Study: Pomegranates Could Provide Sweet Relief for Erectile Dysfunction

Pomegranates have long been celebrated as both delicious and nutritious. Pomegranates were symbols of fertility in Grecian culture, and appear in the Bible as a fruit of royalty. The vibrant red jewel-like fruit and potent juices are recognized for having anti-cancer properties and have one of the highest concentrations of antioxidants found in any fruit. Now, new scientific research indicates that a glass of pomegranate juice a day may be as potent in Viagra in assisting men with erectile function.

In the first clinical study of its kind, researchers found that men with erectile dysfunction who consumed one cup of pomegranate juice a day experienced stronger reactions when compared to drinking a placebo juice. The study was a "crossover" study, where the same group of men took both the pomegranate juice and the placebo juice over different four-week periods. This allowed the study to investigate the efficacy of pomegranate in each man. About half of the men found erections easier to maintain while drinking pomegranate juice. The juice may help increase blood flow to the penis, the essential physiological response needed for erections and sexual pleasure.

According to study co-author Harin Padma-Nathan, MD, Clinical Professor of Urology at the Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, "These findings are very encouraging as they suggest there is a non-invasive, non-drug way to potentially alleviate this quality of life issue that affects so many men. For men with Erectile Dysfunction, it is important to maintain a healthy diet and exercise. Drinking pomegranate juice daily could be an important addition to the diet in the management of this condition."