According to endocrinologist Florence Comite, CEO of the Comite Center for Precision Medicine and Health and author of the book Keep It Up, your diet can impact your sex life negatively if you eat the wrong foods. She says that cholesterol, plaque and inflammation can obstruct blood flow to arteries that supply the sex organs and diabetes affects the vessels as well. The goal is to reduce elevated blood pressure, manage cholesterol, enhance sugar control and optimize metabolism and hormones to improve sexual health and she lists the following six foods that can interfere with that.
- Processed foods and sugars – high consumption of sugar increases diabetes chances which leads to suppressed testosterone and erectile dysfunction. Processed foods including baked goods are also made with flours that trigger inflammation and lower the sex drive in men and women.
- Buffalo wings and other deep-fried food – these are high in saturated fats and trans fatty acids that are linked to diabetes, high blood pressure and coronary artery disease, all connected with sexual dysfunction.
- Beer and cocktails – studies find that over-indulging in alcohol makes it more difficult to achieve an orgasm and decreases sexual arousal. A 2018 study in Archives of Sexual Behavior found that women had less vaginal lubrication after drinking alcohol.
- Microwaveable popcorn – PFCs, or perfluorinated compounds are the oily coating in the microwaveable bags and these can disrupt hormones and lower testosterone levels. It’s best to consume this snack in moderation.
- Fatty red meat – consuming too much red meat can cause the body to produce more LDL cholesterol and one of the most common causes of erectile dysfunction is arteriosclerosis of narrowing of the blood vessels which can also affect blood supply to the genitals.
- Deli meat – processed deli meats are high in sodium and can contribute to high blood pressure which in turn contributes to lower libido and erectile dysfunction.
Source: EatThis,NotThat!