A ketogenic diet is popularly known as the keto diet, wherein people derive most of their calories from fats. It is a popular diet that encourages people to increase their intake of healthy calories and limit their intake of carbs.
The intake of carbohydrates is generally low in this kind of diet. Whereas the portion of fats is high, and protein is moderate. It can offer health benefits to some; however, it might not be suitable for everyone. Such a kind of diet requires strict monitoring and consistency.
But do you know, the keto diet might not help those individuals who are experiencing issues with sexual function? Particularly, it might not be effective for managing erectile dysfunction (ED) problems in males.
What is a keto diet?
A ketogenic diet, also known as the keto diet, is a high-fat, medium-protein, and low-carb diet. It is designed and planned to induce a state of ketosis in the body. According to some sources, the diet comprises of 70% fat, 25% protein, and 5% carbs.
The goal of this kind of diet is to limit carbohydrate intake. Carbohydrates are the primary source of energy for the body, however, restricting the same makes the body enter the state known as Ketosis. It is a metabolic state in which the body relies on ketones primarily.
Ketones are produced in the liver after breaking down fats. The body then relies on ketones for a source of energy instead of glucose obtained from carbohydrates. In the ketosis state, the body breaks down fat into energy which helps with weight loss.
Health benefits of keto diet
A ketogenic diet can be very beneficial for those who are trying to lose weight. It can be helpful for managing blood sugar, improving cholesterol, and reducing high blood pressure. However, such a type of diet can be restrictive. This is why it is necessary to discuss its pros and cons with a healthcare practitioner before considering it.
Although the diet encompasses a variety of nutritious food options, that contain low carbs and are loaded with plenty of proteins. If followed properly, it will aid in weight loss and prevent other illnesses.
Causes of ED
Erectile dysfunction (ED), commonly known as impotence issues in men is an inability to get or maintain an erection even after complete sexual arousal. In this condition, the normal erection function of a man may get impaired because of some underlying physiological or psychological factors.
Physiological factors that contribute to erectile dysfunction include chronic health conditions like high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, high cholesterol, atherosclerosis, and so on. Besides, stress, anxiety, performance anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, etc. Can be the psychological factors responsible for affecting the erection function.
Obesity increases the likelihood of comorbidities like heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular disorders, high cholesterol, cancer, and others. Thus, ED is very common among obese and overweight individuals.
Additionally, a sexually distressing condition like erectile dysfunction can be managed with ED medications like Filagra. It contains sildenafil citrate, which is a PDE5 inhibitor that improves the erection function during arousal.
Does the keto diet help manage erectile dysfunction?
A restrictive diet like keto can promote weight loss. Since overweight and obesity are the biggest contributors to erectile dysfunction, such a diet might help in reducing the symptoms of it.
This diet may not directly impact the erection function. It might work indirectly by promoting weight loss. It can support you in your weight loss journey and help you lose those extra pounds.
When you lose some weight, your erection function might improve. However, according to some research, such a diet might lead to fatigue, low sex drive, and moodiness. This can happen because of the restrictive nature of the diet.
The effects of this diet may differ from one individual to another. It might help some bring their weight to a healthy weight, but there is a risk of other side reactions like low sex drive. A drop in the sex drive or libido can affect sexual function.
What does research say?
There are a lot of speculations surrounding the effectiveness of ketogenic diet in treating erectile dysfunction. This is a popular kind of diet that is specifically designed to shed those extra pounds and bring weight to a healthy range.
It might work wonderfully in promoting weight loss, but there is still a lack of research regarding its ability to treat ED. Therefore, conclusive research is needed to confirm the effects of the keto diet on ED.