Naples: Doctors at the University of Naples have discovered that diet may play a key role in protecting against impotence.

They have proved for the first time that men with a so-called Mediterranean diet have a lower risk of the condition, also known as erectile dysfunction.

In the new research doctors looked at 200 men and compared the diets and lifestyles of those with and without ED.

They found that men suffering from the condition ate a significantly lower amount of Mediterranean foods. Researchers found that the intake of fruits was particularly important.