In the United States, as many as 18 million men suffer from erectile dysfunction (ED) and there is a nearly endless list of contributing factors. Men struggling with prostate cancer, kidney disease, diabetes, and certain neurological diseases, are susceptible to ED, but other circumstances such as recent surgery, injury, hormonal imbalances, and prostate enlargement may lead to the condition as well. Smokers, and those who regularly use alcohol or other drugs are much more likely to suffer from ED than men who do not.

Research has shown that men who smoke a pack or more a day have a significantly higher risk of ED than non-smokers. But a team of researchers recently determined the potential protective effect of honey against the toxins in cigarette smoke, with respect to sexual behavior in male rats.

The team used four groups of eight rats: A Control Group; a Honey Group where each rat was given 1.2g of honey per kg of body weight each day; a Cigarette Smoke Group that was exposed to cigarette smoke comparable to 20 cigarettes for a human; and a Cigarette Smoke Plus Honey Group that was exposed to the same amount of honey and cigarette smoke as the previous two groups.

After 10 weeks, the male rats were paired with female rats and observed on various fertility and mating indexes. After three weeks, only 25% the Cigarette Smoke Group had sex and 25% ejaculated, while among the Control and Honey Groups there was a 100% occurrence of both sex and ejaculation.

But this is where it gets interesting. For the Cigarette Smoke Plus Honey Group, 75% of the rats had sex, significantly higher than the Cigarette Smoke Group. Honey seems to provide real protection from the effects of cigarette toxins on sexual behavior and fertility.

The research team has not concluded why honey works this way, but two possible reasons have been outlined. First, previous research has shown that honey significantly increases testosterone production in rats exposed to cigarette smoke. Secondly, honey is a potent source of antioxidants, which may offset the physiological stress of the toxins in cigarette smoke.

If you suffer from erectile dysfunction, make an appointment with a urology doctor in Las Vegas today.

Main photo by Joel Kramer