Pomegranate juice, beetroot juice, watermelon, a strong cup of coffee: search "natural Viagra" and you will find no shortage of drinks promising to fix erectile dysfunction without a prescription. Some of that interest comes down to wanting to avoid medication side effects. But do any of these actually work or are you just adding sugar and caffeine to the problem?
If you want to know about it in brief, you need to read this article. Let's find out if these natural drinks can work well for you or not. Let’s explore: What is the Best Natural Drink for Erectile Dysfunction? Top Drinks Reviewed.
Do Natural Beverages Treat Erectile Dysfunction?
Many men are interested in natural drinks to treat erectile dysfunction. Why are they interested? Because these drinks can be packed with chemicals that can be converted into nitric oxide or boost the function of blood vessels - the same system targeted by the more powerful prescription drugs like Viagra and Cialis (PDE5 inhibitors).
Top Natural Drinks for Erectile Dysfunction
So let's review the available evidence on some popular choices:
Top Natural beverages that can help deal with erectile dysfunction, what the study says:
Pomegranate juice
One of the first studies of 53 men who had erectile dysfunction, which was published in 2007 by the International Journal of Impotence Research, showed improved ability to achieve harder erections compared with placebo in the group treated with pomegranate juice; however, the result was not statistically significant.
The verdict: Potentially promising, but not strong enough evidence yet.
Pomegranate and Cacao combination
A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial of 120 men aged 40-70 concluded in 2024/2025 showed that a supplement combining pomegranate and cacao had a favourable effect on erectile function, libido, and sexual satisfaction in the treatment group relative to the placebo group.
The verdict: Promising, but needs more evidence.
Beetroot juice
This might sound a bit odd, but beetroot is bursting with dietary nitrates. In theory, the nitrates in the beetroot juice signal your body to make extra nitric oxide (NO), a type of gas that decreases your blood pressure and can also boost the performance of blood vessels. Since erections depend on getting plenty of blood flowing to your penis, it could help create a firmer, longer-lasting erection.
So where do we stand? It hasn’t actually been tested on people experiencing ED, but it could be good for your circulation!
Watermelon juice
Contains a naturally occurring compound called citrulline. Once the body ingests watermelon, it transforms this into arginine (an amino acid), which in turn produces nitric oxide. Nitric oxide is helpful in dilating blood vessels and increasing circulation, both of which, in theory, may aid in erectile function. Watermelon has gained popularity as a natural treatment that can be helpful for impotence, but no human studies have shown that watermelon juice can work well to reverse erectile dysfunction.
The verdict: May help increase nitric oxide levels, but there’s nothing that suggests that watermelons are some kind of natural Viagra substitute.
Coffee and caffeine
An analysis of 3,724 men participating in the NHANES study, published in PLOS ONE in 2015, explored whether there was an association between coffee intake and the prevalence of ED. Those who consumed between approximately 170 and 375 mg of caffeine daily - approximately two to three cups of coffee - had a less frequently reported chance of experiencing ED when compared with the men in the study who consumed no or little caffeine. Because it was an observational study, this correlation does not suggest an association or prove that caffeine cause and effect there to help ED patients.
The verdict: There may be a slightly reduced risk for ED with modest caffeine consumption, but it’s not solid proof.
Coffee and caffeine: Conflicting data
There’s even some contradictory data regarding coffee and its effect on ED. A more recent meta-analysis of four different cohort studies with a combined 51,665 participants evaluated the relationship between coffee and ED. In this study, there was no association between drinking coffee and a risk for ED (relative risk = 0.94, 95% CI: 0.86-1.03).
The verdict: Contradictory evidence exists, and you can’t look to coffee as treatment.
Beetroot, Nitrates and ED Medication: What to Know
You know already that sildenafil, tadalafil or any other PDE5 inhibitor that you’re taking comes with potential interactions with some foods or drinks. The nitrates in beetroot juice need to be considered carefully before you start sloshing gallons of the crimson stuff into your body if you are on prescription medication. (Note: nitrates in food are not the same as medical nitrates for angina).
But the combined effect of PDE5s and any nitrates can be very harmful, causing dangerously low blood pressure.
Occasional beetroot juice while on prescription ED medication should not be a problem. But for any serious, ongoing shift in your intake of nitrates, consult your doctor - especially if you have high or low blood pressure or you are on medication for blood pressure issues.
Drinks to Avoid
Although many drinks do no harm other than perhaps failing to fulfil their advertised ED promise, alcohol deserves a special mention. Frequent and heavy drinking impairs the functioning of the nervous system, as well as blood flow and blood pressure, and affects the way testosterone behaves, too. As well as making erectile dysfunction worse, heavy drinking makes erectile dysfunction drugs less effective and much harder to manage.
For more, read our article on the worst foods for erectile dysfunction.
Getting Help Through Telehealth | DirectMeds
The good news is that plenty of men in Australia struggle with ED at some stage, and you don’t need to use guesswork from wellness blogs to deal with this issue. Using telehealth with DirectMeds will allow you to get a professional ED diagnosis and have access to a proven, TGA-approved treatment without a trip to an in-person clinic.
DirectMeds assists Australian men with accessing private, confidential treatment for ED by:
- Conducting a brief, free online ED assessment
- Receiving medical advice from an Australian registered AHPRA medical practitioner.
- Get TGA-approved prescription ED medication delivered discreetly to your door through DirectMeds.
Frequently Asked Questions for What Is the Best Natural Drink for Erectile Dysfunction:
Are there any natural remedies for ED drinks?
No drink is considered a natural remedy to treat ED. There is some preliminary evidence that supports a mix of pomegranate juice and a strong dose of cacao extract. It's nothing compared to the effect of TGA-approved ED meds. Its effectiveness in comparison to pharmaceuticals is very low. Use it only under medical direction as an aid to other ED prescriptions.
Can you drink pomegranate juice to cure erectile dysfunction?
The effectiveness of pomegranate for ED has so far been shown to be most pronounced when combined with a strong dose of cacao extract. Reports from PubMed Central have shown more improvement than in previous studies using only pomegranate. But these results did not consistently occur for participants in every study, and the strongest trial to date was funded by the company selling the supplement.
Is watermelon a natural Viagra?
No - there’s nothing concrete that suggests that watermelons are some kind of natural Viagra substitute. This has more to do with animal research and marketing material than actual clinical trials and nothing to do with real evidence in humans, and studies in humans have found that watermelon does not cure ED.
Will coffee help or hurt ED?
Several studies from PubMed Central have suggested that the consumption of 2-3 cups of coffee can decrease a person's chances of experiencing erectile dysfunction. But there are other studies that suggest that there is no relation whatsoever, good or bad, between the consumption of coffee and the efficiency of erections.
Can I drink beetroot juice with ED medication?
There are different kinds of nitrates, and the nitrate present in foods such as beetroot is not related to that found in your prescribed medication, but if you’re taking nitrates or any PDE5 inhibitor (e.g., sildenafil, tadalafil), it’s a good idea to let your doctor know of any notable change to your nitrate consumption, as you could inadvertently lower your blood pressure too drastically.
Instead of talking to my GP, can I just start drinking other liquids?
It is important not to use drinks as a replacement for a thorough evaluation and management by a GP; these drinks can complement your prescribed ED treatment, but they aren't an effective substitute for it.
