You probably hear a lot about CBD — move over, sliced bread. CBD’s well-known for its potential health benefits, but what about sexual wellness?
Keep reading; we’ll explore CBD’s sexual benefits for ED and more to help you determine if CBD products deserve a spot on your nightstand.
Can You Use CBD Oil to Help Erectile Dysfunction?
CBD doesn’t alter your state of mind like THC, and there’s plenty of research showing its benefits for conditions like pain and anxiety. But what about ED? Is there a place for CBD in your sex life?
CBD and other cannabinoids work with our endocannabinoid system (ECS), which regulates many of our bodies’ functions.
Let’s explore four different ways that CBD might help combat erectile dysfunction.
Curious to see if CBD can help your ED? There’s only one way to find out.
CBD Lowers General Stress and Anxiety
Many studies suggest that CBD can benefit people with general anxiety disorders — disorders that can sometimes affect our sexual performance and libido. So, if CBD can help anxiety, it’s not silly to think it can help with ED, too.
CBD has this effect because it works on the serotonin receptors in our brains, affecting things like fear and anxiety. Many cases of ED come down to mental health, meaning CBD might seriously make a difference.
Related: Calming Anxiety With CBD
CBD Can Decrease Performance Anxiety
There are many reasons you might experience sexual performance anxiety: negative body image, pressure to orgasm, relationship problems, fear of disappointment, etc.
Because of CBD’s effect on general anxiety, it’s likely to have a positive effect if you experience performance anxiety, a common cause of erectile dysfunction.
Various preclinical evidence and studies show CBD’s positive effects on various types of anxiety, and if your ED stems from any of those, CBD might be the solution.
CBD May Help Lower Blood Pressure
One study found that CBD can potentially lower blood pressure in those with increased heart rates. Great, but what does that have to do with ED?
When your blood pressure is lower (but not too low), it can improve your circulation. This improvement can help more blood flow to your genitals, making it easier to get up and stay up.
CBD Helps You Sleep Better
Not sleeping enough or not getting a good quality of sleep can cause a lot of issues with our bodies. Your erectile dysfunction could stem from not getting enough quality rest.
But how can CBD help?
Well, CBD can help with insomnia and help you sleep through the night. Plus, many causes of sleep disturbances come from anxiety and stress, something that CBD is well known for helping.
So, poor sleep habits, no matter where the issue comes from, can cause ED. In that case, CBD could be the perfect solution to your erectile dysfunction.
Related: CBD: Benefits for Mental Health
Does CBD Help With ED?
If you want to understand how CBD can help with ED, it’s important to know how CBD works in our bodies — remember when we mentioned the ECS?
Inside our bodies are tiny receptors that make up the endocannabinoid system. These receptors are like locks, and CBD is like the key that can activate them.
CBD doesn’t directly unlock them, but it sets off chemical reactions that stimulate the entire system. Through this activation, the body responds in various ways, resulting in the benefits of CBD.
What Does Science Say About CBD and ED?
There are ECS receptors throughout our body, including sexual reproductive organs.
And while one study found that cannabis use can lower sex drive, a more recent one found that it increases sex drive — really, it depends on the individual.
A BioMed Research International journal found that some practitioners have used the cannabis plant to improve sexual performance and ejaculatory function for many years.
Exactly how CBD helps ED isn’t entirely understood, but it’s possible that CBD relaxes blood vessels, promoting blood flow, which can relieve ED and help you perform for longer.
In addition, the topics discussed above (anxiety, sleep habits, and blood pressure) all have positive benefits from CBD and, left untreated, could cause or worsen erectile dysfunction.
Other Sexual Benefits of CBD
Helping ED isn’t the only way CBD can bring its benefits to the bedroom.
Women struggling with painful sex due to dryness can also find relief with CBD by using infused lubricants. One journal shows CBD’s anti-inflammatory effects may be to thank.
Healthline spoke to some CBD and sex experts looking for confirmation of CBD’s sexual benefits — we’ll discuss a few points, but you can read the whole article here.
Because our sexual tissue and reproductive organs house many cannabinoid receptors, CBD can increase blood flow, in turn increasing sensitivity and promoting the body to create its own natural lubrication.
Some report that it also relaxes their muscles, making sex more enjoyable.
In addition, because CBD can relieve stress and anxiety, it may put some people in a romantic mood, reducing worries and distractions that can lead to a negative sexual experience.
CBD can also boost your mood, affecting oxytocin (the “cuddle hormone”) and increasing endorphins to enhance any sexual experience.
Wondering if CBD can enhance your experience in the bedroom? Find out here.
How to Use CBD for Erectile Dysfunction
With CBD, you don’t have to deal with ED alone.
While there’s not much research specifically looking into CBD’s effect on ED, studies have shown that it helps with many underlying causes that can cause performance issues.
Is it worth a shot? We think so.