- Research suggests a diet rich in vitamin can combat premature ejaculation
- Figures show the problem affects one in four men in the UK
- Vitamin B12 is found in meat, fish, eggs and fortified breakfast cereals
Pat Hagan for the Daily Mail
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Sales of Marmite may be in for a boost after scientists discovered it could hold the secret to making men last longer in the bedroom
It’s loved and loathed in equal measure.
But sales of Marmite may be in for a boost after scientists discovered it could hold the secret to making men last longer in the bedroom.
New research suggests a diet rich in daily helpings of vitamin B12 can combat premature ejaculation, a problem which affects one in four men in the UK.
And Marmite is one of the richest sources of the vitamin – along with meat, fish, eggs and fortified breakfast cereals.
Premature ejaculation can destroy sex lives and wreck relationships.
Men affected by the problem last little over a minute during sex, compared with an average of 7.3 minutes in those not affected.
The exact cause remains a mystery.
Some research suggests it may have a genetic element, with men inheriting the problems from their fathers, but experts also believe it is linked with psychological issues.
One popular theory is men become conditioned to ejaculate quickly by early sexual behaviour where they do not want to get caught in the act.
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Another is that, in evolutionary terms, a man has more chance of producing more offspring than his rivals if he impregnates women quickly.
Treatments usually involve relaxation techniques or anaesthetic creams that numb the sensation to prolong the pleasure.
Doctors do sometimes prescribe a type of anti-depressant known as an SSRI.
During trials on the drugs in the late eighties, extended ejaculation time was one of the reported side-effects.
New research suggests a diet rich in daily helpings of vitamin B12 can combat premature ejaculation, a problem which affects one in four men in the UK (file photo)
In 2010, the first pill specifically licensed for the problem was introduced in the UK.
However, the drug – called Priligy – is not available on the NHS.
But the latest breakthrough, by researchers from Istinye University in Istanbul, Turkey, suggests daily servings of Marmite could be another option.
Scientists recruited 109 men, half of whom suffered with premature ejaculation and half who did not.
They took blood samples and compared levels of vitamin B12 between the groups.
The results, in the journal Andrologia, revealed men climaxing too quickly had significantly lower levels of the vitamin than those able to last longer.
Scientists stressed the findings do not prove vitamin B12 deficiency is to blame and more research is needed to confirm the link.
But the results back up earlier research from China in 2014 suggesting folic acid – a very similar substance which works closely with vitamin B12 in the body – can also combat problems with sexual performance.
Vitamin B12 is vital for a healthy nervous system. A lack of it can cause anaemia, tiredness, pins and needles, mouth ulcers, vision problems and even depression and confusion.
A healthy adult needs 1.5 microgrammes a day to keep the body in good order.
But up to one six people are thought to be deficient, either because of poor diet or their bodies do not absorb it properly.
A five gramme spoonful of Marmite provides about a quarter of daily vitamin B12 needs.
The UK market for Marmite is worth £37m a year and the entire world supply is produced at one factory in Burton-on-Trent, which churns out 17m jars a year.
It’s not clear how foods rich in the vitamin might improve premature ejaculation.
But one theory is that it bolsters levels of chemicals like nitric oxide and serotonin.
These are neurotransmitters thought to play a key role in controlling ejaculation.
In a report on their findings the researchers said: ‘Men with premature ejaculation reported significantly lower vitamin B12 levels compared with controls.
‘Our study demonstrates lower vitamin B12 levels are associated with the presence of PE.’
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