You might struggle with erectile dysfunction. Since there is such a wide variety of causes, there is also an assortment of treatments.
Many men are curious about what they can do to overcome their erectile dysfunction. In addition to trying to increase libido by lifestyle changes, you can take supplements like niacin.
Recent research has revealed that niacin can be useful for helping with erectile dysfunction, especially in men who have high cholesterol.
In this article, we’re going to discuss the findings of this recent study and give you all the available information about the use of niacin for ED.
What I Will Learn:
- What Is Niacin
- Niacin For ED
- What Are Other Benefits of Taking Niacin?
- Other Vitamins And Herbs That Can Help With ED
- Effective Formula With Multiple Ingredients
What Is Niacin
Chances are, even if you don’t know what niacin is, you consume it on an almost daily basis.
Niacin is a vitamin. One of the B vitamins, to be specific. Also known as vitamin B3, it can be found naturally in a variety of different foods.
This vitamin is important for multiple important functions in the human body, which I’ll go into detail about later.
In terms of medical treatments, it is often used for helping to improve cholesterol levels. It has been shown to increase the levels of healthy HDL cholesterol while reducing the levels of unhealthy LDL cholesterol and triglycerides.
Niacin is powerful enough in this regard that some doctors choose to prescribe it alongside other cholesterol-reducing medications. This is important because one of the main reasons that niacin can improve ED is because of the way that it impacts cholesterol.
It’s also important to note that doctors have found niacin is only effective as a cholesterol treatment at very high doses – often, doses high enough to cause health problems.
High doses of niacin are known to cause side effects such as gastrointestinal issues, liver problems, glucose intolerance, and skin irritation (also called niacin flush).
This is important to know because you won’t want to be giving yourself high doses of niacin without the guidance of your doctor.
If you’re thinking about using niacin to improve your ED, make sure that you seek medical advice beforehand. Niacin flushing, in particular, has been reported to be quite unpleasant.
Niacin For ED
According to recent research, a regular daily dose of niacin can be useful for helping to improve erectile dysfunction in men who also struggle with high cholesterol.
The study followed 80 men who had moderate to severe erectile dysfunction and struggled with high cholesterol and lipids.
The results were quite specific: apparently, everyone (all 80 men) who took the niacin supplement reported an improvement in their erectile function. The 80 men who took a placebo pill did not see a significant improvement in their cholesterol levels.
While the results of this study are very direct – almost suspiciously so – we cannot deny their significance. Generally, most studies report that even the subjects taking placebos show some improvements in erectile function.
The study, which was headed by Dr. Chi-Fai Ng of the Chinese University in Hong Kong, revealed some very exciting information – that niacin, an age-old vitamin that has been rigorously tested for safety, can be useful for treating yet another ailment.
If you’re wondering how long before niacin works for ED, you need to take into account the study’s duration. It was not a long study, and most men reported benefits before the end of the few weeks of the study.
The reason that it works for erectile dysfunction can be understood by considering how the effect of niacin improves symptoms of atherosclerosis.
Atherosclerosis is a condition marked by the hardening of the arteries, often caused by cholesterol as it sticks to the arterial walls and oxidizes.
This is important to know because both erectile dysfunction and atherosclerosis can be caused by similar issues: inflammation of the blood vessels.
In the case of ED, inflammation of the blood vessels prevents blood from actually being pumped down to the penis. If you don’t have enough cardiovascular strength to get the blood flowing to your penis, you simply won’t be able to get an erection.
Niacin is useful for helping to improve the symptoms of erectile dysfunction and atherosclerosis. This study also sheds light on the fact that, at least in some cases, erectile dysfunction is closely linked to a variety of other health problems.
This can be noted when you see that the men who found improvement in the study also noted an improvement in lipid levels. Healthier lipid levels can lead to several health benefits, which we’ll outline in the next section.
What Are Other Benefits of Taking Niacin?
In addition to helping with erectile dysfunction, there are several benefits that one might experience from taking this vitamin. These are some of the most common benefits of using niacin.
Improving Digestion
One of the most important functions of niacin is to regulate and maintain digestion. People who don’t get enough niacin may be more prone to developing digestive disorders. On the flip side, taking niacin can be useful for helping to improve digestion.
The effect of niacin is especially useful for helping to improve the digestion of fats, carbs, and alcohol.
Alcohol is particularly notorious for damaging digestion and depleting the body of B vitamins, so if you’re a regular drinker, it’s probably a good idea to keep your niacin levels in check.
Fighting Pellagra
Pellagra is a disease caused by vitamin B3 deficiency, which leads to symptoms like muscle weakness, digestive issues, and skin problems. Taking niacin can help to prevent pellagra.
Improving Skin Health
Niacin is a fairly common ingredient in skin products, cosmetics, and topicals used to prevent aging. The main reason for this is because of the way that niacin helps to minimize solar skin damage.
This is especially important for people with light skin, who are more prone to developing sun-related skin conditions. Niacin can also help to improve the speed of wound healing, increases the strength of the skin, and can help you retain more moisture.
Helping to Fight Osteoarthritis
Niacin has also been used to help fight the symptoms of osteoarthritis. It can help to increase your range of motion by fighting the inflammatory effects of the condition.
The benefits seem to max out at a reasonable dosage, so make sure not to try to ‘maximize’ your benefits by taking a huge niacin dosage for ED.
Improving Heart Health
As we’ve discussed already, niacin can be useful for helping to increase the health of the heart. Not only does it help to reduce the symptoms of atherosclerosis, but it can also help reduce oxidation and inflammation in the cardiovascular system.
Other Vitamins And Herbs That Can Help With ED
Regardless of whether or not you have high cholesterol, you should be aware that there are numerous supplements that you can take to improve your erectile dysfunction.
Here are some of the best vitamins and herbs that you can take to ease ED. If you also struggle with high cholesterol, these can improve the results of your niacin treatment.
- Zinc
Zinc is one of the most important minerals for improving your sexual health. Zinc is responsible for the production of testosterone, maintaining your libido, and increasing sexual ability.
- Pomegranate
Pomegranate is one of the best foods that can be used to help increase your sexual health.
One of the reasons for this is because it helps to increase the amount of nitric oxide produced by your body. Nitric oxide is important because it helps to relax the body’s blood vessels, thus increasing your ability to get an erection.
- Ginseng
Ginseng is one of the oldest remedies for erectile dysfunction, and it has been used since ancient times. Ginseng helps increase libido and general energy levels which can improve your all-around sexual performance.
- L-arginine
L-arginine is an amino acid supplement that can also lead to an increase in nitric oxide. L-arginine is included in a large number of male enhancement formulas because of its potent ability to increase nitric oxide.
- Cordyceps
Cordyceps is another supplement that has been used for thousands of years because of its ability to increase sexual health. Cordyceps is a fungus that has been favored by Traditional Chinese Medicine for millennia, and it can help to increase your sexual ability and stamina.
Effective Formula With Multiple Ingredients
It can be a bit of a hassle trying to look around for various ingredients and trying to build your own ‘stack’ of natural medicines. For this reason, many men find that it’s a lot easier to just find a pre-made formula that combines several ingredients.
Male Extra is one of the most versatile formulas that you can find for this particular problem. It includes all the ingredients listed above (except for ginseng) as well as a few others, including niacin.
This supplement is formulated specifically to improve sexual performance, and it can help to increase your ability to get an erection.
Male Extra contains several different ingredients (including niacin) which have all been proven to help increase male sexual performance.
If you’re struggling with erectile function, then don’t hesitate to look for a natural solution like Male Extra.
