Blue Salt Trick for Men: Does It Help With Erections?

No. Justin Lehmiller, a senior research fellow at the Kinsey Institute, told Men's Journal in July 2026 that there is no medical or scientific evidence the blue salt trick can help erectile dysfunction (ED). We also found no study showing that salt improves erectile function or blood flow to the penis, and the FDA associates diets higher in sodium with a higher risk of high blood pressure.

Some supplements sold under the same name list ingredients such as beetroot, horny goat weed or amino acids. If any of those does real work, it is the ingredient doing it, not the salt. Here is what the research says.

What is the blue salt trick?

The blue salt trick is a viral TikTok trend built around Persian blue salt, which Men's Journal describes as a rarer kind of salt, rich in sodium chloride, potassium and trace minerals, most commonly sourced in Iran. Videos promoting the trick claim it can improve blood flow, boost testosterone, increase stamina, improve erections and enhance libido. Recipes vary. Some mix blue salt into water, sometimes with lemon and honey, while other versions of the wider salt trick put salt under the tongue or on the skin (Men's Journal story, republished by AOL). Some supplements are sold under the same name and, according to their own marketing, list ingredients such as beetroot, horny goat weed and amino acids. Videos often leave out exact amounts, and we do not give any here.

Does the blue salt trick work for ED? What a Kinsey Institute researcher says

Men's Journal asked Justin Lehmiller, a senior research fellow at the Kinsey Institute and scientific advisor at Lovehoney, about the trend in a story by Philip Ellis published July 8, 2026. Men's Journal describes him as a sex and psychology expert, so we back the medical points below with official sources. His answer: "There is no medical or scientific evidence that the viral 'blue salt' trick can help erectile dysfunction, let alone cure it" (Men's Journal story, republished by AOL).

That lines up with the underlying biology. An erection depends on nitric oxide, the molecule that relaxes the arteries feeding the penis so blood can flow in. Sodium chloride, blue tinted or not, is not a nitric oxide precursor, and we found no study showing that it helps the body make more of it.

What do the videos claim, and what does the evidence show?

Is the blue salt trick safe? Can the salt make erectile problems worse?

Small amounts of salt are safe in a normal diet, but the trick adds more on purpose, and the FDA says most Americans already eat too much sodium. Men with high blood pressure, heart disease or kidney disease, and men who take blood pressure medication, should skip it or talk to a doctor first.

The FDA says diets higher in sodium are associated with an increased risk of developing high blood pressure, and puts average American intake at about 3,400 mg of sodium a day, against a Dietary Guidelines limit of less than 2,300 mg (FDA: Sodium in Your Diet). The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) lists heart and blood vessel diseases, including high blood pressure, among the health conditions that can lead to erectile dysfunction (NIDDK: Symptoms and causes of erectile dysfunction). Lehmiller said: "In men who are otherwise healthy, there's no data to suggest that ingesting more salt in their diet will improve their erections." He added: "In fact, consuming excess sodium can have a negative impact by contributing to high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease."

Two rat studies point the same way. A 2020 study in the Journal of Sexual Medicine (PubMed 32624131) put salt sensitive rats on an 8% salt diet and found impaired erectile function beyond its effect on blood pressure. A 2019 study in the American Journal of Hypertension (PubMed 31584631) fed male Wistar rats a 4% salt diet for 24 weeks. The rats did not develop high blood pressure but had fewer erections in a standard laboratory test. Both were animal studies at far more salt than a daily pinch, so they do not prove the same effect in men. A once daily pinch is unlikely to move the needle much for a man with normal blood pressure, but "probably harmless in small amounts" is a different claim than "helps your erections," and the second one has no support.

Do the ingredients in supplement versions of the trick have any evidence?

Some supplements sold under the name list beetroot, horny goat weed or amino acids such as L-arginine and L-citrulline. These are separate ingredients with their own evidence, and none of it depends on the salt.

• L-arginine: a 2019 meta analysis of randomized trials in men with mild to moderate erectile dysfunction found improvement at 1,500 to 5,000 mg a day compared with placebo or no treatment (PubMed 30770070).
• L-citrulline: one small, single blind trial in 24 men with mild erectile dysfunction, at 1.5 grams a day (PubMed 21195829).
• Beetroot: improves blood flow but has not been tested directly for erections.
• Horny goat weed: the least human evidence of the herbs we cover.

So the trend is not built entirely on nothing. Some of these ingredients have limited evidence at the doses studied, which is grams a day for L-arginine and L-citrulline. The salt, which is not risk free for men who watch their blood pressure, is the part getting the credit.

For what the research shows on those ingredients and the doses that were used in the studies that worked, see our breakdown of nitric oxide supplements for erections. For horny goat weed specifically, along with maca, ginseng and tongkat ali, see our guide to horny goat weed, maca, ginseng and tongkat ali.

Saw an ad for a blue salt trick supplement? Check these four things

Many versions of the trend end with a supplement for sale. Whatever the pitch, four quick checks tell you a lot before you spend anything:

• Every ingredient with its amount. A label that hides the doses inside a "proprietary blend" gives you nothing to compare.
• Those amounts next to the research. The studies on L-arginine and L-citrulline used grams a day, and our nitric oxide guide lists the amounts.
• A real company behind it. A name, an address, a support email and a clear refund policy.
• Modest promises. Lehmiller's advice was to be wary of trends that make lofty promises or guaranteed results about sexual health, and to ask your doctor first when in doubt.

Why unlisted ingredients are a real risk

On its own, the blue salt trick has no proven benefit, and for men with high blood pressure it is not risk free. Some products sold for sexual performance carry a different kind of risk. On March 14, 2026, Pure Vitamins and Natural Supplements, LLC of Tampa, Florida announced a voluntary nationwide recall of three honey products after FDA laboratory analysis found prescription drug ingredients that were not listed on the label (company announcement posted by the FDA). The notice says these hidden ingredients may interact with nitrates found in some prescription drugs, which people with diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol or heart disease often take, and may lower blood pressure to dangerous levels. These were specific commercial products, not ordinary honey.

The FDA's guidance on hidden ingredients says that products claiming to help with health issues are not reviewed by the FDA and could be contaminated with dangerous hidden ingredients. It says to be especially wary of products sold for sexual performance and energy, and to talk to a health care professional before trying a new product. A printed ingredient list shows what the maker says is inside. It is not a lab test.

The bottom line

Skip the blue salt trick. There is no evidence it helps erections, a research fellow at the Kinsey Institute told Men's Journal so directly, and animal research on very high salt intake points toward harm rather than benefit. If a supplement version caught your attention, judge it by its label: every ingredient with its dose, compared with the research in our nitric oxide guide.

If firmness is the real worry, start with why erections get softer after 40 and what actually works at home, and talk to your doctor if it keeps happening.

Common questions

How we researched this

We read the Men's Journal story and the comments from Justin Lehmiller in it, the FDA notice and the FDA pages on sodium and hidden ingredients, and the NIDDK page on erectile dysfunction. On 19 September 2026, we searched PubMed for "blue salt" together with "erectile" and for "salt trick" together with "erectile", and both searches returned no studies. We also searched titles and abstracts for salt or sodium intake together with erectile terms. That search returned six results, and the only relevant ones were the two rat studies above, in which high salt intake worsened erectile responses. A search of one database cannot prove that no study exists anywhere. Sources last checked 19 September 2026.

References

Kishimoto T, et al. High Salt Intake Impairs Erectile Function in Salt-Sensitive Rats Through Mineralocorticoid Receptor Pathway Beyond Its Effect on Blood Pressure. The Journal of Sexual Medicine, 2020. PubMed 32624131
Leitolis A, Crestani S, Linder AE, da Silva-Santos JE. Rat study of a high-salt diet and erectile response. American Journal of Hypertension, 2019. PubMed 31584631
Rhim HC, Kim MS, Park YJ, et al. The Potential Role of Arginine Supplements on Erectile Dysfunction: A Systemic Review and Meta-Analysis. The Journal of Sexual Medicine, 2019. PubMed 30770070
Cormio L, et al. Oral L-citrulline supplementation improves erection hardness in men with mild erectile dysfunction. Urology, 2011. PubMed 21195829
U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Sodium in Your Diet. FDA.gov
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Symptoms and causes of erectile dysfunction. NIDDK.nih.gov
U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Avoiding Products Contaminated with Hidden Ingredients. FDA.gov
Ellis P. Experts Warn: Viral 'Salt Trick' for Erectile Dysfunction Lacks Evidence and May Make the Condition Worse. Men's Journal, July 8, 2026, republished by AOL. AOL.com
Pure Vitamins and Natural Supplements, LLC. Company announcement of a voluntary nationwide recall of honey products, posted by the FDA, March 14, 2026. FDA.gov