Foods and vitamins are the best home remedies for premature ejaculation (PE). Not only do these natural ways to last longer in bed work, but they are extremely safe and risk-free. Foods like ginger, honey, garlic, carrots, and walnuts are helpful in treating premature ejaculation. The same goes for several minerals like magnesium, zinc, and others. Folic acid is no different. It is believed to be helpful for premature ejaculation and helps you last longer in bed.
Vitamin B9 has multiple forms including synthetic and natural. Folic acid is a synthetic form of vitamin B9 whereas folate is the natural form that’s found in foods like green vegetables which are a rich source of folate. How effective folic acid for premature ejaculation is and does it really make you last longer in bed?
Multiple studies reported that folic acid (and folate) is helpful in curing premature ejaculation. Using folic acid will help you get control over ejaculatory muscles leading to delayed ejaculation.
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What is Folic Acid?
Folic acid is a water soluble, synthetic vitamin B9.
Your body converts folic acid into folate for absorption. Folate is the natural form of vitamin B9 which is absorbed directly by your body. Folate is used by your body for DNA repair and cell growth. But your body can’t produce folate, it has to be consumed in the form of foods to fulfill the daily requirement.
Folic acid is the man-made form of folate that is developed to avoid folate deficiency in your body. Your body converts folic acid into folate for absorption.
Folic Acid Vs Folate
Folic acid is the synthetic form of folate while folate is a natural vitamin B9 that’s found in natural foods like fruits and vegetables.
Folate contains multiple types of vitamin B9 including folic acid which is one type of artificial vitamin B9. If you consume folate, you are consuming folic acid too. But if you are using folic acid, you don’t necessarily consume folate.
In simple words, folate is a broader form of different types of vitamin B9 while folic acid is just one type of vitamin B9.
The other key difference between folic acid and folate is how your body processes them.
Folate, being a natural vitamin, is water soluble and it enters your bloodstream via the gut. Excess amount of folate is expelled through your body in the form of urine via kidneys (as it completely dissolves in water). So, your body is tuned to processing and using folate.
Folic acid, on the other extreme, is an artificial vitamin found primarily in supplements (to cover folate deficiency). Folic acid is converted into folate by your body to make it usable. Folic acid, in its raw form, can’t be used by the human body.
Folic Acid Benefits
Here are the major scientific and clinically tested and proven benefits of folic acids (folate):
- Folic acid improves heart health. It reduces heart disease risk by 4% and stroke risk by 10%, based on a meta-analysis of 30 randomized controlled trials
- Several studies reported that folic acid improves brain health and helps in curing several cognitive disorders. A study reported that low levels of folate increase the risk of cognitive disorders in elders. Another study endorsed these findings and reported that folic acid supplementation improves cognitive function
- Folate is quite helpful for diabetic patients as it regulates blood sugar and significantly reduces insulin resistance. A review study reported that folate has potential benefits for diabetic patients in the form of insulin resistance. Another study reported that DNA damage is reduced in type 2 diabetic patients after consuming folic acid
- Folic acid plays a key role in pregnancy by promoting fetal health. One study reported that using folic acid during pregnancy can significantly lower pregnancy complications. The CDC recommends taking folic acid to avoid neural tube defects (a tube that develops the brain and spinal cord of the child during early pregnancy)
- A study reported that folic acid supplementation is beneficial for Alzheimer’s disease and helps reduce its symptoms
- Studies have shown that folic acid helps in getting pregnant as it improves egg quality. A study found that women who take folate have a high live birth rate as compared to the counterparts
- Folic acid is helpful in treating the symptom of schizophrenia. A review study reported that folic acid with antipsychotics helps treat schizophrenia
- It improves mood and treats depression. A meta-analysis reported that people who suffer from depression have a low level of folate. Folic acid supplement increased the effectiveness of antidepressants
- Folic acid helps treat premature ejaculation in men. Several studies reported that folic acid alone, in combination with herbal medicines, and with SSRIs significantly increases ejaculation time and can cure different types of premature ejaculation
- Folic acid cures erectile dysfunction in men. A meta-analysis in 2021 found that folic acid alone and in combination with tadalafil significantly reduces the symptoms of erectile dysfunction.
Folic Acid Side Effects
Folate is generally considered safe and has no severe side effects. If you end up consuming a high amount of folic acid, your body will expel it through urine to maintain the level in your body.
Excessive folic acid that your body fails to convert into folate and absorb might be problematic. Unconverted folic acid is known as unmetabolized, and studies suggest that it might lead to cancer and immune system disorders.
Folic Acid for Premature Ejaculation
Several studies reported the efficacy of folic acid in the treatment of premature ejaculation in men. It is scientifically proven to increase ejaculation duration and make you last longer in bed during sexual intercourse.
One of the early studies that reported the impact of folic acid on premature ejaculation hypothesized that folic acid may cure PE by altering neurotransmitters. It is a much better and permanent way to get rid of premature ejaculation permanently despite its type.
This hypothesis was clinically tested in a 2014 study where folate deficiency was linked to premature ejaculation and sexual dysfunction in men. Similar results were reported in a 2016 study where folic acid was found to be linked to PE. A high intake of folic acid was reported to be a potential cure for PE as it helped men last longer in bed.
A 2021 systematic review study that evaluated different treatment methods for premature ejaculation reported that folic acid is helpful in treating PE. It was reported to be a cheaper, more effective, and safer way to cure PE than antidepressants (SSRIs).
According to another study, folic acid with zinc, biotin, and rhodiola rosea makes a perfect combination to cure lifelong premature ejaculation. Men suffering from lifelong PE took the herbal tablet for 90 days which increased ejaculation duration from 73 seconds to 102 seconds after 90 days with more control over ejaculation.
Another study analyzed the impact of folic acid and paroxetine on the treatment of premature ejaculation. The results showed that folic acid plays a major role in delaying ejaculation when coupled with paroxetine. The average ejaculation time increased from 1.18 minutes to 9.42 minutes in patients who took paroxetine with folic acid.
Scientific studies show that folic acid does play a role in the treatment of premature ejaculation. It can make you last longer in bed alone and when used with other prescription and non-prescription medicines (e.g., herbal medicines).
If you are suffering from PE, using a folic acid supplement or increasing the intake of folate is a great idea. You will be able to naturally cure premature ejaculation symptoms. If you are not suffering from PE but want to last longer in bed by delaying orgasm, you can still use folic acid to delay ejaculation.
You don’t have to be a premature ejaculation patient to use folic acid for delaying orgasm.
Folic Acid Dosage to Last Longer in Bed
The daily requirement for folate is 400 micrograms per day for adults above 19, according to the National Institute of Health. This is quite low, and you can easily fulfill this requirement with food.
When you take folic acid, you need to increase the intake. The National Institute of Health recommends:
- Taking 200 mcg of folic acid from dietary supplements when taken on an empty stomach
- Taking 240 mcg of folic acid from fortified foods or dietary supplements consumed with folate foods.
So, you need to figure out how you will consume folic acid to make sure it’s the correct daily dose for premature ejaculation:
- If you are taking folate from foods, your daily requirement is 400 mcg
- If you take folic acid with folate foods, you need to take 240 mcg per day
- If you take a folic acid supplement on an empty stomach, your daily requirement plunges to 200 mcg per day.
Foods Rich in Folate
The best way to take folic acid is via folate foods. Beef liver is the richest source of folate. Three ounces of braised beef liver fulfills your body’s 54% folate needs. A half cup of boiled spinach (hard to eat though) fulfills 33% of the daily folate requirement.
Check out the complete list of foods by NIH below:
Since it is hard to meet the daily requirement of your body for folate, people tend to switch to folic acid supplements and fortified foods.
Folic Acid Supplements
If you can’t provide your body with enough folate foods, you should consider using folic acid supplements and fortified foods. The NIH has set the tolerable upper limit of folate supplementation and fortified foods to 1,000 micrograms for men who are 19 and above:
Taking more than 1,000 mcg of folic acid per day (which is equal to 1 mg) might lead to issues and side effects. If you are interested in using folic acid supplements, make sure you stick with the products that don’t cross 1,000 mcg or 1 mg per day.
Shop for 1000 mcg folic acid supplements that are safe to consume.
Does Folic Acid Help with Premature Ejaculation?
Yes, it does.
Folic acid (folate) is scientifically proven in multiple clinical studies to help men last longer in bed with more control over ejaculation. It is also helpful in curing permanent premature ejaculation.
If you want to increase your ejaculation timing, you should consider eating folate rich foods and make sure your body isn’t folate deficient. Folic acid supplements and fortified foods are also great ways to meet your body’s daily folate needs.
Keep using folic acid to have better, longer sex.
Updated: June 21, 2023