body has to tap into its energy storage—aka your fat reserves.

Basically, your body has to burn fat in order to stay functioning while fasting. This can help you shed those extra few pounds that seem to be hanging on for dear life.

Secondly, fasting helps to limit the number of calories you consume. Your body physically can only eat so much in a period of time. This means that if you take away hours of the day where you could be consuming food, you naturally drop your caloric intake.

For example, say your body could consume 1,000 calories per meal. That’s 3,000 calories per day. If you fasted for one of those meals, you’re down to only 2,000 calories. Fast for two meals and you’re at a third of your caloric intake for that day.

This is especially useful for people who are overweight and have a tendency to eat a lot at one sitting. Cutting back on the meals you eat in one day can help you drastically cut your number of calories. Over time, your stomach will start to shrink and your body will crave fewer calories.

You’ll be eating less and burning more!

Note that too much fasting can actually have a negative effect on weight loss. Fasting too frequently or too long can actually put your body into “starvation mode.” Your body then thinks it’s starving, so it will actually hold on to your fat as a way of protection. This is why the practice is called intermittent fasting.

2. Improves workouts

Intermittent fasting can actually improve the efficacy of your workouts, which can then lead to increased weight loss and healthier functioning.

Working out in a fasted state can help build muscle during resistance training. Furthermore, eating post-workout after fasting promotes a faster absorption of nutrients. Two-for-one benefits just by fasting before a workout and eating after!

One study found that when weightlifters underwent 16 hours of fasting, their fat mass decreased significantly… but their muscle mass stayed the same. This means that fasting doesn’t “kill your muscles” as some Negative Nancies would have you believe.

Although the benefits of intermittent fasting are most pronounced for resistance training, IF also has benefits for aerobics and endurance as well. One study found that fasting can even improve training performance while running.

3. Gets rid of toxins


Intermittent fasting helps boost the body’s natural cell death process, which kills off toxic cells and promotes the rebirth of healthy ones.

This is the process of autophagy, which is when unhealthy cells devour themselves. This helps rid the body of toxicity, which can help reverse the aging process and prevent certain diseases. If this process isn’t activated, then damaged cells will hang around and harm the healthy cells. This can lead to cancers (like prostate cancer), growths, inflammation, and other diseases. Autophagy basically cleans out the bad cells, so fresh, healthy cells have room to be born.  

Intermittent fasting can initiate this autophagy process.

In fact, there have been several preliminary studies on the effects of intermittent fasting on cancer patients. A 2009 study found that fasting could help reduce the side effects from toxic chemotherapy. Patients also reported a higher quality of life post-treatment. This response is likely because fasting can help preserve lean body mass while promoting the death of toxic cells (aka those cells that are damaged by chemo).   

Another study concluded that “calorie restriction or fasting demonstrates a wide range of beneficial effects able to help prevent malignancies and increase the efficacy of cancer therapies.”

This research insinuates that intermittent fasting may be able to help protect the body from toxicity.

Those are three pretty consequential benefits of intermittent fasting. Lose weight, have more productive workouts, and get rid of toxins. Plus, these effects then lead to enhanced energy, mental clarity, concentration, hormonal balance, and more. Think of IF as the ultimate “reset” for your body when it’s feeling sluggish.

So how can you implement intermittent fasting in your life so you can reap these awesome rewards?

What are the types of fasting?

There are a number of fasting approaches. I recommend starting with the first approach and working your way up to the last to avoid “shocking” your body. Keep in mind that IF works differently for each person, so you’ll want to find the approach that best fits with your body’s rhythm.

1. Skipped meals

Start by skipping one meal. This will help your body fast for an extra period of time in an easy, convenient way.  

The best meal to skip is breakfast. This means you’ll have fasted for the entire nighttime and morning, which can be a fast of up to 12 hours. In fact, look at the word breakfast: it’s literally the meal that breaks your fast from a night of not eating. If you skip breakfast, you can hold off on breaking that fast just a little bit longer.

You can skip meals once a day, once every other day, or once a week. For this approach, the more frequent the fasting, the more you’ll see the effects.

2. Eating windows

This type of fast lengthens the number of hours you go without food, while still allowing for 1-2 meals during fast days. This type of intermittent fasting condenses your caloric intake to a window between 4 and 7 hours. The rest of the day (and night), you’ll be fasting. It’s most common to fast between 5pm and 11am or 6pm and 12am. This means basically skipping two meals—dinner and breakfast—and eating a heartier lunch.


3. Warrior fast

A similar fast is the “warrior” approach by Ori Hofmekler. This condenses the eating window to four hours at dinnertime, when you’re encouraged to “feast.” The rest of the day you should be fasting or only eating raw fruits and veggies.

This is my favorite type of intermittent fasting for big events (like Thanksgiving). Fast all morning, and then you can indulge in a delicious Thanksgiving dinner without too much guilt. (But this isn’t an excuse to eat 10,000 calories in mashed potatoes. Sorry!)   

4. 24/48 hour fast


These are the most common type of fasts for consistent fasters. The 24/48 hour fast is when you avoid eating food for a full day or two.

While fasting for a full day, you are usually permitted to have light liquids, raw veggies, and a small piece of protein like chicken. This usually allows for about 500-600 calories per day. Avoid caffeine, alcohol, refined sugars, and processed foods.

This can be a challenge for the inexperienced faster. Start with shorter periods of fasting, like 18 hours, and work your way up to a full 24 or 48 hours.

5. 5:2 fast

This is then related to the 5:2 fast, where you eat regularly for 5 days and fast for 2 days. The two fasting days can be consecutive—one 48 hour fast—or on opposite sides of the week—two 24 hour fasts. Follow the same rules as the 24/48 hour fast above.

6. Alternating fasts

An Obesity Reviews study looked at participants who alternated fasting for 24 hours and eating regularly for 24 hours. This was a consistent, consecutive alteration for 12 weeks. They found that these participants preserved more muscle mass than their dieting counterparts (those participating in a low-calorie diet). They also ate fewer calories, lost more weight, and saw improved energy.

If you’re comfortable with intermittent fasting, you can consider trying out an alternating schedule. This means that you have one day of eating as usual, followed by 24 hours of fasting. Then eating as usual, and then 24 hours of fasting.

7. Extended fasts

Some people will also do extended fasts a few times per year. These can be 3-5 days, eating less than 600 calories per day. This can be used in conjunction with other intermittent fasting approaches or on its own. However, this brings with it worries of “refeeding syndrome” for inexperienced fasters, which we’ll discuss below.

Determining the type of fast and the frequency of fasting is entirely up to you. Listen to your body. Try out different forms. When you feel the best, you’ve found your intermittent fasting schedule!

Need an intermittent fasting calculator?  Click here

What are the concerns with intermittent fasting?

Many critics of IF claim refeeding syndrome as a serious complication for fasters. Refeeding is when your body goes from 0 to 60—fasting to feeding—too quickly. Basically, it causes electrolytes and blood sugar levels to spike, which can cause serious sickness. However, refeeding syndrome is rare for any fasting length under 3 days and highly uncommon under 5 days.

Avoid any problems by just taking it slowly. If you’re new to fasting, don’t start with a 3-day cleanse. Take it slow and work up to larger fasts. Also, don’t guzzle food after an extended fast. Start with a small, healthy meal of salad and cold water fish. This will help break your fast and give your body the nutrients it needs without causing any unhealthy spikes.

Another “concern” is simply the mental roadblock that comes with not eating. When you first start fasting, your body will be begging for food. Your brain will try to trick you into thinking it’s starving… simply because it likes food! Our brains are conditioned to crave food to keep us alive.

But you can go for days without food and not harm your body. Mahatma Gandhi survived for 21 days without food. One monk even went for 36 days. You can handle 24 hours, trust me.

When you first start fasting, you’ll be thinking about food a lot. So do something to take your mind off of it. Have fun with your friends and family. Watch a movie. De-stress.

Go for a walk. In fact, walking actually helps boost the benefits of intermittent fasting, because it helps you use up additional energy to burn fat and kill toxic cells.

Enjoy the fast.

Once your body adjusts to fasting, you won’t be as hungry as you used to be. You’ll be more energized, healthy, happy, and ready to take on the world around you!

Psst… Don’t forget to drink a lot of water while you’re fasting! Water can help curb appetite and keep you energized.

The Bottom Line

Intermittent fasting is a healthy way to rejuvenate your body instantly. IF can help you lose weight, improve your workouts, and detox your cells for a better functioning brain, endocrine system, autonomic nervous system, immune system, and more. Your body will thank you.

Intermittent fasting is just one step of the Gapin Institute full-body transformation. If you want to start living your best life now, you need to sign up for our Male 90X program. I guarantee you’ll be thrilled you did!

5 Simple Ways To Normalize Your Hormones This Week


Hormones are involved in every function of your body. When your hormones are out of whack, you can start feeling severe symptoms that drastically minimize your quality of life.

If you want a happy, healthy life, you need a regulated hormonal system.

What is the endocrine system?

The endocrine system is your body’s regulator of hormones. A number of things can contribute to an unhealthy, poorly-functioning endocrine system.

I like to call hormones “social creatures.” They love to interact with cells, blood, and even one another. This means that high levels of one hormone can impact other hormonal and organ functions. Low levels of a hormone can also drastically throw the entire system off-balance.

Think of hormones like Tetris. Each colored block is a different hormone. When used correctly, they fit together harmoniously. But if even one block is out of place, the other blocks have to work twice as hard to try and fit together to function properly.


If you’ve never played Tetris, I’m basically saying that hormones are interdependent. They each need to be regulated and working together in order for the entire endocrine system to function at its optimal state.

Do you have a hormonal imbalance?

Imbalanced hormones can throw your entire body off: from side effects like growing hair in new places or a burst of cystic acne to feeling exhausted and depressed to diabetes and chronic inflammatory diseases. Hormonal imbalances are especially linked to risk of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and other health problems.

Usually, if you go into your doctor with a symptom that doesn’t have an easy explanation (like a cold or a wart), they’ll usually consider a hormonal imbalance first. They’ll do blood, saliva, and urine tests to see how your hormone levels may be influencing the overall function of your body.

A majority of the time, those symptoms you’re experiencing are linked to some sort of hormonal imbalance.

What are the four key hormones?

There are a number of hormones that can be out of whack in your system. For the purpose of this article, we are going to focus on four key hormones that play a significant role in healthy living: cortisol, insulin, testosterone, and estrogen.

Cortisol

Cortisol is the “stress hormone.” Your adrenal glands produce cortisol in response to some internal or external stressor. This hormone also helps your body break down carbs, lipids, and proteins.

A little bit of cortisol in the body can actually be beneficial. Along with adrenaline, these hormones can actually spur your body into action. They give you that “fight or flight” response to get you out of negative situations (or to remind you that public speaking is terrifying). In fact, super-low levels of long-term cortisol can actually wreak havoc on your body as well.

But of course, too much cortisol, and you put your body into a constant state of stress that can severely damage your body’s health.

Insulin

Insulin is made by the pancreas, and it helps the body convert carbs into sugar. This sugar is then used as energy or stored for future use. Basically, insulin keeps you moving. It also maintains your blood sugar level. It prevents your blood sugar levels from getting it too high, called hyperglycemia, or too low, hypoglycemia.

If your body doesn’t produce enough insulin or your cells are resistant to insulin, it can lead to high and low blood sugar. In the short term, this can cause symptoms of fatigue, energy loss, migraines, headaches, anxiety, depression, and more. In the long term, this can cause diabetes.

Testosterone

Testosterone is the “male” sex hormone, though women have it too. It’s the hormone that increases sex drive (in both men and women), and makes boys turn to muscled, hairy men during puberty. It also increases the penis and testes during puberty. Basically, testosterone is what generates a man biologically.

Symptoms of low testosterone can include loss of libido, weight gain, fatigue, depression, psychological concerns, erectile dysfunction, and more. Low T may even be linked to risk of prostate cancer.

Estrogen

Estrogen is the female sex hormone, but it’s also found in men. It’s the key hormone in female reproduction (and beauty). Men need estrogen to protect and maintain certain organ processes. But excess estrogen can cause weight gain, mood swings, psychological concerns, inflammation disorders, osteoporosis, and more.

The Link

All four of these interweave in unique ways. Estrogen and testosterone love each other… but also hate each other. High levels of T can lower estrogen (which is good for men); but high levels of estrogen can lower testosterone. High levels of cortisol and insulin both reduce sex hormones—which, in turn, means high levels of stress and weight gain.


Basically, you want to keep these four (and other) hormones balanced whenever possible. You want low to moderate levels of cortisol and insulin. As a man, you want higher levels of T and average levels of estrogen. (Women want higher levels of estrogen than T, but still shouldn’t have excessive levels of estrogen.)

So how do you keep these hormones regulated and balanced? What can you do to naturally normalize your endocrine system?

1. Get sleep.

Sleep more. Sleep is the prime time that your body regulates your hormones. When you have a long, deep sleep, your endocrine system is able to reset and normalize the hormones floating around in your system.

Sleep affects two major hormone pathways: the autonomic nervous system and the pituitary axes. When you fall into a deep sleep, your sympathetic system “turns off.” This is the system that creates cortisol and adrenaline. This allows your parasympathetic system to activate. This system helps lower cortisol and re-stabilize your body’s hormones.

The pituitary glands affect the growth hormone, which you need to stay healthy and functioning. If you don’t sleep enough, cortisol levels increase. Cortisol kills growth hormones and testosterone.

If you have chronic sleep loss, you’ll have an increase in cortisol levels. This can lower testosterone levels and promote insulin resistance (which is a risk factor for diabetes and obesity). Not sleeping enough is a key risk for obesity and type 2 diabetes in otherwise healthy adults.

For a healthy, hormone-happy rest, you should sleep at least 7 hours per night. You should also have a good bedtime routine, which will signal to your brain to start preparing for sleep. Moreover, you need to regulate your light and dark cycle and sleep in the cold, which I’ll further discuss below.

Regulate light and dark.

Studies show that hormones fluctuate daily according to circadian rhythms. Basically, your hormones change with the cycle of light and dark, awake and asleep. This is especially true for the hormones GH (growth hormone), cortisol, leptin, and melatonin. Any sort of sleep disturbances can negatively impact these rhythms and throw off hormonal imbalance.

In this way, you want to keep it dark at night and get light exposure during the day. In the evening, sleep in a dark room without any light disturbances. After 10pm, turn off all electronics and bright lights. Blue and green lights from electronic screens can especially confuse the endocrine system’s circadian rhythm. Darkness or only mild lighting can signal your body that it’s time to start drifting into rest and regulating your hormones. Some people decide to use Crystal lamps made of salt to have dim warm light to aid in their sleep, which might be an interesting option for those that are looking for a night light.

To avoid light at night:

  • Turn off your phone at 10pm. Read or spend time with your family. Or have sex… which is also great for boosting testosterone and lowering cortisol for more hormone regulation!
  • If you need to use your phone, turn it to Night Shift. This makes your phone yellowish rather than bluish.
  • You can also consider purchasing blue-light blocking goggles for nighttime use of the computer.

During the day, you should also get an appropriate amount of light. Sunlight tells your body it’s time to get up and start “using” your hormones. If you don’t get a lot of light because you’re in an office or live in a cloudy city, try purchasing a sun lamp (not a UV lamp). Some alarm clocks will even simulate the sunrise to help you and your endocrine system wake up refreshed. These can also simulate the sunset to help tell your body it’s time to drift to sleep.

Sleep in a cold room.

The University of South Australia found that a colder room leads to a more restorative sleep. Sleeping in a room warmer than 70 degrees can actually stop your body from releasing melatonin; melatonin is the hormone your body uses to help you sleep. Melatonin is also the perfect anti-aging hormone to keep you young and vibrant.

One study even found that rooms set to 66 degrees could help prevent certain metabolic diseases, like diabetes. Participants who slept in cold rooms were also more likely to burn fat while awake, and this fat burning can help further regulate hormones.

Crank the AC or sleep with a fan near your bed.

2. Eat the right diet.

What you put into your body becomes the building blocks for your hormones. For example, important micronutrients needed for hormone production are zinc, magnesium, calcium, and selenium.

Moreover, your hormones respond to the number of calories in your body. Overeating can raise insulin levels<span` style=”font-weight: 400;”>; under-eating puts the body into stress mode, increasing cortisol and triggering insulin resistance. In this way, it’s imperative that you get an appropriate amount of food and calories to maintain a healthy endocrine system.

What To Eat

This means that you need to get all three macronutrients: proteins, carbs, and fats. Experts recommend that you get 20-30g of protein per meal to keep you full and regulate your hormones. Carbs give your body the energy it needs to keep the organs and systems functioning.

Healthy fats can help reduce insulin resistance and improve hormone balance. MCTs (medium-chain triglycerides) have been shown to boost weight loss and lower insulin sensitivity. These can be found in coconut oil and palm oil. Monounsaturated fats from olive oil and nuts can also improve insulin sensitivity.


The best balance of proteins, carbs, and healthy fats comes from the Mediterranean diet. Time and time again the Mediterranean way of eating has been proven beneficial for vigorous endocrine systems, weight loss, heart and blood vessel health, brain function, and more.

What Not To Eat

Avoid sugars and refined carbohydrates. Fructose, a common form of sugar, has been linked to higher insulin levels, increased body fat and insulin resistance, and worsened inflammation in the body.

Refined carbohydrates are also a factor for insulin resistance. However, healthy carbs can keep your endocrine system operational. In this way, a moderate carb diet is best when monitoring levels of insulin and other hormones.

3. Get moving.

A recent study in 2016 found that sitting is linked to lower levels of testosterone. In fact, researchers found that men who watch long hours of television had lower levels of testosterone than low TV-consuming counterparts. This study also found that physical activity had a positive association with sperm counts.

Staying active is also necessary to regulate insulin levels. One study proved that just simply getting up and walking around can help improve insulin sensitivity, and another found that physical activity helps ease insulin resistance in patients with type 2 diabetes. Overall, a study in 2000 reported: “It is concluded that physical training can be considered to play an important, if not essential, role in the treatment and prevention of insulin insensitivity.”


The best kind of exercise? A mixture of resistance training and walking. Resistance training has been shown to increase male sex hormones, like testosterone and growth hormone. A combination of resistance training and aerobics was found to produce more growth hormone than aerobics alone. Studies have also found that the intensity of exercise impacts the growth hormone secretion.

Physical activity also helps lower total body fat, and a healthy body fat contributes to a healthy hormonal system.

Even getting up and moving can help. Daily movement like fidgeting, walking, cleaning, and playing with the kids can all help burn calories and regulate hormones.

Plus, exercise lowers cortisol levels. And lower cortisol means a better regulated endocrine system, reduced levels of stress, and higher levels of testosterone.

Speaking of cortisol…

4. Lower your stress levels.

Stress increases cortisol. Cortisol levels disrupt the endocrine system, lower testosterone and estrogen production, inhibit growth hormones, increase insulin resistance, and more. Stress also increases levels of adrenaline, which can cause anxiety, high blood pressure, rapid heartbeat, fatigue, and dehydration. Some people experiencing high levels of stress could think about taking edibles or other types of marijuana to relieve some of their symptoms and completely relax themselves. Medical cannabis can be purchased online, but contacting your doctor beforehand might be a good idea if you’re already on medication.

It has been shown that increased levels of cortisol is linked to stress-eating, which increases belly fat and further damages the endocrine function. Cortisol is undoubtedly correlated with weight gain.

Reduce your stress levels by getting a massage, meditating, doing yoga, or even just hanging out with friends who make you laugh. Take time for yourself. If you let stress build up, it will chronically and permanently damage your endocrine system

5. Stress your body.

Huh? Didn’t I just say to avoid stress?

Yes, avoid mental stress. But putting your body under physical stress, like extreme temperatures, has been proven to help regulate hormones.

This is because these situations put your body into a state of high, short-term oxidative stress. Built-up oxidative stress can have serious problems like diabetes, depression, cancer, and Alzheimer’s. You can fight off oxidative stress with diet, exercise, and sleep (hmmm… those are all discussed in this article too!).

When your body senses stress, it increases its antioxidant defense. This boost in antioxidants has been proven in response to both heat therapies as well as cold treatments. Cold exposure has also been shown to regulate metabolism, improve insulin sensitivity, and reduce insulin levels.


Moreover, one study found that Finnish men who used a sauna 2-3 times per week had a 23% lower risk of having a fatal heart attack thanks to the antioxidant boost. Saunas have been shown to improve insulin sensitivity and boost growth hormone secretion (by as much as 140%).

Plus, that saying “sweat it out” may actually be true. Research has shown that sweat contains bioaccumulated toxins. This means that your body uses sweat as a way to discharge bad gunk, just like urine or waste. (That’s another reason to sweat while you workout.)

So take a cold shower and hop in the sauna—your body will thank you!

Bottom Line

Sleep in accordance with your circadian rhythms. Eat a healthy diet filled with macronutrients. Increase your physical activity. Lower your stress. Submit your body to extreme temperatures.

… and you’ll be on the road to hormone regulation in no time! What will you do to normalize hormones?

But if you want to change your life and your health starting today… sign up for The Male 90X Consult. With this genetic-based report and private consultation, you’ll obtain all the practical tips and advice you’ll need to feel the happiest, healthiest, and sexiest you’ve ever felt.

11 Supplement Vasodilators To Ease Your ED


You’ve read my article about the 13 top vasodilators in foods to help bring back your sexual vigor. Now, it’s time to supplement those foods with additional nutrients for a double-packed punch to fight your erectile dysfunction symptoms. You need to add vasodilation supplements to your toiletry cabinet right now.

Are you struggling to overcome your erectile dysfunction? Do you feel like your ED is only worsening with the medications you’ve been prescribed?

You’re not alone. Many men with ED find that the traditional “cures” are anything but a beneficial treatment. In fact, these prescriptions can often exacerbate dysfunction in the long-term. These medications only mask the symptoms of ED without getting at the root of the problem.

So it’s time to get to the root—don’t you agree?

Vasodilators 101

Let’s first understand how erections work, so we can understand how vasodilators supplements help improve ED.

There are three key steps to getting an erection. First, sexual arousal tells the brain to send signals to the penis, preparing your little man for sex. Second, the endocrine system releases hormones that help the penis get relaxed and ready for sex. Then, blood vessels in the penis open to allow blood to flow into the penis. This blood flow into the penis causes an erection. That erectile stiffness is actually just strong blood flow in your penis!

With that in mind, there are also three key areas that can cause erectile dysfunction (aka when the penis can’t get erect) when they aren’t functioning properly: the brain, the endocrine system (hormones), and the blood vessels.

In this article, we’ll focus on the last area: the blood flow into the penis. If your brain is sending signals and your hormones are regulated, then your ED is likely due to a problem with your blood vessels. This can be due to high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, or other vessel disorders.

That’s where vasodilation supplements come in.

Supplements as vasodilators

Vasodilators create vasodilation. Vasodilation is the process of the blood vessels dilating or enlarging. This can occur throughout the body or in a specific area, like the penis. This opening of the vessels helps to lower blood pressure (since more blood can pass through at once), clear clogged veins, boost blood flow, and increase oxygen distribution throughout the body. Proper blood flow is necessary throughout the body to bring nutrients and oxygen to all of your organs, muscles, and tissues.

And of course, vasodilation opens up the vessels in the penis, so your mini-me can take in blood for an erection. Blood flow, as discussed earlier, is crucial to achieving an erection. Not only does blood flow create that necessary stiffness, but it also nourishes the reproductive organs, improves energy and libido, and maintains regular testosterone levels. In this way, a healthy vasodilation system is advantageous for overall sexual health.

A key chemical in your body’s natural process of vasodilation is nitric oxide (NO). Nitric oxide helps to dilate and relax the blood vessels throughout the body, especially in and around the penis. Thus, you’ll want to keep an eye out for nitric oxide influencers in your vasodilation supplements.


Vasodilation supplements work twofold: they trigger the production of nitric oxide and relax the blood vessels. This two-step process boosts blood flow throughout the body, especially in the penis when it’s time to get sexy.

So what supplements have the strongest vasodilation effects?

1. Quercetin

Quercetin is a natural flavonoid that fights off inflammatory-related conditions like heart disease, high cholesterol, insulin resistance, viral infections, circulation concerns, atherosclerosis, cancer, prostate infections, and prostate inflammation.

Several studies have proven quercetin’s effects on vasodilation. One found that it works as an acute vasodilator in healthy men, and another proved that it’s able to decrease blood pressure. One study also found that quercetin enhances the production of nitric oxide, thus promoting vasodilation.


Quercetin is organically found in garlic, grapes, chives, red wine, onions, and apples. It’s also one of my favorite natural vasodilation supplements because it’s safe and easy. It has incredibly potent effects in just one little ingredient. It also plays nicely with other vasodilation compounds like tannins, procanidins, catechins, and resveratrol.

2. Resveratrol

Resveratrol is an antioxidant that helps the body naturally synthesize nitric oxide while also activating and relaxing channels in the smooth muscle of the penis. One study found that “acute administration of resveratrol elicits dose-dependent increases of FMD with greater potency than other vasoactive nutrients and that this benefit is sustained following regular consumption.” Basically, this study concluded that resveratrol can relax twisted blood vessels better than any other studied vasoactive nutrient. This proves significant circulatory benefits for blood vessels, including those vessels in the penis.

Resveratrol also helps balance your hormones, lowering estrogen and increasing testosterone. This can improve low testosterone levels, which could be contributing to your ED.

Grapes, raisins, and red wine contain high levels of reservatrol. If you’re already a red wine drinker, a moderate amount will give you a strong reserve of resveratrol. However, if you’re not already a wine drinker, you shouldn’t start drinking just to see the ED-happy vasodilation effects.

This is especially true as red wine is known to cause migraines and have negative psychological effects, both of which play a role in ED. Furthermore, too much alcohol may cause long-term erectile dysfunction in men. Avoid these alcohol-related concerns with resveratrol supplements, which are easy to find and are fairly inexpensive.

3. Vitamin C

Vitamin C is one of my favorite vasodilation supplements because it has so many powerful effects on the body. You need vitamin C to stay healthy and strong, and it’s almost never a bad idea to take a little extra vitamin C to boost your immune and nervous systems. ED-related vasodilation is just one more reason to add vitamin C to your daily supplement lineup.

Vitamin C naturally boosts the body’s nitric oxide production. It also protects NO molecules from degradation; this means that nitric oxide sticks around in the body for a longer duration before expellation. Together, vitamin C produces and maintains NO for longer, stronger erections.

Vitamin C has also been studied as a testosterone booster. Higher levels of T are linked to higher sexual function, which can help ease your ED symptoms. C vitamins also lower cortisol, so testosterone can flow freely and blood vessels can chill out.

Better yet, one study even discovered that combining vitamin C and garlic (aka the quercetin from #1) increased NO levels by 200%! This combo also lead to a drop in blood pressure of systolic 27mmHg and diastolic 15mmHg—that’s better than most blood pressure medications!

Vitamin C has a cocktail of properties of natural vasodilators and erection nourishment.

4. Icariin

Icariin, found in horny goat weed, helps support the body’s production of nitric oxide levels towards improved vasodilation and blood circulation. It also functions in a similar way to Viagra by inhibiting the PDE-5 enzyme, which is the enzyme that tells your penis when to stop having an erection. Icariin has been proven to be as beneficial as Viagra, but icariin actually has fewer side effects and more potent long-term influences.

Numerous studies have proven the strong benefits of icariin on vasodilation. A 2007 study found that icariin increased the production of NO in blood vessels. Another study in 2013 found that icariin was able to inhibit the thickening of arteries, thus decreasing cholesterol levels and lowering the risk of stroke and heart attack. In turn, this helped improve blood flow to the penis without any clogs or blockages. Icariin also widens the vessels of the heart, which helps boost healthy blood flow right at the source.

A 2008 study found that icariin can actually stimulate the formation of blood vessels. This is important because blood vessels tend to pop with age—and with exercise, which you should be doing if you want to keep your ED at bay.


Moreover, icariin may help those with depression and bipolar disorder. Research shows icariin may improve overall mood and even help stop alcohol abuse. Oftentimes, mood disorders and substance abuse can cause and exacerbate ED.

Icariin can boost mood and increase NO vasodilation, putting you on the fast track to an ED-free life.

P.S. Icariin is even being studied as an anti-cancer supplement. There is supporting evidence that icariin could be a strong herbal remedy for anti-cancer therapies, even overcoming the limitations of current therapies. One study even reported that icariin had a direct response on halting tumor cell invasion and migration.

5. Niacin

Niacin, aka vitamin B3, is an essential nutrient for gene expression, hormone synthesis, heart function, and energy production. It also plays a key role in maintaining nitric oxide levels and balancing good versus bad cholesterol. Niacin can acutely lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart attack in many individuals. One study even suggested that niacin, which is necessary for proper heart function, had a long-term benefit on lowering mortality rate.


Niacin is a strong vasodilation supplement that I highly recommend you add into your diet. Red meat has high levels of niacin… so yes, I’m telling you to eat red meat!

6. Grape seed extract (GSE)

Grape seed extract is a vasodilation supplement that will get your penis ready for sex in no time. It activates nitric oxide synthesis so strongly that one study even found a 138% increase in NO levels. Research also shows that GSE decreases blood pressure and lower heart rate levels.

GSE also supports healthy testosterone levels. It blocks the enzyme aromatase, which is what converts testosterone into estrogen. Too much aromatase causes estrogen dominance that can kill your sex drive and lead to low testosterone symptoms. GSE not only boosts blood flow into the penis, it also makes sure that your testosterone-related sex drive is strong and kicking.

7. Pycnogenol

Pycnogenol is a vasodilation supplement made from maritime pine bark extract. It has potent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-diabetic effects. It also enhances blood flow and improves vasodilation throughout the body.

I’m including pycnogenol on this list because it’s a strong and healthy vasodilator. However, you can get the same polyphenol effects at a cheaper price with grape seed extract.

8. L-citrulline and l-arginine

L-citrulline and l-arginine are amino acids that the body uses for a number of healthy functions. The kidneys convert l-citrulline into l-arginine, which then transforms into nitric oxide. A supplementation of l-arginine has been shown to improve oxidative stress for healthy blood flow, especially in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Research suggests that l-citrulline supplementation is more efficient than l-arginine supplementation for the production of nitric oxide, creatinine, and other arginine-derived metabolites. L-citrulline actually converts into a higher concentration of NO than supplementing with l-arginine alone.

9. Ginseng

Panax ginseng, or Korean red ginseng, has a number of benefits for male sexual health. It has been used for centuries in Chinese medicine as an aphrodisiac and to treat sexual dysfunctions.

You’ll hear a lot of talk about ginseng… and for a good reason! A summary review of studies concluded that ginseng stimulates NO production, improves blood circulation, and enhances vasomotor tone.

If you’re looking for a vasodilation supplement that will not only work for vasodilation but also treat other causes of your ED, ginseng is a strong choice.

10. Coenzyme Q10

Coenzyme Q10 (COQ10) is found in the mitochondria of our cells and it’s used to produce energy that our body needs to perform certain functions. Like some of the other vasodilators mentioned, the body naturally produces COQ10, but it’s not always enough to keep up with our cells’ needs. Low levels of COQ10 are linked to Parkinson’s disease, fibromyalgia, cardiovascular disease, male infertility, and low testosterone. COQ10 also regulates NO breakdown, meaning that it helps NO last longer in the body.

A meta-analysis of studies showed that COQ10 provides a significant improvement in endothelial function (the function of blood vessels vasodilating and vasoconstricting). Moreover, COQ10 has been proven to have positive effects on cardiovascular diseases as well as improving oxidative stress in patients with type 2 diabetes.

11. Omega-3 fatty acids

Omega-3s work like anti-inflammatory drugs and help lower the risk of heart disease, blood clot formation, and stroke. They also help increase NO levels and blood circulation for happier blood vessels.

A study found that the supplementation of omega-3s:

  • reduced arterial stiffness and endothelial dysfunction
  • minimized systemic inflammation
  • impacted arterial wall remodeling
  • reduced cardiovascular risk

Another study found that fish oils lower blood pressure and improve vasodilation. They discovered that omega-3s allow potassium ions to flow, which helps the smooth muscles relax (like the smooth muscles in the penis need to relax in order to have an erection).

Omega-3s are found naturally in cold-water fish like salmon. The Western diet typically doesn’t include enough of these fish, so it’s often recommended to take additional omega-3 supplements to reap the full benefits.

Bottom Line

These 11 supplements are natural, organic ways to add vasodilators, nitric oxide, and erection-healthy blood flow back into your life. Pair these supplements with vasodilating food and healthy living practices, and you’ll treat your ED in no time!

Best yet, you can buy all of these supplements at your local health food store. Talk to a doctor before adding any supplements to your regimen; your doc will help choose the one that will work best for your needs.

Vasodilation is just the tip of the iceberg…

Want more advice on overcoming your ED? Grab The Male 90X Consult, transform your body, and reach your maximum potential today!

 

13 Natural, Edible Vasodilators To Treat Your ED


If you’re suffering from ED, you’ll probably try anything and everything to get your penis back in the game. But the most natural, effective solution is often overlooked… and it’s right in your own fridge. If you’re looking to boost your blood circulation, look no further than these 13 delicious foods for ED-healthy vasodilation.

What is a vasodilator?

There are three parts to having an erection. First, you get sexually aroused and your brain sends a signal to the penis that it’s time to get moving and grooving. Your body then has to release hormones to prepare you for sex. Then the muscles and blood vessels in the pelvic area have to relax, so blood can flow easily into the penis. An erection is literally when your penis enlarges with blood.

But if your blood vessels are tight or clogged, blood can’t flow through the body properly. The blood can’t find its way to the penis and an erection can’t occur.

This clogging of blood vessels is one of the key causes of erectile dysfunction. The blood vessels aren’t wide enough or healthy enough to push blood into the penis to create a hard erection.

Beyond just the penis, blood flow is important for overall health as well. Blood delivers oxygen and nutrients to all of your organs, tissues, and cells. Poor blood flow leads to a buildup of toxicity, which can be incredibly dangerous for the functioning of your system.

Proper blood flow is vital to wellbeing, including sexual health. 

A vasodilator is a substance that relaxes and widens the blood vessels. This helps unclog the arteries and allows blood to flow more easily. Thus, blood can reach your penis so you can get an erection.

What is nitric oxide?

Nitric oxide (NO) is a necessary vasodilator for all erections. NO relaxes the blood vessels around the penis, so there are no blockages or tightness when the body tries to send blood there.

Because nitric oxide is vital to erection blood flow, you’ll want to keep an eye out for NO production in your foods and supplements.

You’ll often find NO boosters in pre-workout supplements because it’s so effective at boosting blood flow. NO relaxes vessels and increases blood flow, which means the muscles have more blood and oxygen during the workout (so in turn the muscles can work harder and longer). You can sometimes even tell which guys are taking NO supplements at the gym because their blood vessels could be popping out from their biceps or neck because blood flow is so strong.

Why do you need natural vasodilators?

I am a firm believer that natural is almost always better than prescription. If you can cure your illnesses with organic, natural substances, you’ll be treating your body the way it deserves to be treated. Trying to solve a problem with medicines often ends up with even more additional problems. I always recommend my patients first try natural lifestyle choices before adding more chemicals to their daily regimen. (Although I do understand that sometimes medicines and surgeries are necessary to live a full and fruitful life… and I’m all for that.)

ED can be treated naturally for most men. Poor circulation, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease—which can all cause ED—are directly linked to stress, unhealthy diet, and lowered physical activity. Choosing to rectify these areas of your life with healthy lifestyle choices can help treat related blood circulation concerns. For example, lowering stress and working out are critical to treating erectile dysfunction.

But in this post, we’ll be focusing on the healthy diet. Below you’ll find the 13 foods that can naturally dilate your blood vessels, increase blood flow to the penis, and help cure your ED.

 

1. Pomegranates

Pomegranates are my favorite antioxidant-rich food for treating ED. Not only do they have hypotensive properties (meaning they can lower blood pressure), but they’re also ergogenic vasodilators (meaning they enhance stamina and physical performance thanks to their ability to boost blood flow). Pomegranate extract can help reduce arterial plaque, so there are no blockages stopping blood flow. Pom has also been shown to boost nitric oxide and stimulate “sexy feelings.”

Plus, pomegranate may help boost testosterone, increase sperm quality, and block estrogen production—all of which contribute to healthy erectile function.

2. Cayenne pepper and chili

Cayenne pepper and chili contain capsaicin, which is what gives these spices their hot kick. Studies have been shown that capsaicin is able to improve circulation and promote healthy erections. One study found that capsaicin could induce penile erection when inserted into the urethra, and another concluded that it could help treat hypertension.


One study also found that capsaicin and spicy foods are associated with a lower body weight and higher metabolism because they help burn fat, suppress appetite, and improve physical endurance. Plus these spices have no calories!

Overweight men have a higher risk of ED, so losing weight and maintaining a healthy body fat is crucial to treating erectile dysfunction. A study in the Journal of Sexual Medicine found that losing even 5-10% of body weight in two months drastically improves erectile function and sexual libido. In this way, cayenne and chili could also help maintain a healthy body weight to combat ED.

So get spicy!

3. Dark, leafy greens

Dark, leafy greens like spinach and kale are filled with vitamin K. Vitamin K1 reduces oxidative stress and thins blood, which helps to improve overall blood vessel health and functioning. In fact, these leafy greens are so good at thinning your blood that many doctors will suggest you lay off them when taking a blood thinner like Warfarin or Aspirin.

Additionally, spinach is high in nitrates, which are known to boost nitric oxide levels. Remember nitric oxide relaxes blood vessels in the pelvis and pushes blood into the penis. Spinach also has high levels of iron, and iron is needed in order for blood molecules to transport oxygen throughout the body.

Kale also has circulation-boosting nitrates like coenzyme Q10, magnesium, and other antioxidants. Kale is a super-food that can help maintain weight, improve blood flow, boost brain function, and much more.

4. Citrus


Citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, limes, and grapefruits are filled with vitamin C. Studies have shown that vitamin C can stimulate the body’s natural production of nitric oxide, thus improving vasodilation and minimizing hypertension. Plus, vitamin C is the anti-aging vitamin that helps keep your organs, skin, and cells young and vital!

5. Ginger

Ginger has been used in Indian medicine for centuries in order to restore sexual vitality. Its antioxidant properties quickly boost nitric oxide, and it has been studied extensively as a treatment for cardiovascular disease. Ginger has been shown to open up the blood vessels so much, in fact, that you shouldn’t eat ginger before surgery because it could increase risk of bleeding post-surgery.


Ginger also has anti-inflammatory effects, which can help with other inflammation-related diseases that can cause ED. It has been even bee n studied as an anti-diabetic treatment. This is important as men with diabetes are at a high risk of suffering ED symptoms.

6. Dark chocolate


Dark chocolate is filled with heart-healthy antioxidants and flavonoids. A meta-analysis of studies concluded that “flavonoid-rich cocoa consumption affects multiple cardiovascular risk factors.”

Another study found that cocoa has protective effects during acute hyperglycemia. This means that dark chocolate can help prevent blood sugar spikes and lows; these peaks and valleys of sugar can contribute to diabetes, weight gain, lowered testosterone, fatigue, and more.

Note that this is dark chocolate. The darker the chocolate, the better the effects. Milk chocolate is more sugar than cocoa so you won’t see the same effects.

6. Watermelon


Watermelon is high in lycopene, which has been shown to increase nitric oxide levels and reduce blood pressure. It also has high levels of the antioxidant l-citrulline, which has been studied as a treatment for high blood pressure.

7.  Nuts

Walnuts, pistachios, peanuts, and other nuts are rich in l-arginine, which boosts the production of nitric oxide. L-arginine also enhances blood flow by reducing oxidative stress, especially in young adults with type 1 diabetes.

8. Garlic

Garlic is one of the healthiest (and most potent) ways to treat ED. Countless studies have proven the efficacy of garlic on vasodilation. One study found that garlic supplementation can increase tissue blood flow; another showed that it lowers blood pressure and increases nitric oxide equivalent to standard blood pressure medication, and a meta-analysis showed an inverse correlation between garlic consumption and reduced risk of cardiovascular disease.

9. Tea

Black and green tea are filled with antioxidants that are great for overall wellbeing and health. Black tea can improve dilation and protect from cardiovascular concerns and green tea boosts metabolism and weight loss.


Furthermore, tea is a known stress-reliever. As discussed, stress is highly linked to erectile dysfunction, because the stress hormone cortisol blocks the signals from the brain to the penis. Cortisol can also tighten and clog your blood vessels. If you want a better sex life, you have to take some time to chill out and drink some tea.

10. Raw honey


Raw honey (not processed) is high in nitrates that elevate nitric oxide levels. Add a little bit of raw honey to your tea for flavor and an extra boost of vasodilation!

11.Red wine

Red wine has polyphenols and resveratrol, which both have benefits on the heart and blood vessels. Because of the polyphenols and tannic acid in red wine, it’s a potent vasodilator that can help clear the vessels from any buildup. One study even showed that red wine intake reduced plaque build up by 37%. Plus, red wine can decrease blood pressure, increase nitric oxide, and treat hypertension. Basically, “it has been concluded that red wine as a diet supplement might be beneficial for cardiovascular risk factors.”

Of course, wine is best in moderation. Too much alcohol can cause erectile dysfunction and other health problems. Stick to no more than 1-2 glasses of red wine per day to see cardiovascular benefits. If you’re not a regular wine drinker, consider resveratrol supplements to avoid taxing your system with alcohol.

12. Beets

Beetroot is filled with nitrates that boost NO production and improve stamina when working out and running. Beetroot juice has also been found to improve metabolism and reproductive performance.

13. Onion

Onions are high in vitamin C (which we discussed in #4 citrus) and quercetin. Quercetin boosts nitric oxide and improves cardiovascular health. A diet rich in onion has been shown to modulate vascular dysfunction and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

The Bottom Line

Supplementing your diet with vasodilator foods can help treat your erectile dysfunction naturally and effectively. Your penis—and taste buds—will thank you!

If you do those things, you’ll set yourself up for success.  If you need help with ED, reach out to me.

Schedule a consultation to discuss ED treatment.

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Can You Prevent Prostate Cancer thru Diet?


Spoiler Alert: You CAN help prevent prostate cancer thru diet.

What do you think of when you think of wanting to live a healthy life? Let’s be honest, most men think of fitness related to physique as the primary focus, maybe even fitness to reduce the risk of chronic diseases like high blood pressure or diabetes. Both physique and avoidance of chronic disease are a great to focus on, but it is also important for men to focus on prostate health as well.

The risk of prostate cancer…

Prostate cancer is the number one cancer among men in the United States. Shocking right? It’s not talked about nearly as much as some of the other cancers. If you are like most men, you want to avoid prostate cancer by whatever means possible. Luckily there are some really simple steps you can take to decrease your risk, one of the most important steps is changing your diet.

You can prevent prostate cancer thru diet.

Here are the key dietary factors known to affect the risk of developing prostate cancer:

Low-fat diet: Some studies have found men who had higher daily animal fat intake had an increased risk of prostate cancer. In studies that looked at fat consumption and prostate cancer risk, animal fats were more likely to be associated with an increased risk of prostate cancer than plant-based fats.

Fruits and vegetables: These are full of vitamins and nutrients that are thought to reduce the risk of prostate cancer, though research hasn’t proved that any particular nutrient is guaranteed to reduce your risk. Cruciferous vegetables have unique antioxidant properties that enable them to counteract some of the damage caused by carcinogens. Eating more fruits and vegetables also tends to make you have less room for other foods, such as high-fat foods.

Fat: Fatty fish such as salmon, tuna and herring contain omega-3 fatty acids, a type of fatty acid that has been linked to a reduced risk of prostate cancer. Avoid trans fatty acids, though, which are known to promote cancer growth. These are commonly found in butter and many processed and fried foods.

Dairy: A number of studies have found that men who ate the most dairy products such as milk, cheese and yogurt on a daily basis had the highest risk of prostate cancer. The risk associated with dairy products is thought to be small.

Overcooking meat: Overcooking meat produces carcinogens called heterocyclic amines that have been shown to cause prostate cancer in animal studies. In addition, charbroiling red meat or chicken with its skin intact produces another set of carcinogens called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Research has suggested that intake of these charred meat carcinogens triggers mutations in prostate cell DNA, which leads to a chronic inflammatory response in the prostate. This combination of mutations and inflammation appear to be a key to the development of prostate cancer. Steaming or baking meats and avoiding overcooking meat can significantly reduce the amount of carcinogens produced.

Sugar: Several animal studies suggest that cutting simple sugar and carbohydrate intake may slow prostate cancer growth. Excess sugar intake is further linked to
prostate cancer growth through increased insulin levels. Insulin resistance has been found to reduce levels of important proteins that stimulate prostate cancer cell death.

Selenium and Vitamin E: The Selenium and Vitamin E Cancer Prevention Trial (SELECT) evaluated whether taking vitamin E and selenium prevented the development of prostate cancer. The study showed that taking selenium alone or with vitamin E did not decrease the risk of prostate cancer.

Lycopene: Several animal studies have demonstrated that lycopenes, found mostly in tomatoes, may reduce prostate tumor growth. Some human studies have shown that a diet high in lycopene may be linked to a decreased risk of prostate cancer, but other studies have not. It has not been proven that taking lycopene supplements slows the development or progression of prostate cancer.

Gluten-free diet: This diet is typically recommended for patients with celiac disease, an inflammatory bowel condition. By reducing inflammation, this diet may have a role in cancer prevention as well. Foods with no gluten include all fruits, vegetable, meat, fish, and eggs.

Multivitamins: Regular use of multivitamins has not been proven to increase the risk of early or localized prostate cancer.

To reduce the risk of developing prostate cancer, men should focus on foods rich in antioxidants and low in pro-inflammatory and carcinogenic substances. Powerful anti-cancer nutrients are found in colorful fruits and vegetables, fresh herbs, leafy green leafy vegetables, nuts, berries, and seeds. Choose green tea, soy, fish, and foods low in calories and fat. The Mediterranean diet, which is loaded with fresh fruits and vegetables, garlic, tomatoes, red wine, olive oil, and fish, is heart-healthy and may be very beneficial for prostate cancer prevention. If oil is needed, choose olive oil, which is very healthy and rich in vitamin E and antioxidants. Avocado oil is also good. Avoid oils high in polyunsaturated fats such as corn, canola, or soybean.

Missing your Sunday steak night getting you down?

Don’t worry, you don’t have to change everything at once. Start with once or twice a week, switch out your regular lunch or dinner for a salad with lean healthy protein. This way you get a pile of veggies in one sitting. Bonus points if you nix the iceberg lettuce in favor of kale, spinach, or spring mix.

Additional swaps you can make…
  • Swap out processed foods for whole foods. A good example is eating a whole orange instead of drinking orange juice.
  • Use healthy oils, such as olive oil or coconut oil instead of margarine or butter.
  • Drink more water. Slowly begin to replace soda and other flavored drinks with good ‘ol fashioned water.

Want healthy swaps you can make to help prevent prostate cancer thru diet?

Sign up for an G1 Performance Program Discovery call! Sign up now and take the first step in achieving your maximum potential today.

Prostate Healthy Foods for Men: Add These 3 to Your Diet


Are you taking advantage of a simple way to boost your prostate health? Prostate healthy foods are a readily available and a tasty part of reducing inflammation in that tiny gland that can cause so much trouble.

Most men don’t blink an eye at potential health problems until one rears its ugly head. Prevention is 90% of any health issue and the same is true for your prostate. This tiny gland can cause some major daily life troubles for you.

For more in-depth information on prostate healthy foods to enjoy and avoid,  sign up for The Male 90X Consult!

Don’t miss the conversation on the Dr. Gapin Facebook Page.

5 Foods to Avoid for a Healthy Prostate


A healthy prostate is incredibly important for men, especially if you want to keep living your current lifestyle without having to spend a significant chunk of your day at a urinal.

Luckily, there are simple ways that you can support the health of your prostate. By making some simple changes to your lifestyle, including exercising and taking the right supplements, you can keep your prostate healthy.

Diet can play a big part, too. Some foods can have a greater impact than others. I’ve put together a list of the foods that you should avoid if you want to keep your prostate healthy.

1. Red meat and processed meat


Sorry, guys, but eating lots of red meat can have a big, detrimental effect on your prostate health. First and foremost, men who eat a lot of red meat are at a higher risk of developing cancer, including prostate cancer. Don’t worry, it’s possible to stop eating meat or eat a whole lot less and still be happy!

The Health Professionals Follow-Up Study showed that men who eat more red meat have a higher chance of developing metastatic prostate cancer.

It’s also thought that cooking red meat can produce compounds that may cause prostate cancer. Red meat looks red because it has a lot of hemoglobin and its close cousin found in muscle, myoglobin.

When you cook red meat, hemoglobin and myoglobin are broken down into compounds that can potentially cause oxidative damage. Those compounds can circulate throughout your body when you eat them, damaging your cells and tissues.

And, if you overcook or sear the meat, as in grilling or broiling it, you’re producing even more carcinogenic compounds.

Eating red meat can also alter the levels of certain growth factors in your body, increasing your cancer risk. Additionally, red meat tends to be very high in fat, and a high-fat diet has been shown to alter testosterone production, which has also been shown to increase your risk of developing prostate cancer. 

2. Sugar

Sugar tastes great, but it’s not great for your body.

Eating a lot of sugar creates inflammation in your body, including in your prostate. That inflammation can lead to prostatitis, which causes urinary symptoms like trouble going, as well as pelvic pain.

Inflammation can also cause prostate enlargement, leading to the constant feeling of “having to go” all the time, slow emptying of the bladder, and other BPH symptoms. There’s a strong connection between inflammation and BPH, so do what you can to reduce inflammation in your body.

High sugar intake also leads to high insulin levels and metabolic syndrome, which can increase your risk of cancer.

High insulin levels, caused by eating lots of sugar, causes the body and specifically the liver to produce more of a compound called IGF-1. It’s thought that excess IGF-1 contributes to the development of prostate cancer.

Other studies have shown that high insulin resistance (caused by a high-sugar diet) is strongly associated with prostate cancer risk. And, the general inflammation caused by eating lots of sugar can certainly contribute to prostate cancer as well.

So, to keep your entire body healthy, including your prostate, limit the amount of refined sugar and processed carbs you eat.

Don’t shy away from fruit because you think it has a lot of sugar. Fruit also contains many vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, fiber, and other compounds that can reduce your cancer risk and keep you healthy.

3. Dairy


Unfortunately for any dairy lovers out there, there’s a strong link between diets that are high in dairy and prostate cancer.

The Health Professionals Follow-Up Study found an association between dairy and metastatic prostate cancer; men who ate lots of dairy had a two-fold greater chance of developing aggressive prostate cancer relative to men who ate very little dairy.

Dairy products often contain a lot of steroid hormones, which can really up your prostate cancer risk. If you absolutely can’t bring yourself to give up all dairy, try to only eat organic dairy, and try to limit the dairy that you do eat.

There are no added hormones in organic milk.  Also try to make any dairy you eat nonfat or low-fat, which are also better for your prostate.

4. Eggs


Including more eggs in your diet may also increase your risk of getting prostate cancer.

A 2011 study out of Harvard and UCSF found that men who ate an average of 2.5 or more eggs were much more likely to develop lethal prostate cancer than men who ate half an egg or less a week.

A 2010 study by the same authors also found that when men ate more eggs, their prostate cancer was more likely to advance and become more aggressive.

Eggs are high in cholesterol and choline, which is why the study hypothesized that those compounds might be involved in increasing the aggressiveness of prostate cancer.

5. Alcohol


As much as you love your glass of wine with dinner, or a beer while watching sports, consider your health first. And consider giving it up if you really want to take care of your prostate.

For example, the Harvard Alumni Health Study found that men who drank moderate amounts of liquor had a 61-67% higher risk of developing prostate cancer. They didn’t see the same effect in beer or wine drinkers, though.

The Harvard Alumni Health Study is one of many studies that show similar results.

In fact, reviews of multiple studies show that the more you drink, the higher your prostate cancer risk. And, there’s a stronger association between liquor and prostate cancer than wine or beer. But, the results of some studies are mixed, and some even suggest that drinking more wine might actually help protect you from prostate cancer.

If you don’t want to give up alcohol completely, try keeping it to just a drink or two a week. This will help to lower your risk of many types of cancer, including prostate cancer. And, you might consider switching up what you drink if you’re a liquor drinker.

If you really want a drink, consider swapping out your bourbon or gin and tonic for a glass of wine. You may have a healthier prostate if you do.

Maintain a healthy prostate

Curious to learn more ways that you can support prostate health and reduce your prostate cancer risk?  Sign up for The Male 90X Consult now.

This genetic-based report and private consultation will help you make simple lifestyle changes to lower your risk of prostate cancer. 

The Link Between Vitamin D and Prostate Health

Are Vitamin D and prostate health related?

Half of all men over age 50 will be diagnosed with benign prostatic hyperplasia. This statistic rises to nearly 90% in men over age 80. While an enlarged prostate due to BPH can be related to age, it may be even more intricately linked to hormonal and vitamin imbalances in the body.  

In fact, numerous studies in recent years may have found a strong link between BPH and vitamin D. A majority of men are deficient in vitamin D, especially as they get older. Studies show this deficiency increases the risk for male sexual health problems among other concerns like cancers, heart disease, and depression.

Let’s first take a look at BPH and vitamin D separately, and then use information about both to understand the correlation between the two.

What is BPH?

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) or benign enlargement of the prostate (BEP) is, simply put, an enlarged prostate. The stromal and epithelial cells—both of which make up the tissue of the prostate—overgrow and expand, causing the prostate to grow in size.

BPH is often linked to other prostate and sexual health concerns as well, such as prostatitis and prostate cancer.

If the prostate grows large enough, it will restrict and affect other areas of reproductive health. For example, an enlarged prostate can obstruct the urethra and minimize the size of the bladder.

This can lead to complications like urinary tract infections, bladder stones, kidney stones, kidney infections, and possibly even kidney failure.


There are a variety of treatments for benign prostatic hyperplasia, but results are varied based on the cause of the BPH. Generally, BPH can occur due to hormones, diet, or simply from age.

There is a strong link between estrogen and overgrowth of prostate cells. In conjunction with naturally dropping testosterone levels due to age, male estrogen (estradiol) begins to take over and prostate cells multiply rapidly.  

Still, there is still a lot of missing research to fully understand BPH and its causes. That’s where vitamin D comes in.

What is vitamin D?

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that works like a hormone in the body. It is absorbed in the small intestine and stored in the tissue.

Because it’s stored in tissues, the body holds on to it for longer periods of time than water-soluble vitamins. The body uses vitamin D to absorb calcium and phosphorous from the blood stream, so these minerals can be used for proper organ function, nerve health, and bone strength.


We get vitamin D primarily from the sun. Our bodies use a complex process to convert ultraviolet rays into vitamin D. We can also get small amounts of vitamin D from foods like salmon, herring, orange juice, fortified cereals and drinks, or supplements.

Vitamin D has a number of proven health benefits:

  • Boosts immune system and ability to fight infections
  • Improves life expectancy
  • Maintains bone health
  • Prevents high blood pressure
  • May decrease risk of certain cancers, like colon cancer
  • Reduces muscle and joint pain
  • Promotes muscle strength
  • Lowers risk of heart disease and improves cardiovascular function
  • Protects brain function and memory; may fight Alzheimer’s

Vitamin D has also been linked to prostate health and male fertility. High levels of vitamin D maintain strong sperm count with quality semen.

Additionally, vitamin D has been considered a possible treatment for ED because of its positive effects on blood flow (vitamin D may work to send more blood to the penis to help it get an erection).

So how is vitamin D related to BPH?

Does vitamin D treat BPH?

Vitamin D is not a proven treatment for BPH…yet.

A study in the Canadian Journal of Urology discovered that, “the impact of vitamin D on prostate volume and BPH has shown promising results, thus proposing further studies on vitamin D and BPH be conducted.”

Although conclusive results are still needed, vitamin D shows some significant benefits that can reduce symptoms and potential causes of BPH

Inflammation

Chronic inflammation is a significant factor of benign prostatic hyperplasia. BPH is, simply put, an inflammation of a specific grouping of cells, which then causes an overall inflammation of the prostate.

One study with the International Journal of Andrology found that vitamin D receptors play a crucial role in inflammation. They concluded that strengthening these receptors—through the supplementation or consumption of vitamin D—can help minimize inflammation, including BPH-related enlargement.

Another study in Italy found that the synthetic vitamin D2 was able to stop inflammation and growth of BPH cells.

Basically, vitamin D can help promote a normal prostate size and reduce prostate swelling like BPH and prostatitis. Vitamin D has proven properties that inhibit cellular proliferation, which is the process of cells increasingly growing or dividing. The ability to reduce inflammation and cell proliferation may also be the reason that vitamin D could minimize the effects of Alzheimer’s disease.

Testosterone

Estradiol, or male estrogen, also plays a role in BPH. Elevated estrogen prohibits testosterone production.

Low testosterone levels can result in reduced libido, mood changes, increased risk of heart disease, lowered energy, erectile dysfunction, and—you guessed it—an enlarged prostate.

According to the American Urological Association 2015 Annual Meeting, vitamin D may be able to increase testosterone concentrations, especially in aging men whose T levels are starting to naturally decline. Vitamin D has also regulates estrogen levels and increase sperm quality.

Healthy weight

In addition, lowered testosterone can also result in weight gain and a loss of muscle. This, in turn, elevates the level of free-floating estrogen; this creates a cycle of high estrogen, low testosterone, weight gain, and prostate concerns.


A study at the University of Milan found that vitamin D can help maintain a healthy weight. Those participants with vitamin D supplementation lost more weight and had a larger reduction in waistlines than those who did not take supplements during the same weight loss regimen.

In this way, vitamin D may also help shed weight, which can in turn boost testosterone and lower estrogen.

Simply put, vitamin D can help balance estrogen and testosterone despite outside forces like weight gain and age-related disorders. This balance may help prevent BPH, as cells growth is not encouraged by excessive free-floating estrogen.

Bottom line

An analysis of the many studies of vitamin D and prostate health can conclude that it may play a role in preventing and treating BPH. 

However, maintaining a healthy level of vitamin D is crucial to overall health and wellness, and it has demonstrated some positive effects on prostate health, male fertility, or testosterone levels.

If you’re dealing with BPH, talk to your doctor about incorporating a vitamin D supplement into your routine. And don’t forget to catch some vitamin D sun rays (with proper SPF protection, of course).

To achieve the ultimate prostate health and achieve your maximum potential sign up for The Male 90X Consult. This genetic-based report and private consultation will get you on track for a total body transformation so you can start living the life you’ve always dreamed of.