When you want to know how to keep an erection without medication, you should know that a few natural ED treatments can work. Since not everyone wants to have to take a pill before sex, many men prefer alternatives to Viagra or Cialis that last longer and improve their erections naturally. If you’re interested in treating your ED without invasive treatments or prescription drugs, learn more about the top four natural treatments for ED.
1. Exercise
Regular exercise is a leading natural ED treatment for a reason. When you work out regularly, you’ll improve your blood pressure, as exercise increases nitric oxide in your blood vessels. Alongside increasing nitric oxide, exercise increases blood flow, helping your penis receive more blood to strengthen your erection. Regular exercise can also raise your mood, which can result in increased libido.
While general exercise can be very beneficial, weight-bearing exercises tend to provide the best benefits for erectile strength. Since too much body fat can raise your risk of ED, strength training exercises can help convert that fat to muscle. Besides reducing body fat, high-intensity interval training and resistance exercise can boost testosterone levels, leading to improved erections and libido.
2. Dietary Changes
Your diet and weight can have a huge impact on your erections, meaning changing the foods you eat can be a natural alternative to Viagra or other ED medications. As you try to change your diet, you’ll likely want to consider eating more whole grains, fruits, fish, and veggies. It’s also important to reduce your servings of refined grains and red meat, as they can raise your weight and harm your erections.
Since obesity is also a major factor in ED, reducing your portion sizes and calorie intake can help combat ED. While you change your diet and reduce your calorie consumption, consider adding some of the top testosterone-boosting foods to your diet:
- Egg yolks
- Pomegranates
- Beans and legumes
- Fish and fish oil
- Leafy green vegetables
- Beef
- Oysters
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Salmon, sardines, and tuna
- Onions
3. Quitting Smoking and Limiting Alcohol Consumption
While many men want to keep the party going as long as possible, one of the best things you can do for your erections (and your health in general!) is quit smoking and limit your alcohol consumption. Everyone knows that smoking cigarettes increases your risk for lung cancer, but some don’t realize it also causes plaque build-up in your arteries. Since you need your arteries clear to allow blood to flow easily into your penis and power your erection, quitting smoking can reduce ED symptoms.
Alongside quitting smoking, men should also consider limiting their alcohol consumption. Men who drink more than two alcoholic beverages a day are at risk of ED, as alcohol reduces testosterone levels, harms libido, and creates nerve and hormonal imbalances. Due to the negative effects of alcohol on multiple health factors that can cause ED, it’s crucial to lower your alcohol consumption.
4. Shockwave Therapy
Though lifestyle changes can help, many men struggle with ED even after making them due to a few different factors, such as plaque build-up, scar tissue, and insufficient blood flow. Fortunately, shockwave therapy for ED is a natural treatment designed to address the primary causes of ED. As a viagra alternative that works, shockwave therapy has a greater than 75% success rate at treating ED. Even better, the treatment lasts for around two years after completion.
When you receive shockwave therapy, a clinician will move a wand-like device that generates sound waves on your penis. During the treatment, the sound waves will break up plaque build-up to increase blood flow to the penis. Alongside freeing up your vessels from plaque, the sound waves will trigger growth factors and dormant stem cells that generate new blood vessels and rejuvenate male erectile tissue. As a result, your blood will have more pathways to fuel your erection, and you may even receive heightened sensations during sex.
Once treatment is completed, many men notice stronger, longer-lasting erections. Since treatment typically works for around two years, men can also reduce or eliminate their dependency on ED pills, leading to a major confidence boost. Additionally, treatment often helps men feel more satisfied sexually, as men have reported longer sexual performance, more intense orgasms, and improved penile sensation after completing treatment.
Find a GAINSWave®-Certified Shockwave Therapy Provider Near You
As the leader in sexual wellness, GAINSWave is proud to provide a nationwide network of GAINSWave-certified shockwave therapy providers. Since we’re committed to giving our patients the best experience possible, we only certify our providers after they meet rigorous standards for equipment and care. Besides ensuring our providers offer the gold standard in shockwave therapy, all of our protocols are backed up by our Medical Advisory Board.
Learn more about shockwave therapy for ED today. If you’re interested in receiving shockwave therapy, take our short candidacy questionnaire. Once your candidacy is determined, find a GAINSWave-certified provider near you with our provider locator.
