What You Shouldn't Believe About The Blue Salt Trick For Erectile Dysfunction

Social media can sometimes be helpful in offering some DIY tricks for cleaning your pans or trapping fruit flies. You have to be careful about DIY tricks and home remedies when it comes to your health. Erectile dysfunction (ED) is relatively common among men, but it may be embarrassing to discuss ED with your doctor. (Read what happens to your body when you stop having erections.)

Unfortunately, social media will make promises about home-based "cures" for ED, such as the blue salt trick. If you're not familiar with the trick, it's about taking in a specific type of blue "salt" made of electrolytes such as sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium to improve blood flow to the penis. Health Digest asked men's health urologist Dr. Justin Houman whether the blue salt trick had the potential to treat ED.

"There is no scientific basis for the so-called 'blue salt trick' or similar social media trends claiming to enhance male performance," he said. "Erectile function is a complex process that depends on vascular health, nerve function, hormonal balance, and psychological well-being."

Houman is pretty critical about how much health misinformation is out there. "Many viral trends on social media make bold, unsubstantiated claims to attract views and engagement rather than provide real health solutions," he said. While a trick to moisturize your skin may be innocent, relying on social media for medical concerns can be dangerous. You could be delaying proper medical treatment for a serious health condition. In particular, ED could be an early warning sign of chronic diseases such as heart disease, according to a 2024 article in the Journal of Men's Health.

Houman believes the placebo effect may explain why some people may feel different when trying the blue salt trick. The placebo effect occurs when someone's condition improves simply because they believe in the treatment, even if it has no active ingredients. "Some men may feel a short-term boost in confidence after trying these trends, but this is not the same as a real physiological improvement in erectile function," stated Houman.

Although Hawaiian blue salt and Persian blue salt have a variety of electrolytes that you need, getting too many electrolytes can cause an irregular heart rate, confusion, fatigue, or diarrhea. Some social media posts even claim that regular salt can have the same effect. "A high-sodium diet can lead to high blood pressure, poor circulation, and vascular damage, all of which can actually worsen erectile dysfunction over time," Houman said.

If you're experiencing ED, Houman urges you to see a board-certified urologist to see what may be causing your ED."Erectile dysfunction is most commonly caused by underlying medical conditions such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, hormonal imbalances, or nerve damage," he said. "Other contributing factors include lifestyle choices, stress, and medication side effects."

Once your doctor identifies the cause of your ED, effective treatments may start with proven lifestyle changes such as exercising, quitting smoking, and eating a healthy diet. Medications such as PDE5 inhibitors treat ED by relaxing blood vessels and improving blood flow. Some people may need testosterone therapy or a medical device to help them achieve an erection. If your ED is due to psychological issues such as stress or anxiety, a counselor or psychotherapist may also be part of your treatment plan.

"Men's sexual health deserves real, science-backed solutions — not viral fads," Houman stressed. "If you're struggling with erectile dysfunction, don't waste time on internet gimmicks."