According to a report posted by Dailystar, it is goodnews for some men as one vitamin that could help boost erections and make you perform better in bed has been unveiled.
Not being able to get it up is a common problem, but it means you could be suffering from erectile dysfunction (ED).
We all know that popping a little blue pill works as an antidote for a floppy penis but you might actually be lacking a natural erection-boosting nutrient.
Lads with low levels of the sunshine are more likely to have penis performance issues, as getting more vitamin D can boosts your erection and performance between the sheets.
ED affects half of all men between the ages of 40 and 70, but researchers from the University of Milan in Italy found that having a vitamin D deficiency can increase your risk of erection issues.
The team tested 143 erectile dysfunction sufferers and discovered nearly half of them had low levels of the sunshine vitamin and only a fifth had optimal levels.
Men with the most extreme cases of ED had 24% less vitamin D than lads with mild erection problems. But this wasn’t the only study to notice a link between trouble getting it up and the natural nutrient.
Scientists at Johns Hopkins University studied 3,400 healthy Americans and those who had a vitamin D deficiency were nearly a third more likely to have issues with getting hard.
Study author Dr. Erin Michos said: "Vitamin D deficiency is easy to screen for and simple to correct with lifestyle changes that include exercise, dietary changes, vitamin supplementation and modest sunlight exposure.
"Checking vitamin D levels may turn out to be a useful tool to gauge ED risk. The most relevant clinical question then becomes whether correcting the deficiency could reduce risk and help restore erectile dysfunction.”
If boosting your erection wasn’t reason enough to stock up on vitamin D, health officials advised today that everyone should be swallowing the supplements in autumn and winter.
You can get a little bit of vitamin D from foods like oily fish, eggs and cereals but for most people the bulk of their vitamin D comes from sunlight.
But since it’s dark towards the end of the year, scientists have now suggested everyone over the age of one should be getting 10 micrograms of vitamin D every day to protect bone and muscle health.
Dr Louis Levy told BBC Radio 4: "Previously we felt that everybody would get enough from the sunlight.
"This is a change in advice, previously we have said that babies from six months to five years should have a supplement and only those people at risk of deficiency should take a supplement.
"This is new advice based on evidence looked at over the last five years."
But why do men need this vitamin for good penis function?
It’s because vitamin D plays a role in improving endothelial cell function and forming nitric oxide, a molecule that helps blood vessels function properly.
Nitric oxide allows blood vessels in the penis to relax which increases blood flow and causes an erection, so if there’s not enough it means getting stiff becomes a problem.
The blood vessels in your penis are very small, only one or two millimetres in diameter, so they can also easily get blocked by plaque caused by factors like a poor diet, lack of exercise, smoking, age or genetics.
Although it might be embarrassing you shouldn’t ignore penis problems because ED is typically linked to larger health problems.
Being unable to get hard is often a sign that your heart isn’t very healthy because poor cardiovascular health is the most common cause of ED.
Sometimes it’s also a symptom of health conditions like diabetes, high cholesterol or high blood pressure. It can affect anyone, either as a one-off or reoccurring problem.
The penis issue, which can be psychological or physical, can also be linked with fatigue, stress, anxiety or depression.
Speaking exclusively to Dailystar.co.uk, Dr Pixie McKenna, Superdrug’s Health and Wellbeing ambassador, said:"Research has suggested that men who have low levels of Vitamin D are more likely to suffer from impotence.
"It is important to stress that this is an association and does not imply every man with ED is vitamin D deficient or vice versa.
"Supplementing Vitamin D may have much greater impact beyond the bedroom as emerging evidence suggests it has a protective role in everything from cancer to multiple sclerosis. So the sunshine vitamin is not just one for the boys.
"Diet alone won't give you enough vitamin D so your resources need to be topped up through safe sun exposure or supplements."
The celebrity GP added: “Your ED could be a symptom of an underlying medical issue that is yet to be diagnosed.
“If you already have a diagnosis of heart disease or diabetes make sure it is being optimally managed.
“If you haven't had a health check for a while then book in for a screen. They are free through the NHS to the over 40s.”
