Many men take drugs like Levitra (vardenafil) to promote erectile capacity, but the drug doesn’t work in everyone. Drugs like Levitra and Viagra work by stimulating the inner lining of the arteries in the penis to release a chemical called nitric oxide, which promotes blood flow.
Japanese researchers found that supplementing resveratrol, an antioxidant found in red wine, and Levitra promoted erectile capacity in men who were resistant to Levitra by itself. Chemicals called free radicals produced naturally during metabolism cause problems in cells throughout the body. Resveratrol blocks the effects of free radicals in the blood vessels of the penis and improves metabolic health. (Journal Sexual Medicine, published online January 26, 2011)