L-arginine and Men's Sexual Health

September 30, 2023

What is L-arginine?

L-arginine is an amino acid that helps your body produce proteins and is one of many amino acids the body needs to function properly. L-arginine plays a role in building protein. The body uses protein to help build muscle and rebuild tissue. It converts this amino acid into the chemical nitric oxide, which helps the blood vessels open. L-arginine can be obtained by eating foods high in protein like fish, meat and nuts. L-arginine can be also obtained from dietary supplements.

L-arginine and Men's Sexual Health

L-arginine plays an important role for men's health especially sexual health. Because L-arginine as amino acid is natural and safe, The Mount Sinai Hospital describes it as a choice of complementary and alternative therapy  of medication like Sildenafil (Viagra), tadalafil (Cialis), and vardenafil (Levitra); Vasodilators injection in the penis, Vacuum devices, and Vascular surgery or an implant in the penis...to treat Sexual Dysfunction.

Indeed, L-arginine may help men with ED, according to one study with clinical trials on "The Potential Role of Arginine Supplements on Erectile Dysfunction".

"A lower dose did not seem to work by itself. But another study suggested that adding pycnogenol to a lower dose of arginine might help ED. More research is needed. People with high blood pressure, kidney or liver disease, or who take blood thinners or diabetes medications should not take arginine. L-arginine may make herpes worse. It may interact with medications used to treat ED, such as sildenafil (Viagra), and with nitrates used to treat heart disease. People with autoimmune diseases should not take pycnogenol... Conclusion: The results of our systematic review and meta-analysis provide evidence on the effectiveness of arginine supplements for mild to moderate ED."

 Another Clinical trial of "Treatment of erectile dysfunction with pycnogenol and L-arginine" concluded that oral administration of L-arginine in combination with Pycnogenol causes a significant improvement in sexual function in men with ED without any side effects.

 

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