It sounds like dessert, but it may be a powerful answer to enhancing sexual functions in aging men.
Starting at age 30, testosterone levels fall in men by 0.4-2% per year. That can lead to reduced sexual desire and performance.
Although it sounds like dessert, pomegranate and chocolate may offer a very potent answer. Previous research has shown that a combination of pomegranate fruit rind and cocao beans increase testosterone (J Diet Suppl. 2023;20(3):411–427) and both pomegranate and dark chocolate have been shown to increase nitric oxide, which relaxes and expands blood vessels, increasing blood flow, including to the penis, which can improve erections.
In this study, 116 men were given either a placebo or a supplement that combined pomegranate fruit rind and cacao bean extract for 84 days. The 400mg supplement was standardized for a minimum of 3.5% punicalagins and 0.5% theobromine and all the men in the study were between 40 and 70 and were experiencing mild to moderate erectile dysfunction and low sexual desire.
At the end of the study, both groups had improved scores for self-reported sexual function (DISF-SR-M). The questionnaire evaluates everything from sexual fantasy to arousal, orgasm, sexual drive and relationship. While there was a 42.42% improvement in the placebo group, there was a significantly better 121.93% improvement on the supplement.
On the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) questionnaire, which assesses erectile function, orgasmic function, sexual desire, intercourse pleasure and overall satisfaction, the supplement, once again, outperformed the placebo. There was a 35.97% improvement on total IIEF scores in the placebo group, but a 72.02% improvement in the supplement group, which is significant advantage. There was significant improvement in all domains of the IIEF in the herbal group.
The placebo group improved by only 7.61% on erection hardness scores (EHS), while scores on the supplement went up by a significantly superior 80.69%.
There were additional benefits in the pomegranate-chocolate group that suggest improvements in physical and psychological health that could contribute to enhanced sexual function.
While the placebo group experienced no improvement on multi-dimensional fatigue inventory (MFI) scores, the herbal group had significant improvement on total MFI scores as well as individually on general, physical and mental fatigue.
Compared to placebo, the herbal group also had significant improvement on the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index global score as well as on individual scores of sleep quality, sleep disturbances, and daytime dysfunction.
Physically, the pomegranate-chocolate group had significantly greater improvement in hand-grip strength (23.83% versus 5.01%) and in a 6 minute walk test (9.06% versus 1.97%).
The general health survey found significantly greater increases in scores in the supplement group.
The pomegranate-cocao bean supplement provided all of these benefits safely.
This new study shows that the combination of pomegranate fruit rind and cocao bean extract safely improves sexual function, erectile function and libido, while at the same time improving muscle strength and mental and general well-being.
Int J Med Sci. 2025 Jan 1;22(2):383–397.