All about the banana benefits for men

If anyone remembers an awkward condom demonstration in health class, there’s a reason why bananas are often thought of as a sexual object first and a fruit second. 

Bananas might be one of the more suggestive fruits out there, but beyond the shape, are there benefits of bananas sexually? Though this colorful, curved fruit is chock-full of vitamins and minerals that support overall health, research around banana benefits for men in bed is a little hazy. Here’s what you need to know.

Representing one of the biggest fruit industries in the world, bananas are a popular tropical fruit believed to have originated in Southeast Asia. Bananas are a good source of dietary fiber, and essential nutrients including potassium, magnesium, and vitamin B6.  

One medium-sized banana (about 100 grams) contains the following nutrients, according to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA):

• Calories: 89 

• Carbs: 22.84 grams

• Protein: 1.09 grams

• Fat: 0.33 grams

• Fiber: 2.6 grams

• Sugar: 12.23 grams

• Calcium: 5 mg

• Magnesium: 27 mg

• Phosphorus: 22 mg

• Potassium: 358 mg

• Vitamin C: 8.7 mg

• Vitamin B6: 0.37 mg

If you’ve ever smelled banana bread baking or inhaled a slice (or three) of banana cream pie, you likely understand the fruit’s appeal. Beyond being tasty, bananas are good for you when eaten on their own. They are a healthy source of energy and contain nutrients shown to be beneficial for heart health, digestion, and more.

There are also claims online that bananas have sexual health benefits, such as:

• Improved libido (sex drive)

• Improved  erectile dysfunction (ED)

• Increased testosterone levels

• Boosted fertility

Unfortunately, there isn’t much research on any of these perks, including the potential sexual benefits of bananas. That being said, diet can have a big effect on overall health—and that includes sexual function. 

Here’s how adding bananas to your diet could potentially lead to benefits in the bedroom.

May indirectly support testosterone 

There’s no direct evidence that eating bananas will increase your testosterone levels, but the fruit contains vitamins and minerals that can help regulate hormones like testosterone. For example, bananas are a good source of magnesium, which studies suggest plays a role in optimizing testosterone levels. Plus, magnesium deficiencies can be associated with low free testosterone levels, which have been linked to issues such as ED and diminished sex drive. So, in theory, increasing your dietary intake of magnesium through supplements or foods like bananas may help if these sexual issues are caused by low magnesium levels.  

May boost energy to support a healthy sex drive 

While there aren’t any studies specifically focused on banana intake for libido, there’s no denying that bananas are a great source of energy. That’s one reason why bananas can be a good pre-workout snack. The carbohydrates and natural sugars bananas contain provide energy for any form of physical activity, including (yup) sex. Scarfing down a banana before getting busy in the bedroom is unlikely to revolutionize your sexual performance. But if you’re feeling tired, sluggish, or have low energy levels, it could give you the boost you need to have a satisfying experience.

May boost sperm quality, leading to improved fertility

Sperm quality and quantity are both critical factors when it comes to a person’s fertility—after all, strong swimmers are half of the equation if conception is the goal. Though there are lots of factors that can affect sperm health, an easily modifiable one is diet. Studies have found that eating a nutritious diet rich in fruit, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins (e.g. chicken, fish, eggs) may contribute to producing healthier sperm. Bananas contain nutrients like vitamin C, vitamin B6, folate, and choline that can influence sperm count, quality, and motility (ability to swim). Bananas can be one part of a healthy diet that improves your reproductive (and overall) health.

May help with ED 

Bananas might be a symbolic stand-in for a rock-hard boner, but there’s really no research on bananas for ED. That said, bananas are rich in potassium, a mineral shown to play an important role in blood vessel health. Studies suggest dietary potassium may be indirectly beneficial for ED as potassium can help relax and improve the function of blood vessels, which encourages more blood flow to the penis. While eating bananas theoretically may support erectile function (plus bananas are good for overall health), speaking to a healthcare provider if you’re experiencing ED is your best bet for safely and effectively treating symptoms. 

There may not be enough evidence yet to strongly support the benefits of bananas sexually, but there are lots of other reasons to incorporate the fruit into your diet. Here are some other scientifically backed banana benefits for men.

Promotes heart health

Bananas contain a handful of nutrients shown to have protective effects on the heart. One of these potential ticker boosters? Potassium. Getting enough potassium can help lower blood pressure and regulate heart rate, which can reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke. As mentioned earlier, bananas are also a good source of magnesium, another mineral shown to lower the risk of heart failure and stroke. Being that high blood pressure and heart disease are also linked to ED, making certain dietary changes, such as consuming more fruits (think: bananas) can be a great step on the way to improving erectile function. 

Aids digestion

Like other fruits, bananas contain fiber and water—two elements important for digestive function and wellbeing. The fiber in bananas (specifically, pectin) can keep you feeling full for longer and help you avoid blood sugar spikes, which can help with weight management and metabolic diseases like diabetes. Along with encouraging the growth of healthy gut bacteria, bananas (thanks to their fiber content) may also help with other gastrointestinal issues, particularly ripe bananas for constipation and less ripe bananas for diarrhea.

Reduces stress

You might not think of bananas as having antidepressant properties but eating enough produce has been associated with better mental health. More banana-specific research is needed, but studies have found that the tropical fruit possesses a number of antidepressant properties. Magnesium, potassium, vitamin B6, and tryptophan (an amino acid) are all nutrients found in bananas that can help with mood and sleep, which can counteract stress. 

This, in turn, may benefit you sexually, as stress and other mental health issues can negatively impact sexual function and contribute to conditions like ED. Again, eating bananas might not be the only step that will help you solve sexual issues, but taking care of your physical health by eating nutritiously is a step in the right direction.

Generally, bananas are considered safe to eat for most people. That said, banana allergies are possible (though uncommon), and people who are allergic to latex or other tropical fruits like avocados, kiwi, and papaya may be more likely to have a banana allergy. If you consume or come into contact with bananas and experience swelling, rash, hives, trouble breathing, nausea, vomiting, or stomach pain, seek medical care immediately. 

Allergens aside, bananas don’t typically cause gastrointestinal problems, although unripe bananas may aggravate or lead to constipation in people prone to it. In fact, as you may have learned from this article, bananas are one fruit that’s pretty easy on the stomach compared to more acidic tropical ones like pineapple and kiwi.

Despite all the health benefits of bananas, this fruit isn’t for everyone. Potassium-rich foods like bananas can pose problems for people with kidney failure, as normal kidney function is needed to remove potassium from the blood. If too much potassium builds up in the system, it can lead to serious health problems, including heart rhythm problems.

People taking medication for high blood pressure or heart failure may want to be careful with banana consumption as some of these medications can raise the potassium levels in the body. Eating an excess of bananas combined with these medications might raise your potassium too high. Other high blood pressure medications (including water pills) require you to take in extra potassium to be healthy.  

If you take any of these drugs or have an underlying heart or kidney-related condition, speak with a healthcare provider to see if bananas are safe to add to your diet, especially if you are going from not consuming any to including them daily. Your healthcare provider may suggest a blood draw to check your lab results to make sure your potassium is not too high.

Bananas are one of the most popular fruits in the world, with more than 100 billion consumed worldwide each year. Here are all the other reasons why bananas are a nutritious addition to your everyday diet:

• Peeling back what we learned about bananas, they are a tropical fruit rich in disease-preventing antioxidants and essential nutrients shown to be beneficial for heart health, digestion, weight management, and more when consumed in moderation.

• Despite the naturally phallic shape, there’s not much research to suggest bananas have any boner-related benefits. However, bananas contain vitamins and minerals that may indirectly improve sexual function; for example, magnesium has been found to increase testosterone levels, while potassium helps regulate blood pressure and flow—two elements crucial to erectile function.

• If you’re searching for safe and effective ED treatments, PDE5 inhibitors like Viagra (sildenafil) or Cialis (tadalafil) may be your best bet. Again, more research is needed to understand if there are any benefits of bananas sexually, but there’s no denying they are heart-healthy fruits that make a great addition to most diets.

---

How we reviewed this article

Every article on Health Guide goes through rigorous fact-checking by our team of medical reviewers. Our reviewers are trained medical professionals who ensure each article contains the most up-to-date information, and that medical details have been correctly interpreted by the writer.

Editorial Guidelines | Medical Review Process

Current version

December 12, 2024

Written by

Anna Brooks

Fact checked by

Peter Schlegel, MD and Raagini Yedidi, MD

---

About the medical reviewers

Peter Schlegel, MD

Peter Schlegel, MD, is a Ro Advisor, board-certified urologist, and internationally acclaimed expert in the treatment of male fertility. For nearly 20 years, Dr. Schlegel served as the chair of Urology at New York Presbyterian/Weill Cornell. He now focuses on providing the best patient care possible for urologic conditions through his private practice.

Raagini Yedidi, MD

Raagini Yedidi, MD, is an internal medicine resident and medical reviewer for Ro.