Recent studies have revealed that erectile dysfunction (ED), the inability to achieve and/or maintain an erection to carry out sexual activity, affects more than 150 million men worldwide, and as many as 30 million men in the United States.

While ED is often linked to high blood pressure, diabetes, kidney disease, prostate cancer, injury, and decreased blood flow to the penis, psychological and emotional issues like stress, depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem can also cause this condition.

As a result, ED is a concern for men of all ages that has profound physical, emotional, and psychological impacts.

Could sunshine help fix much of the above, including erectile dysfunction?

A recent study in the Journal of Urology looked to answer just that question. Well, not sunshine exposure and ED, but vitamin D levels and ED. (To me, vitamin D levels are a marker of sunshine exposure)

What they found was astonishing.

60% of those with vitamin D below 20 had ED vs. 26% in the group 21-30 vs. 15% in the group above 31.

That’s right. The higher your vitamin D, the lower your risk of ED.

And where do we get vitamin D? From the SUN. That is why I recommend naked sunshine to all my patients, in my book The Paleo Cardiologist, and to our fans on the internet.

How Does Sunshine Help ED?

Raising vitamin D is one way that sunshine helps, but not the only way. In fact, there are many others.

1. Sunshine increases nitric oxide, a molecule in our body responsible for keeping blood vessels open. Side note…this is how Viagra works.
2. Sunshine improves our mood. Happy people have better erectile function than sad or depressed people.
3. High vitamin D is linked to better testosterone
4. Sunshine during the day helps us sleep better at night. Quality sleep helps erectile function.
5. Sunshine lowers inflammation which is linked to ED.
6. Insulin resistance is linked to ED and insulin works better in those who get sunshine!

Smart Sun

Just like I wouldn’t ask you to run a marathon tomorrow without training, smart sun is crucial, and you need to build up to it.

Start with morning sunshine exposure. Watch the sunrise with as little clothes on as possible.

Get late afternoon sun as well. Morning and late sun are high in infrared light to prime your skin for…

Noontime sun. Start with 5 minutes of exposure. Gradually build up to 15 minutes. Stay hydrated and seek shade if you are getting too hot.

The sun is always better as part of a healthy lifestyle. Organic, Paleo foods, especially seafood high in omega 3. Sleep with the sundown. Remove stress and stressful people out of your life. Avoid environment chemicals and pollutants including EMF.