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Topics: Health, Social Media, Sex and Relationships
Kit Roberts
Self-proclaimed remedies for erectile dysfunction may not be all they're cracked up to be, an expert has warned.
It's a health problem which is the subject of innumerable plays, poems, and dramas throughout history.
From medieval wives being able to sue their husbands for divorce unless they could publicly demonstrate that they were able to perform, to 17th century plays about city gentlemen pretending to be impotent so that the other men would let them spend time alone with their wives, there's a lot out there.
When it comes to health problems, and the fact that men and their anxieties have dominated literature and history, erectile dysfunction has a whole apothecary's worth of remedies to help ensure things function down there as they should.
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From oysters and chocolate, to even employing spells to coax the Old Chap into life, there are some very weird ones out there... and it seems that even the supposedly enlightened 21st century is not immune from employing DIY remedies either, despite the warnings of health experts.
But what are these 'natural remedies' which have seen a lot more attention online lately?
Well, the first is apple cider vinegar, a substance which would practically be the elixir of life if every health benefit rumor about it was as effective as the internet sometimes makes out.
Then there's the other remedy, which is to mix baking soda with water.
Whatever you do, don't mix the two remedies of vinegar and baking soda - otherwise you might find yourself experiencing a 'volcanic eruption' which has nothing to do with your privates.
Dr Zoë Lees, a medical writer for MedExpress, was clear that there's nothing to suggest these two remedies actually work.
“There is no evidence indicating any benefit on sexual health," she said.
"Therefore, while consuming small amounts of diluted apple cider vinegar is generally considered safe, it is not a medical treatment for erectile dysfunction.”
But she warned that there are several lifestyle factors which may be causing erectile dysfunction.
Two of them are alcohol and smoking - it's sometimes called 'whisky d*ck' and 'brewer's droop' for a reason!
“Alcohol is a depressant that slows communication between the brain and the penis, which can impair the mechanisms necessary for an erection,” explained Dr Lees.
Smoking is another big one, but luckily, quitting can help get things up and running again.
Dr Lees said: “Ultimately, erectile dysfunction is a very common condition that affects many men, especially as they age.
"It is treatable with a wide range of evidence-based options available including lifestyle changes and prescription medication."