Men who are suffering from erectile dysfunction may want to consider adopting an alkaline diet, which is rich in fruits, vegetables and whole grains, as the problem could be an indicator of cardiovascular problems.

According to a study published in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association, erectile dysfunction can be a strong predictor of death, heart attack, stroke and heart failure in men with cardiovascular disease.

Researchers found that men who were diagnosed with cardiovascular disease and suffered from erectile dysfunction were 1.6 times more likely to suffer from a heart attack, stroke, heart failure or death than those who did not suffer from the libido problem.

Overall, these patients were 1.9 times more likely to die from cardiovascular disease, twice as likely to have a heart attack, 1.2 times more likely to be hospitalized for heart failure and 1.1 times more likely to have a stroke.

“Men with ED going to a general practitioner or a urologist need to be referred for a cardiology workup to determine existing cardiovascular disease and proper treatment,” said study author, Dr. Michael B?hm. “ED is an early predictor of cardiovascular disease.”