Researchers from Spain have found that consuming 60 grams of nuts per day improves sexual function.
The prevalence of erectile and sexual dysfunction is thought to affect 2 per cent of men under the age of 40 years, around 52 per cent of men aged 40 to 70 years and more than 85 per cent of men over 80.
The researchers conducted the first nutritional intervention study with healthy participants of reproductive age in order to determine if regular consumption of nuts has any effect on sexual function.
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The risk factors associated with sexual and erectile dysfunction are smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, a lack of physical exercise, stress and an unhealthy diet.
In a previous study, the same research group described how certain nuts (walnuts, hazelnuts and almonds) improved sperm quality, although there were still no studies demonstrating the positive effects of these nuts on sexual function.
This study was conducted on 83 individuals who were following a Western diet (poor in fruit and vegetables, and rich in animal fats).
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The participants were divided into two groups: one group continued to follow their normal Western diet over 14 weeks, while the other group complemented their diets with a daily intake of 60g of walnuts, hazelnuts and almonds.
At the end of the study period, each participant completed an internationally validated questionnaire containing 15 questions on sexual function.
The findings show that adding walnuts, hazelnuts and almonds to an unhealthy Western diet can improve sexual desire and orgasm quality.
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The researchers also pointed out that further studies involving more participants are needed to confirm these results and to determine how these benefits arise.
Do you eat nuts regularly as part of a healthy diet? Will you consider eating more in light of this study? Do you think you could get the same results eating different nuts? Why not have your say in the comments section below?
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