7 Ways To Naturally Increase Blood Flow to the Penis

You need natural blood flow to the penis to have and maintain an erection. During an erection, arteries in the penis expand to increase blood flow. Muscle contractions then move the blood into spongy tissues to make the penis erect.

Without enough blood flow to the penis, you may develop erectile dysfunction—difficulties having or maintaining an erection. This can make it difficult to perform sexually and affect your self-esteem and intimate relationships. 

Medications like Viagra (sildenafil) or Cialis (tadalafil) are often prescribed to help increase blood flow to the penis and treat erectile dysfunction. However, these are not always effective and can have some side effects. Instead, some people can benefit from natural ways to increase blood flow to the penis, including exercise, stress management, and cutting back on alcohol.

Do Aerobic Exercises

Adding more aerobic exercise—also known as cardiovascular exercise, or cardio—to your routine can help increase blood flow to the penis by improving blood pressure and circulation. These exercises work large muscle groups simultaneously in a rhythmic way, increasing heart rate and oxygen intake. 

A review of research found that 40 minutes of moderate to vigorous aerobic exercise four times a week helped men decrease erectile dysfunction. After six months, this exercise routine also improved erectile issues in men with obesity, hypertension (high blood pressure), metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular diseases, and lack of physical activity.

Another recent study including 11 randomized controlled trials found regular aerobic exercise was especially effective at improving erectile function in men with more severe erectile dysfunction.

Types of aerobic exercise that may help improve blood flow to the penis and decrease erectile dysfunction include: 

• Cycling
• Spinning
• Running
• Dancing
• Step aerobics
• Swimming
• Hiking

Talk to your healthcare provider before starting a new exercise routine, especially if you have any underlying health conditions. 

Strengthen Your Pelvic Floor

Training the pelvic floor muscles—muscles that support the bladder and bowels—may also help improve blood flow to the penis. Pelvic floor muscles also include the ischiocavernosus and bulbospongiosus muscles that contract to move blood into the penis and make the penis erect. Having a weak pelvic floor can decrease blood flow to the penis.

Limited research has shown pelvic floor exercises can help improve erectile function in those with erectile dysfunction. Some studies have also found pelvic floor exercises help improve erectile dysfunction similar to taking medications that increase blood flow to the penis.

A study of men with erectile dysfunction one year after prostate surgery found pelvic floor muscle training improved erectile function after three months.

Try Kegels

Here's how to perform a type of pelvic floor exercise known as Kegels:

• Make sure your bladder is empty.
• Start standing, lying down, or sitting in a chair.
• Tighten your pelvic floor muscles like you're holding in pee. Hold for 10 seconds. Make sure you aren't contracting your glutes, thighs, or abdominals. 
• Relax the muscles for another 10 seconds. 
• Repeat three to five times a day. 

Make sure you don't overdo the number of repetitions and how often you do Kegels. Over-exercising the pelvic floor can cause muscle fatigue and increase urinary incontinence (leaking urine). 

Eat a Nutritious Diet

Eating a nutrient-rich diet with whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and lean meats—and limiting foods high in saturated fat and sodium—may help maintain erectile function and improve blood flow to the penis. People who eat nutritious foods are also at a decreased risk of developing high blood pressure and diabetes, which are both linked to erectile dysfunction.

A study including more than 21,000 men found that the participants who followed a Mediterranean or Alternative Healthy Eating Index 2010 diet were less likely to develop erectile dysfunction. Both diets recommend eating vegetables, fruits, nuts, legumes, fish, or foods rich in long-chain fatty acids (a type of omega-3 fatty acids). The diets also recommend avoiding red and processed meats.   

Foods included in the Mediterranean diet include: 

• Vegetables like leafy greens, zucchini, squash, asparagus
• Fruits like apples, berries, citrus fruits
• Grains like millet, barley, farro, buckwheat 
• Legumes like lentils, chickpeas, white beans
• Nuts and seeds like almonds, pumpkin seeds, pistachios, walnuts
• Seafood like fish, mussels, shrimp
• Poultry
• Olive oil
• Dairy, meat, and eggs in moderation

Manage Stress

Reducing stress may help increase blood flow to your penis since stress and anxiety can affect sexual function. People with erectile dysfunction may also have sexual performance anxiety, which is a type of performance anxiety that makes it difficult or impossible to have sex.

Research shows prolonged periods of stress or anxiety increase cortisol, a stress hormone that can lower your testosterone levels and increase your risk of erectile dysfunction. Elevated stress hormones can also increase blood pressure, slow blood flow, and narrow or damage blood vessels.

Some ways to help manage stressors and potentially increase blood flow to the penis include: 

• Breathing exercises: A preliminary study found that diaphragmatic breathing exercises paired with the erectile dysfunction medication tadalafil (Cialis) improved erectile function more effectively than medication alone. This breathing exercise involves deep inhaling into the ribs and then exhaling through the lips like you're blowing out a candle. 
• Meditation: Learning to relax and clear your mind through meditation can help manage stress, which may help improve blood flow and sexual performance. Research also suggests mindful meditation may help people cope with sexual performance anxiety. 
• Yoga: Moving through a flow of mind-body movements can help reduce stress and anxiety. Limited research also shows yoga may improve erectile function.
  
• Acupuncture: Limited research shows acupuncture may help reduce stress and improve blood flow through the body—including to the penis—and improve erectile function. This traditional Chinese medicine practice involves placing thin needles on the body to improve energy flow, or Qi (pronounced “chi”). 

Stop Smoking 

Quitting smoking may help improve blood flow to your penis and improve erectile function. Smoking alters the blood vessels' inner cellular lining (endothelium), which lowers nitric oxide production and signaling. Without enough nitric oxide, the muscles in the penis can't relax enough to allow blood to flow into the penis for an erection.

Smoking may also increase your risk of developing erectile dysfunction because it damages your circulatory system, which carries blood through the body and to the penis. 

If you smoke, you also can develop heart disease and blood vessel disease—conditions that can restrict blood flow and cause erectile dysfunction. Studies show that e-cigarettes can also contribute to erectile dysfunction but may have a less severe effect. 

It can be challenging to quit smoking for good, but some treatments can help. Medications like nicotine patches or gum can help you manage withdrawal symptoms. Counseling is also available to help you make a plan to quit smoking and learn to cope with the stress and cravings that come with quitting. If you're still struggling to quit, ask your healthcare provider about prescription medications that can help you quit.

Limit Alcohol

If you're a heavy drinker, cutting back on alcohol may increase blood flow to your penis. A recent study found participants with an alcohol use disorder significantly improved erectile function after a month of being alcohol-free. Another study found that 88% of participants with alcohol use disorder and erectile dysfunction improved erectile function after three months of no drinking. 

For biological males, heavy drinking is often considered 15 or more drinks a week. Drinking too much alcohol interferes with brain chemicals that help tell the penis to fill with blood when aroused.

One study found participants who drank 8-21 drinks or more than 22 drinks a week were more likely to have erectile dysfunction than people who drank 1-7 drinks a week. However, the study also found people who didn't drink any alcohol were more likely to experience erectile dysfunction than the 1-7 drink group.  

If you think your drinking habits are decreasing blood flow to your penis, try to stop drinking alcohol or cut back on your drinking. Drinking in moderation is considered up to two drinks a day for biological males (on days you are drinking). If you think you may be dependent on alcohol, reach out to your healthcare provider and a trusted family member or friend for support in finding treatment. 

Take Supplements

Some herbal and dietary supplements show promising results as an alternative remedy to increasing blood flow to the penis and improving erectile function. However, no herbal supplements are proven to effectively and safely treat erectile dysfunction.

Research shows supplements like L-arginine, ginkgo biloba, and yohimbe may improve vasodilation (opening blood vessels to improve blood flow). This may help increase blood flow to the penis. L-arginine also converts to nitric oxide in the body, which helps improve blood flow and relax muscles needed for an erection. Ginseng may also help relax the body's muscles and improve blood flow to the penis.  

Before taking any supplements, talk with your healthcare provider to make sure the supplements won't interact with medications or worsen any health conditions. Ginkgo biloba can increase bleeding and is unsafe if you have a bleeding disorder or take blood thinners.

When To See a Healthcare Provider

If you consistently have difficulty forming or maintaining erections, see your healthcare provider. They can help you determine what's causing the sexual dysfunction and find the correct treatment to improve your quality of life.

Medications like antidepressants, blood pressure medication, and sedatives can cause erectile dysfunction. Erectile dysfunction can also be a sign of an underlying health issue, including: 

• Atherosclerosis (arteries clogged with plaque buildup)
• Diabetic neuropathy (nerve damage from diabetes)
• Heart disease
• Hypertension (high blood pressure)
• Chronic kidney disease
• Penis, spinal cord, prostate, bladder, or pelvic injury 
• Depression
• Anxiety, including fear of intimacy and sexual performance anxiety

Diagnosis

To diagnose erectile dysfunction and decreased blood flow to the penis, your healthcare provider will likely refer you to a urologist—a medical doctor specializing in the urinary tract system. They will ask you about your medical and sexual history and perform a physical exam.

During a physical exam, your provider will check the sensitivity of your penis, penis appearance, blood pressure, and pulse. They may also order blood tests to help determine if diabetes, atherosclerosis, chronic kidney disease, or hormonal problems may be linked to erectile dysfunction.

To better measure blood flow to the penis, your provider may also order the following tests:

• Doppler ultrasound: After injecting the penis with a medication that causes an erection, imaging testing creates color images of the blood flowing into the penis.
• Nocturnal erection test: A plastic, ring-like device is worn around the penis at night to test the number of erections during sleep. An electric monitoring device may also measure erection firmness and longevity. This helps show if blood flow reaches the penis.
• Injection test: Medication is injected into the penis or inserted into the urethra to cause an erection. Blood flow to the penis is then evaluated by the fullness of the penis or how long the erection lasts. 

Medical Treatment

If natural remedies don't help increase blood flow to the penis, your provider may recommend taking medications called phosphodiesterase (PDE) inhibitors. PDE inhibitors are medications that help relax smooth muscle in the penis to help increase blood flow during arousal. This helps keep the penis erect during sex. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the following PDE medications to treat erectile dysfunction:

• Viagra (sildenafil)
• Levitra, Staxyn (vardenafil)
• Cialis (tadalafil)
• Stendra (avanafil)
  

Injectable medications called alprostadil (Muse) can also help improve blood flow to the penis. This medication is inserted directly into the penis or inserted as a suppository into the urethra.

Severe erectile dysfunction that doesn't respond to medication may also require surgical treatment. Surgery is a last resort medical treatment for erectile dysfunction, as it has a higher risk of infection.

Some people may benefit from artery reconstruction surgery. This procedure involves repairing arteries in the penis that have blockages preventing blood flow. Another surgical option is a penile implant. The surgeon will place an inflatable device or manually adjustable rods in the penis to help make the penis erect when needed.

A Quick Review

Using natural methods to increase blood flow to the penis can help improve erections. Lifestyle changes like eating a nutritious diet, exercising, and managing stress may all help improve blood flow to the penis. Quitting smoking and limiting alcohol may also help.

If natural remedies to improve erectile function don't work, see your healthcare provider. Limited blood flow to the penis can be a sign of an underlying health condition that needs treatment.