Can Folic Acid Support Erection?

Why Folic Acid helps reduce Erectile Dysfunction:

Folic acid helps reduce erectile dysfunction by lowering homocysteine and limiting the damage inside the arteries, which reduces the risk of erectile dysfunction. 

Folic acid also relieves fatigue by boosting the body’s metabolism and improving cell performance. Hence, energy levels rise in the body which helps the body fight fatigue and reduce chances of erectile dysfunction.

In addition, in the case of any vitamin B9 deficiency affecting erectile dysfunction (ED), providing the body with folic acid (vitamin B9) supplements and nutrition would decrease this folate deficiency. As a result, it improves blood flow throughout the body, and supports better erections.

How Folic Acid works for Erectile Dysfunction:

Folic acid plays an important role in generating mature healthy red blood cells as well as increasing their count. This reduces the presence of faulty red blood cells and improves blood flow throughout the body, thus reducing the chances of an erectile dysfunction.

Furthermore, having a proper amount of healthy blood cells can improve oxygen delivery to the various organs and elevate energy levels. This minimizes fatigue and can help support erection.

Moreover, vitamin B9 (folic acid) boosts the nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability by increasing the nitric oxide (NO) enzyme coupling and nitric oxide production. This allows blood vessels to relax and dilate, hence improving blood flow and decreasing erectile dysfunction.

Additionally, folic acid’s metabolism decreases the levels of homocysteine that might cause erectile dysfunction (ED) by breaking this amino acid down in the blood. Accordingly, it can be better utilized by other tissues and organs in the body.

Folic Acid Dosage for Erectile Dysfunction:

Folic acid is mostly available in capsules or tablets. However, it can also be present in liquid form. It can be administered either intravenously through the vein, or through the muscle or skin based on what the doctor suggests.

There are no conclusive dosages of folic acid for erectile dysfunction yet. However, the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) recommends that men older than 19 years old should take an oral dose of at least 400mcg on a daily basis. In addition, the injectable dose of liquid folic acid is set at 5mg/ml daily.

Dosages should always be consulted by the doctor in order to revise each person’s personal case according to age and medical condition, if any.

Folic Acid for Anemia: precautions

1.  People with certain medical conditions:

People with the following conditions should be careful and always check before taking folic acid:

• Allergies: It is possible to have a reaction to folic acid which might lead to skin rash, itching, difficulty breathing, redness. 
• Alcoholism: you need to avoid drinking alcohol as it could interfere with the absorption of folic acid in the body. Alcohol increases the rate of breakdown of the vitamin allowing it to be discharged faster from the body.
• Digestive disorders: people with digestive disorders such as celiac disease and inflammatory bowel disease, should pay attention when they consume folic acid because their conditions could interfere with the absorption of folic acid and decrease it.
• Genetic variants: people who acquire the MTHFR gene can’t convert folic acid to folate, which is the active form used by the body.

2.  Interaction with different Medications

Folic acid may interact with different medications and exacerbate certain conditions. Consult your doctor or healthcare provider before taking folic acid supplements if you take the following medication: 

• Anticonvulsants medication: such as cerebyx, phenytoin, and primidone- could decrease the concentration of the supplement in your blood.
• Barbiturates, methotrexate, and pyrimethamine medications: could decrease the drug’s effectiveness

Folic Acid for Erectile Dysfunction (ED): side effects

If you take folic acid, some side effects can take place such as nausea, loss of appetite, irritability, and bad breath. 

Possible health risks:

High supplementation of folic acid could increase the risk of erectile dysfunction rather than lower it. Folic acid might affect other mechanisms that play part in causing erectile dysfunction such as decline in nitric oxide activity. Further research is yet to be done.