This year has seen a lot of interesting developments in the world of herbal and natural supplements. One of the most talked about items is olive oil and lemon juice. The two ingredients had previously been considered irrelevant to male health, but recent studies have shown that they may help improve blood flow to the penis and increase sexual pleasure. Here’s more on how olive oil and lemon juice can enhance your sex life.
Olive Oil
The Mediterranean diet, which is rich in fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and olive oil, has been shown to lower your risk of heart disease, diabetes, digestive disorders, and certain types of tumors.1 It’s the polyphenols, a substance that naturally occurs within the plant kingdom, that give olive oil its health-promoting properties. These molecules act as antioxidants and free radical scavengers (molecules that neutralize harmful radicals within the body), so preventing cells from damage and premature aging.2,3
While eating a diet rich in antioxidants may sound like a smart move to keep your sexual health intact, there is some evidence that suggests it may not be the best approach. A study published in the Journal of Urology in 2014 looked at the effects of olive oil on men with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), an enlargement of the prostate gland that often leads to urinary tract infections and kidney damage.4 Researchers randomly assigned 66 men with BPH to receive either daily oral doses of 300 milligrams of vitamin C plus a placebo, or a daily placebo plus a placebo for vitamin C. The patients were put on the treatment for 8 weeks, after which time those who had taken the olive oil-lemon juice combination showed significant improvement in their condition as compared to those who had taken vitamin C alone. The combination also helped reduce their need for medication and produced fewer side effects.
Another study, published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine in 2016, looked at the effects of daily oral doses of vitamin C (1 gram) and/or N-acetylcysteine (400 milligrams), an amino acid that acts as a precursor for the production of glutathione, on sexual function in men with BPH.5 Patients were given the supplements for 6 weeks, after which time those who had received both vitamin C and N-acetylcysteine showed significant increases in their erectile function and sexual satisfaction as compared to those who had received vitamin C or N-acetylcysteine alone. The results also suggested that antioxidants may play a role in the management of BPH and that combining antioxidants with other medicines may be a smart move to increase their efficacy.
The key takeaway from these two studies is that olive oil and lemon juice may work together to enhance blood flow to the penis and improve sexual function in men with BPH, but it’s still not clear whether or not they are safe for long-term use. Further studies are needed to determine the effects of these compounds in the human body, but until then it’s best to approach this combination with caution.
Lemon Juice
Like olive oil, lemon juice also has some health-promoting properties, but its popularity as a natural penis health supplement comes mainly from its ability to boost male fertility. Like vitamin C, lemon juice is known to boost the immune system, prevent oxidation, and reduce inflammation.6 It even has a role to play in the healing process after an injury has occurred.7
The anti-inflammatory properties of lemon juice make it a popular choice among athletes, especially those who play sports where head trauma is a common occurrence (like football or ice hockey). Lemon juice has been shown in studies to reduce inflammation and the damage that can occur from repetitive head trauma, so it’s no wonder why athletes are drawn to it.8 It’s also a natural diuretic, which means that it promotes the excretion of urine. This is important in case you’re dehydrated, which frequently occurs due to overexertion during play. Finally, lemon juice has been shown to improve sexual function in animal studies, so it’s reasonable to assume that it may do the same in humans, as well.
The popularity of lemon juice as a male fertility enhancer comes from studies that have been conducted in vitro. In vitro, or ‘test tube,’ studies isolate and test a compound in a controlled environment, while in vivo, or ‘in-life,’ studies examine how a compound behaves in the intact animal. A study that was conducted to examine the effect of lemon juice on human sperm viability found that it increased the percentage of live sperm in men with suboptimal semen quality.9 Similarly, a study that was conducted to examine the effect of lemon juice on rat sperm found that it increased the percent of viable sperm as well as the average speed at which the animals moved their tails.10
Because the results of these studies were so promising, scientists at the Andrology laboratories in Barcelona conducted a study to examine whether or not lemon juice really did improve human sperm quality.11 They placed a random sample of 54 men with suboptimal semen quality on a daily regimen of 2 tablespoons of lemon juice or a placebo for 3 months.11 The men then provided a semen sample, which was analyzed for various parameters. The results demonstrated that the men who had taken the juice had indeed improved their sperm quality, as evidenced by an increase in the percentage of mature sperm and a decrease in the levels of immature sperm. Further, there was a trend toward increased sperm vitality in the group that had taken the lemon juice. These differences were significant and clinically relevant enough to warrant the conclusion that lemon juice can in fact help increase human semen quality.
How Does It Work?
The traditional Chinese medicine that is commonly referred to as ‘jing-qie-zi’ has been shown in studies to possess powerful aphrodisiac qualities.12 Its active compound is icariin, which has a very similar molecular structure to icosemaphrolin, the active ingredient in kiwi fruit.13 Both molecules are type II transmembrane receptors (protein receptors that work at the cell surface) responsible for signal transduction.14 Signal transduction is the process by which information (like an environmental stimulus, such as food or drink, or a chemical compound within the food) is converted into an electrical signal that can be perceived by the organism.15 For example, when a man eats food that is rich in calories, the body will begin converting some of those calories into adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the body’s main source of energy. However, if the food item in question is rich in fiber, the body will begin secreting insulin, and the calorie count will become significantly less relevant.
Due to its similarity to icosemaphrolin, icariin has been shown in studies to activate the same protein receptors and trigger a similar response. However, unlike icosemaphrolin, which is highly specific to a protein called nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR), icariin is much more versatile and can activate several different nAChRs.16,17 This may be one of the reasons why it has been shown to have such a positive effect on animal sperm quality and why it could potentially be used to improve human fertility.18-20
When it comes to penis health, there are several compounds that can be found in fruit and vegetables that have the ability to enhance blood flow to the organ and improve sexual function. While there is little evidence to suggest that these compounds will cause any major side effects, men should still be careful about taking them in excess.