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These days, it seems as though more and more things are being classified as things that might kill you. While it might seem like all the foods you enjoy are suddenly little bushels of certain death, there is one food group that seems to be saving instead of killing: Wine. More specifically, red wine. While milk and honey might get branded life enders, red wine is being trumpeted as a miracle cure all that can help the body fight off everything from wrinkles to cavities. But can this tasty beverage help men to stave off erectile issues? Should men stock up on pallets of red wine? Men wait on bated breath for the answer to the big question: Can red wine prevent erectile dysfunction?

According to research, it just might. That’s not to say that guzzling a bottle of the red stuff will help a man already afflicted with ED; rather, it’s been found that consuming red wine in moderation can help the body to prevent from developing erectile issues.

This is because red wine is chock full of a power packed antioxidant known as the “flavonoid.” Scientifically known as anthocyanins, the flavonoid has miraculous anti-inflammatory properties, which helps to encourage healthy blood flow throughout the body. By drinking as little as one glass of red wine a day, a man can put his body at a 14 percent lower risk of developing erectile dysfunction. This is because the body uses these flavonoids to relax the blood vessels, which ensures that blood flows quickly and efficiently to where its needed the most, including the penis when its time to produce an erection.

While research is still shaky on whether red wine can reverse the effects of erectile dysfunction, men looking to prevent the development of the dreaded sexual issue should stock up on plenty of red wine. By pairing a nice red with a healthy meal every night, you can enjoy a delicious drink all while ensuring your sex life stays happy and active.

As long as there has been sex, there have been silly urban legends surrounding it. After all, pretty much every man ever has heard that enjoying “alone time” too much can lead to hairy palms and death, and we all know that’s not true. But there is one oddball rumor that continues to persevere, despite sounding so wrong that its downright comical. Despite pretty much every basis of knowledge saying otherwise, there are still men that believe menstrual blood is toxic to the body, and if it comes into contact with the penis it can cause erectile dysfunction.

For most men, their partners’ “special time of the month” brings their sex life to a screeching halt. But there are plenty of adventurous couples who work around this natural road bump and continue their sexual escapades uninterrupted. The topic of “period sex” is a touchy one amongst men, as many call it disgusting while others call it natural. But there is a small subsection of men that believes that engaging in intercourse while a woman is on her period can actually contribute to the development of erectile dysfunction.

While many men turn up their noses at the concept of menstruation, the truth is that it’s a natural, necessary part to being a woman. What menstruation isn’t, however, is toxic or harmful. Of course, it’s advised that a woman utilizes a tampon or some other blood-collecting device during this time, but engaging in intercourse while a woman is menstruating will cause no issues in a man’s body.

The legend goes that because menstruation is a woman’s body purging of the lining of the uterus, the blood contains harmful toxins that can cause issues on the body.

A woman is many things on her period: Tired, crampy, and maybe a little moody. But she definitely isn’t toxic. Engage in intercourse during menstruation at your own discretion, but no man will ever have to worry about developing erectile dysfunction from period blood.

In this big, crazy thing we call “life,” it takes all types to make the world go ‘round. For some men, a cold drink after a hard day is the best way to unwind. For others, a muscle-burning workout is the preferred way to shake off stress. But for others, it’s marijuana that is turned to when its time to relax. While laws related to the little green leaf are changing, utilizing marijuana is still something of a taboo topic. But that doesn’t stop thousands of men from partaking in the illegal drug every day, be it as a way to relax or a way to enhance other activities. But much like having a drink every day, men who constantly partake in marijuana must find themselves thinking: Could this give me erectile dysfunction?

In the same way that consistent drinking can cause issues internally that spiral into erectile dysfunction, weed users find themselves wondering if the constant smoking could be setting them up for problems in the bedroom.

Well, marijuana aficionados have one less thing to worry about: Despite years of research, no connection has been found between smoking marijuana and developing ED. But that’s not to say that weed is great for your sex life, either; rather, daily marijuana use might affect a man sexually in other ways.

Namely, studies have found that men that smoke before engaging in sexual activity can often have difficulties reaching orgasm. For some, this might not sound so bad, but the inability to reach conclusion during sex can be downright frustrating and upsetting.

So daily marijuana enjoyment won’t lead to erectile dysfunction, but it isn’t exactly a miracle drug that will help your sex life. Like all things in life, if you enjoy marijuana, do so in moderation.

In the world of sports, sometimes an athlete needs an outside force to help get that extra little push. For many, this means to turning to creatine supplements. Sold in powders, energy bars, drink mixes, and more, this natural substance is said to help enhance muscle mass and to help the body push past its natural limits. Every athlete seems to swear by creatine, but could this supplement be causing long-term problems for athletes in the bedroom?

Creatine helps athletes because it is chock full of a substance called adenosine triphosphate (or ATP). ATP works with the body to produce extra energy that is necessary for muscle contractions, allowing the user to utilize the muscles longer without running into muscle fatigue. As creatine is an efficient supplement for building muscle, it has become incredibly prevelant in gyms and in the bodybuilding world. But while occasional creatine usage might not be anything note worthy, it turns out that reliance upon the supplement might be creating problems internally that can lead to erectile dysfunction.

Research has found that daily long-term usage of creatine in consistently high dosages can actually overload the detoxification systems in the kidney and liver, causing the body to produce less of the enzymes found in the liver and kidney that are responsible for synthesizing hormones. When hormone production slows, the body will not only struggle to send the proper brain signals needed to produce an erection, but the afflicted may begin to lose his sex drive. With a lessened sex drive and a lack of hormones, erectile dysfunction is all but inevitable.

But that does not mean utilizing creatine is a death sentence for your erection. Experts advise creatine users to either use creatine sparingly or at the very least lowering the dosages. Otherwise, all that creatine may help a man get bigger muscles, but it won’t help in the bedroom.

For some men, sleep is a time to lay in silence, reflecting on the day before drifting off into peaceful slumber. But for other men, sleep is an excuse to compete in a “What’s louder: A taking off airplane or my snore?” contest. Yes, many men grapple with snoring, whether they know if it or not. For some, snoring is an occasional annoyance; a weird little quirk that pops up after a night of drinking to bother your partner. But for other men, snoring is a daily occurrence. Men that struggle with snoring might have a diagnosable issue: Sleep apnea. And for men with sleep apnea, all that snoring could be a sign that erectile issues are looming in your future.

Sleep apnea is a sleeping disorder that causes the afflicted to stop breathing temporarily during sleep. This is typically due to the throat muscles relaxing incorrectly, causing air intake to halt, leading to snoring. For many, it’s an annoying issue that simply means a full night’s sleep sounds like a backfiring car engine. But this diagnosable issue can affect men’s life in an unexpected way: Men with sleep apnea are more likely to develop sexual issues.

This is because sleep apnea decreases the amount of oxygen circulating throughout the body, which is vital for various body functions, including erections. This consistent deficiency of oxygen can cause oxygen dependent functions, such as erections, to suffer.

Research has found that sleep apnea can be a real issue in the bedroom, and not just because all that snoring is going to annoy your partner. In 2009, German researchers found that 69% of men that suffer from sleep apnea reported a reduction in sexual desire, while over 46% reported experiencing erectile issues.

Sleep apnea-induced erectile dysfunction is a real issue. Thankfully, it’s an issue that can be overcome. If you suffer from sleep apnea and you regularly struggle to achieve an erection, talk to your doctor about potential solutions for your sleep apnea. With work, you should be able to regulate your sleep apnea and get your sex life back to normal.