{"id":544144,"date":"2026-01-26T13:29:10","date_gmt":"2026-01-26T13:29:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/544144\/"},"modified":"2026-01-26T13:29:10","modified_gmt":"2026-01-26T13:29:10","slug":"is-your-penis-an-indicator-of-longevity-experts-weigh-in","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/544144\/","title":{"rendered":"Is your penis an indicator of longevity? Experts weigh in"},"content":{"rendered":"

World-renowned biohacker Bryan Johnson is raising eyebrows for his shocking approach<\/a> to erectile health.<\/p>\n

Johnson \u2014 whose mantra is, \u201cDon\u2019t Die\u201d \u2014 takes Cialis, receives penile Botox and even undergoes low-intensity shockwave therapy to his, uh, johnson to improve blood flow, enhance erections and achieve sexual performance comparable to a teenager\u2019s.<\/p>\n

\u201cNighttime erections are, like, a really important health marker,\u201d Johnson, 48, said in 2024<\/a>. \u201cMen who do not have\u00a0nighttime erections\u00a0are\u00a070% more likely to die prematurely. It predicts death.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Biohacker Bryan Johnson is a big proponent of penile health as a key marker of biological age. YouTube\/, The Diary Of A CEO<\/p>\n

He\u2019s not the only longevity-seeker making waves with his rigid regimen.<\/p>\n

Fitness guru Ben Greenfield, 44, has experimented with acoustic wave therapy<\/a> and, stunningly, stem cell injections<\/a> to optimize sexual performance and vitality.<\/p>\n

So is penile health a true barometer of longevity? Are these biohackers playing the long game \u2014<\/strong> or overextending themselves for a pipe dream?<\/p>\n

The Post spoke with two experts about the rising interest in biohacking the penis \u2014 they shared their tip-down philosophies for protecting the crown jewels for the decades to come.<\/p>\n

How does penile health reflect overall health?<\/p>\n

\u201cPenis\u00a0health\u00a0is measured in many ways<\/a>, [namely] erectile dysfunction (ED), orgasmic function, libido, satisfaction with intercourse and overall satisfaction,\u201d Dr. Ryan Welter<\/a>, a pioneer in regenerative cellular therapy and founder of Regeneris Medical<\/a>, told The Post.<\/p>\n

Declines in penile health \u2014 particularly ED \u2014 have been established as an early predictor of cardiovascular disease, often appearing two to five years before a heart attack, Welter added.<\/p>\n

Penile arteries are significantly smaller than the arteries that supply the heart and brain, meaning they often show the first signs of plaque buildup.<\/p>\n

High cholesterol and plaque buildup reduce the blood flow needed for an erection.<\/p>\n

Penile arteries are significantly smaller than the arteries that supply the heart and brain, meaning they often show the first signs of plaque buildup. creativebubble \u2013 stock.adobe.com<\/p>\n

Nerve damage is also a major reason for ED because it affects signals from the brain to the pelvis.<\/p>\n

Nerve degeneration is common with age \u2014 it\u2019s also a hallmark of diabetes, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injury, Parkinson\u2019s disease, stroke and Alzheimer\u2019s disease.<\/p>\n

And finally, imbalances in sex hormones can pave the way for ED. Low testosterone<\/a> reduces libido and the ability to get and maintain erections.<\/p>\n

\u201cFurthermore, and this is important, happiness is one of the best predictors of longevity,\u201d Welter said.<\/p>\n

\u201cSexual dysfunction and depressed sexual satisfaction are indicators of unhappiness and need to be treated if longevity is the goal.\u201d<\/p>\n

What are the red flags of poor erectile health?<\/p>\n

\u201cTypically, men, over time, will experience erections that are not as firm as they used to be, difficulty maintaining the erection over time [and] changes in nocturnal and morning erections,\u201d aesthetic nurse practitioner Chris\u00a0Bustamante<\/a>, founder of the NYC men\u2019s clinic Lushful Aesthetics<\/a>, told The Post.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt might take them longer to ejaculate or [they] may ejaculate faster. Typically, longer is more normal with age.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sudden, drastic changes to the quality, frequency and duration of erections \u2014 especially when accompanied by symptoms like rapid weight gain, shortness of breath or fatigue \u2014 should warrant an urgent visit to the doctor, who will evaluate the cardiovascular system, hormone levels and the presence of any tumors, Bustamante said.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s why it\u2019s important to track morning and nocturnal erections and their general hardness.<\/p>\n

Semen is not as good of a biomarker as erections, some experts say. RHJ \u2013 stock.adobe.com<\/p>\n

For his part, Johnson uses an Adam Health sensor<\/a> ($249) to measure his nighttime erections, garnering data on their duration, frequency and quality to generate an erection health score.<\/p>\n

He said he also tracks his sperm count, movement and shape, penile blood flow, urination speed and prostate size.<\/p>\n

Bustamante said erections are stronger benchmarks than semen characteristics.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is just kind of normal sometimes for [the] volume of semen to decline with age,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt also varies a lot from man to man, already from the beginning. So some men naturally have higher volume loads of semen versus others.\u201d<\/p>\n

What are the common treatments for ED?<\/p>\n

\u201cThe single most important treatment for longevity and\u00a0health\u00a0span, particularly for the penis, is diet and exercise and maintaining good metabolic\u00a0health,\u201d Welter said.<\/p>\n

As a hard-and-fast rule, Bustamante said, you need to focus on consuming fruits, vegetables and fiber and limit red meat for its saturated fat content and processed foods for their trans fats.<\/p>\n

Red meat and processed foods can raise blood pressure because of their high levels of sodium, saturated fats and preservatives. High blood pressure causes ED by damaging and narrowing blood vessels.<\/p>\n

Strength training is critical for penile health because it enhances blood flow, boosts testosterone and improves vascular function. Chanakon \u2013 stock.adobe.com<\/p>\n

In terms of exercise, Bustamante said it\u2019s important to build muscle since \u201cmuscle is the organ of longevity.\u201d<\/p>\n

He recommends 30 minutes of daily cardio, but warns against one popular activity.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe do see a higher correlation of ED when it comes to cyclists,\u201d Bustamante said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt doesn\u2019t matter if you have a special, fancy seat or not,\u201d he added. \u201cPutting all that pressure on your perineum (the skin and tissue between your genitals and your anus) does sort of damage these nerves and vessels over time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lifestyle changes aside, Bustamante said low doses of Cialis relax smooth muscles in the prostate, bladder neck and penis to boost urine flow and facilitate erections.<\/p>\n

What about those expensive biohacker tools?<\/p>\n

\u201cOver time, men\u2019s penises become desensitized \u2014 part of that is through sex and masturbation, and part of it is just through general aging,\u201d Bustamante said.<\/p>\n

\u201cHelping to resensitize that tissue is a really important factor in terms of overall performance.\u201d<\/p>\n

That\u2019s why some biohackers are going so far as to embrace low-intensity focused shockwave devices. <\/p>\n

Bustamante said these gizmos emit sound waves that cause micro-injuries in penile tissue, triggering the growth of new blood vessels and increased blood circulation to improve penile sensitivity and function.<\/p>\n

Shockwave therapy and acoustic wave therapy are often used interchangeably, so it\u2019s important to know what you\u2019re really getting.<\/p>\n

This is an example of a shockwave device. Thankfully, it\u2019s being used on a person\u2019s shin in this picture. puhimec \u2013 stock.adobe.com<\/p>\n

In general, shockwave therapy uses intense, high-energy acoustic waves, while acoustic therapy often refers to gentler, lower-intensity waves.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is not going to be strong enough to actually penetrate the depth of this tissue,\u201d Bustamante said of acoustic wave therapy.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s going to be very, very superficial, and so, therefore, it just really is not impactful.\u201d<\/p>\n

For its part, Botox temporarily relaxes muscles by blocking nerve signals that cause muscle contraction.<\/p>\n

Bustamante said that when it\u2019s injected into the penis, patients tend to notice they can achieve firmer, quicker erections. But Botox typically lasts only three to four months.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis treatment is really great to just improve someone\u2019s quality of life when it comes to erectile function,\u201d Bustamante said, adding that it can enhance the effectiveness of Cialis and Viagra.<\/p>\n

As for penile stem cell injections, this treatment has not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s considered experimental, with no strong evidence of safety or effectiveness.<\/p>\n

Bustamante also warns against the increasingly popular practice of injecting salmon sperm derivatives into the penile area, as it can cause infections, allergic reactions and probably some funky smells.<\/p>\n

Instead, he recommends and administers \u201cP-shots,\u201d<\/a> injections of platelet-rich plasma from the patient\u2019s own blood into the penis to boost blood flow and stimulate tissue repair.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese modalities, such as shockwave and P-shot, are really beneficial in terms of people experiencing better sex lives,\u201d Bustamante said.<\/p>\n

Worth a shot \u2014 or a shock \u2014 to get up and running?<\/p>\n

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