(Guest Post By Jason Brick)
We’re going to talk about cayenne pepper and erectile dysfunction in this post….
We spend a lot of time on this blog telling you about obscure herbal treatments and supplements that can help increase your libido and virility.
They’re proven techniques, and many have been known for their effects for thousands of years in the regions where they grow naturally.
Today I’m going to tell you about a natural ED treatment you already know and probably love: Cayenne Pepper.
This popular seasoning, and its active ingredient capsaicin, can heat things up in more than just the kitchen (if you know what I mean.)
Cayenne and Blood Circulation
Capsaicin is a mild blood thinner, and has been shown to reduce platelet aggregation in lab studies. Platelet aggregation is the medical term for microscopic clotting in your blood as it flows through your vessels. At the microscopic level, it’s not dangerous but it does slow blood flow.
If you’re a regular reader of this blog, you already know what I’m going to say next. Reliable, easy blood flow is part of reliable, easy erections since the mechanics of getting hard rely on blood flow to the penis.
Cayenne contains capsaicin, and capsaicin helps with that blood flow (source).
Cayenne and Vasodilation
Vasodilation is a measure of how dilated (widened) your blood vessels are. Just as with the platelet aggregation I mentioned just before, vasodilation is part of healthy erections. When you get aroused, the blood vessels near your penis dilate to allow more blood flow.
This fills the tissues in and around your penis until it becomes rigid. Some forms of erectile dysfunction are tied directly to some kind of problem with that dilation mechanism. No dilation, no blood flow. No blood flow, no stiffy.
Capsaicin-containing herbs, including cayenne pepper, have been an active ingredient in pain-relief salves for centuries. Even when applied to the skin, it dilates blood vessels to increase blood flow, which in the case of pain relief accelerates healing and relaxes tense muscles.
According to famed herbalist Dr. John Carpenter, the same process happens when capsaicin is taken internally, to the degree that it could stop a heart attack if taken at the right time.
You can see where this is going. Vasodilation fights erectile dysfunction by supporting the physical processes that produce an erection. Cayenne pepper is a powerful vasodilator, whether taken internally or topically (source).
Cayenne Pepper and Superoxide Dismutase (SOD)
I’m going to get technical for a moment. Breaking down nitric oxide is part of the process that produces erection. PDE5m produced naturally by your body, prevents the breakdown of nitric oxide.
SOD inhibits production of PDE5, thus preventing this chain reaction toward erectile dysfunction. Further, SOD also stops (or at least slows) the breakdown of collagen in the corpus cavernosum of the penis due to oxidative stress.
The less technical version: it’s easier to produce and maintain an erection if you have more SOD in your system. Cayenne pepper doesn’t contain SOD, but helps your body produce more than it would without it.
Cayenne Side Effects
Too much cayenne in your chili causes a red face (see vasodilation, above) and a desire for more beer. Even moderate doses have produced certain side effects in some people, including:
- Burning and irritation in the mouth and throat, and similar stomach irritation
- Histamine reactions including runny nose and watering eyes
- Thinned blood, which can interact dangerously with anticoagulant medications, such as those used during surgery
Large doses have also been linked with damage to the liver or kidney if taken regularly over long periods.
If using cayenne topically as a vasodilator do not put it anywhere near your junk or mucous membranes. It’s difficult to describe how much this hurts. On the bright side, it’s not a mistake people make more than once. Similarly, be sure to wash your hands thoroughly after handling even pill forms of cayenne as it’s easy to accidentally brush your eyes or nose afterward.
Cayenne Pepper and Erectile Dysfunction-Synergy
I mentioned in the side effects section how cayenne works and plays so well with blood thinners that it can be a problem. It also works and plays well with a variety of other supplements, which can seriously enhance how well both supplements fight your erectile dysfunction.
A few of the herbs and compounds which work best with cayenne pepper include:
- Garlic – another powerful vasodilator. Like cayenne, seasoning-level amounts of garlic usually aren’t enough to do the job. You can buy tablets of garlic and cayenne combined.
- Arginine – can improve vascular health, which helps with sexual health. White meats, soy, nuts and dairy all contain arginine.
- Hawthorn – you won’t encounter this accidentally in foods, but it’s commonly recommended for help with minor heart and circulatory problems.
- Ginger Root – you see the combination of ginger root and cayenne as a cold relief tea because both clear sinuses and improve blood flow. Minus the sinus, the same mechanism creates synergistic vasodilation.
- Ginkgo Biloba – famed for aiding memory (because of improved oxygen flow to the brain), the same process improves blood flow to the penis. You can get this in teas and pill form.
As with all synergies, this is a 1+1=3 situation. If you do this regularly, be aware that you might want to reduce doses of both supplements to achieve the best results. Though food-level amounts aren’t enough for strong medical benefits, you should be aware when you eat things containing these synergistic compounds.
Cayenne Pepper and Erectile Dysfunction-Conclusion
You won’t get the medical-level results of cayenne pepper from sprinkling some onto your steak or adding gumbo to your weekly menu (unless you’re eating so much of both you’re at risk for other health problems which can do your erectile health more harm than good.
Instead, regular doses of supplemental cayenne pepper – especially when combined with other erection supplements – can be a recipe for success in your fight against erectile dysfunction.
Cayenne Pepper and Erectile Dysfunction- References:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20013181
http://www.nutrition-and-you.com/cayenne-pepper.html
http://www.healingdaily.com/detoxification-diet/cayenne.htm
http://www.cayennepepper.info/side-effects-of-cayenne-pepper.html
http://www.sott.net/article/225325-Capsaicin-could-stop-a-heart-attack-in-progress-scientists-find
