Experts Say to Boost Libido, Go Plant-Based. Here’s Why

Pamela Anderson boldly claimed on Instagram that vegans make better lovers. While personal experience may confirm plant-based eaters' biases, we took a dive deep into medical research studies, surveys with real people, and conversations with experts to explore what may be the reasoning that people who follow a plant-based diet experience a boost in their libido. 

A British dating website wanted to measure whether going vegan can improve sex and conducted a survey with 1,000 participants – 50 percent meat eaters and 50 percent vegetarians of which 38 percent are vegans. Eighty-four percent of the vegetarians reported satisfactory sex lives while only 59 percent of carnivores reported the same. An astounding 95 percent of the vegan participants said they were sexually pleased. The vegetarians were having the most sex, 57 percent got busy 3-4 times a week, while 49 percent of meat-eaters were having sex once or twice a week.

The results may be because when we consume a healthier whole food diet with more fruits and vegetables we may be able to reduce inflammation, illness, and discontinue medications that may hinder libido and sexual performance. “The decrease in serious conditions, such as osteoarthritis or chronic pain, that people report when eating a plant-based diet also removes barriers to sex,” sexologist Dr. Kyle Zrenchik says. “A decrease in blood pressure, increase in cardiovascular health, and increases in overall mood also contribute to positive conditions for sex and libido.”

Many aphrodisiac foods are often plants. “People have always turned to plants to improve their sexual performance or libido. Whether it’s artichokes or chili peppers, people have long associated plants with increasing one’s erotic desire,” Dr. Zrenchik says noting that vegans tend to eat many of the phytonutrients that allow the body to properly function. Tribulus, maca, ginkgo, and ginseng are all believed to be sexual enhancers. A healthy vegan diet is key to improving libido – if you’re always eating fried vegan junk food you won’t reap the benefits of a libido boost. Vegans tend to have an increase in energy which will support them in having more pleasurable sex lives. 

The beloved Netflix documentary The Game Changers analyzed the effects of a vegan diet on penile erections. Three of the young men in the film said by consuming just one plant-based meal they found their erections lasted three times as long and were about 10 percent stronger than when they eat meat. In the film, urologist Dr. Aaron Spitz measures the girth, strength, and duration of the young male athletes’ erections over two nights while they sleep. On the second night, the men are given plant-based burritos which were found to result in a 300-500 percent increase in the duration of their erections and an eight percent increase in the hardness of their erection compared to the previous night when they consumed a meat-based burrito.

“A plant-based diet can help increase antioxidant intake that’s linked to better circulation, which helps promote blood flow throughout the body so that you get turned on quicker and experience more intense organisms,” USA Rx nutritionist Heather Hanks says. “It may also be able to help reduce ED associated with aging men.” One medical review found a small increase in testosterone levels amongst vegans when compared to meat-eaters.

Healthy blood flow is key to healthy erections. Many illnesses that meat-eaters face such as high blood pressure and cholesterol are linked to erectile dysfunction. Unfortunately, similar studies haven’t been conducted with women but increased blood circulation leads to improvements in physical response which ultimately increases libido, regardless of gender. 

If you're looking for more ways to incorporate a healthy, plant-based diet into your day-to-day life, check out our Health and Nutrition articles.