In most areas of the world, garlic breath won't improve your chances of hooking up with that special someone. But for middle aged men, regular use of garlic can help keep the main man muscle fit. Garlic consumption leads to increased levels of nitric oxide and cGMP, which are key to having and maintaining an erection. Garlic also promotes vascular health, and offers some protection against erectile dysfunction.

Worried about garlic breath? Take garlic at night, right before or just after dinner. For most people, the scent will be gone by morning. Deodorized garlic is somewhat milder on the breath, but if a supplement contains the active ingredients, it will stink when those sulfury chemicals will enter your blood and are exhaled through the lungs. Enteric coated capsules might be easier on your stomach and reduce burping, but aren't needed in most cases.

History & Research

Garlic has long been regarded as an aphrodisiac; the Greek Philospher Aristophanes recommended it for failing masculinity thousands of years ago.

The English physician Robinson praised garlic in 1915, and noted a general stimulating effect along with several cases in which impotence was treated with a garlic salve. It should be noted that garlic can irritate or blister the skin, and that some skin is more sensitive than others... probably not something to experiment when dietary garlic or garlic tablets are widely used with few problems.

A 2005 study in New Zealand found that garlic increased endothelium-dependent dilation of arteries, the expansion of blood vessels. (Reference: PMID 16041725) This dilation is what is needed to divert blood into the nether region and trigger stiff wood.

Garlic also can lower blood pressure, prevent some types of cancer, improve antioxidant status, and block some of the progression of cardiovascular heart disease. While not a panacea, all in all, it is a healthy food.

Bibliography

Life Sci. 2002 Jun 21;71(5):509-17. Aged garlic extract enhances production of nitric oxide. Morihara N, Sumioka I, Moriguchi T, Uda N, Kyo E.

Das I, Khan NS, Sooranna SR. Nitric oxide synthase activation is a unique mechanism of garlic action.
Biochem Soc Trans. 1995 Feb;23(1):136S

Biol Pharm Bull. 2006 May;29(5):962-6. Aged garlic extract ameliorates physical fatigue. Morihara N, Ushijima M, Kashimoto N, Sumioka I, Nishihama T, Hayama M, Takeda H.

J Nutr. 2006 Mar;136(3 Suppl):750S-754S. Aged garlic extract improves homocysteine-induced endothelial dysfunction in macro- and microcirculation. Weiss N, Ide N, Abahji T, Nill L, Keller C, Hoffmann U.