Pomegranate improves erection and prostate health

They say that what’s good for your heart is good for your penis. This is 100% true for pomegranate – its ability to lower cholesterol and improve blood vessel health, as well as its positive effect on erections, has been scientifically confirmed many times.

It’s actually logical. In order for the penis to become erect, the spongy bodies inside it must become engorged with blood. But that can only happen if the blood reaches them at all. But if a man’s blood vessels are clogged with atherosclerotic plaques, not only his heart and brain but also his penis suffer from a lack of blood supply. And vice versa: if we can improve the fitness and health of the blood vessels, erections will also improve.

For example, a double-blind study involving 53 men with moderate erectile dysfunction demonstrated the effectiveness of drinking pomegranate juice daily. After four weeks, 79% of the participants experienced an improvement in erectile function. Pomegranate extract taken as a dietary supplement works similarly.

The key to this beneficial effect is the ability of pomegranate, specifically its ellagic acid and other beneficial substances, to influence the course of so-called epigenetic processes. These are chemical reactions that can literally turn on and off individual genes in our DNA, thereby influencing a wide range of processes in the body – not least erection.

5 beneficial effects of pomegranate on men’s health

1. Reduces atherosclerotic plaques
   Drinking pomegranate juice or taking pomegranate extract regularly lowers LDL cholesterol levels, reduces blood lipid peroxidation, a process necessary for atherosclerotic plaque formation, and can even reduce atherosclerotic plaques that have already formed. This improves blood flow through blood vessels, including those that supply the tissues of the penis.
2. Promotes nitric oxide production
   Nitric oxide is an important signaling molecule that, among other things, instructs the body to vasodilate, or widen blood vessels. As a result, not only will blood pressure drop significantly, but blood circulation to all parts of the body, not including the penis, will also improve. And as we have already written: more blood, more erection.
3. Improves fertility
   Pomegranate increases the concentration of sperm in the ejaculate as well as their motility, and increases the density of spermatogenic cells in which sperm are produced in the testes. In addition, its use in one study reduced the content of malondialdehyde (MDA), an environmental chemical that reduces sperm production, by 63% in semen.
4. Keeps the prostate in shape
   The main cause of so-called hyperplasia, or prostate enlargement, is the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone, a hormone that causes prostate cells to multiply excessively. An important role in this biochemical reaction is played by its catalyst, the enzyme 5-alpha reductase. And pomegranate reduces the activity of the gene for the production of this enzyme, which has a positive effect not only on the health of the prostate, but also on the quality of hair growth (dihydrotestosterone is also the main cause of male pattern baldness).
5. Acts against prostate cancer
   Thanks to its epigenetic action, pomegranate inhibits the growth of prostate cancer cells, including very aggressive types. It also promotes apoptosis or programmed cell death of damaged cells. A study conducted at the University of California showed a 12% decrease in proliferation (rapid, uncontrolled cell multiplication) and a 17% increase in apoptosis. However, pomegranate also works against other types of cancer, such as lung and colon cancer.