You should talk to your doctor if you’re experiencing symptoms of ED. In many cases, ED has an underlying medical cause. And for many men, stress and relationship woes are also a factor.
Before taking medications or supplements consider trying home remedies to improve erectile function. If you’re overweight or obese, losing weight through regular exercise and a healthy diet may help. If you smoke, quit. Smoking damages blood vessels, so quit as soon as you can. Your doctor can recommend products and programs that are proven to help people quit smoking and avoid relapses.
ED is treatable with prescription medications that are taken by millions of men with few if any side effects. Have an open conversation with your doctor or a urologist about ED in order to get help and to see if your ED could be a symptom of another condition that needs your attention.
http://www.healthline.com/health/erectile-dysfunction/l-arginine#SpeakwithYourDoctor5
L-Arginine, the Prosexual Nutrient with Numerous Health
Benefits
It's the disorder no one wants to talk about,
yet according to the Journal of the American Medical
Association, 43% of women and 31% of men suffer from sexual
dysfunction.1 Sexual dysfunction is broadly
defined as the inability to fully enjoy sexual intercourse. Women generally
experience it as a loss of libido (sexual drive) and/or the inability or
difficulty in achieving an orgasm. Men experience it as impotence, known
technically as erectile dysfunction.
Based on hundreds of studies, L-arginine, an
essential amino acid and one of the building blocks of proteins in the body,
has become known as a safe and effective prosexual nutrient for men and women.
Here's why
L-Arginine is a precursor of nitric oxide
(NO) in the human body. In the 1990s, scientists discovered that not only is NO
an essential compound that helps blood circulation, but it is important to
normal sexual function in both men and women. Without arginine there would be
no NO, and without NO, men would not be able to have erections.
How L-Arginine works
Insufficient blood flow is a major cause of
incomplete erection in men.
L-Arginine has been shown
to improve blood flow to the genital area by dilating blood vessels and helping
the penis to enlarge to its full capacity, thus increasing the size, hardness,
and frequency of erections.
Nutritional expert, Dr. Jonathan Wright,
explains the mechanism in men: "Molecules of NO are generated when an
enzyme called NO synthase (NOS)—which is abundant in the nerve and muscle cells
in and around the penis—strips away a nitrogen atom (N) from a passing molecule
of the amino acid L-Arginine … and combines it with an atom of oxygen
(O)." 2
In other words, in order to produce nitric
oxide in the body, a nitrogen atom must combine with an oxygen molecule in the
blood. The enzyme called nitric oxide synthase controls this reaction.
L-Arginine has a similar effect in women
Higher blood flow makes clitoral and vaginal
tissues more sensitive and responsive to sexual stimulation and helps increase
the possibility of reaching orgasm. Although there haven't been nearly as many
studies done on arginine supplementation in women as in men, one study found
that postmenopausal women who took a supplement including L-Arginine
experienced heightened sexual response.3
Another study involving 77 women of all ages
found that after four weeks, 73.5% of the women who took a supplement including
L-Arginine experienced greater sexual satisfaction, including heightened desire
and clitoral sensation, frequency of intercourse and orgasm, and less vaginal
dryness.4
Stronger libido ... greater endurance
Both men and women report that L-Arginine
seems to increase their libido or desire for sex, and some also report that
L-Arginine gives them greater endurance and stronger, more powerful orgasms.
Reports also suggest that L-Arginine supplements can improve fertility in men
who have low sperm counts or poor sperm motility (activity).
Scientific studies
The powerful effect of L-Arginine was
illustrated in a double-blind, placebo-controlled study published in the British Journal of Urology International in which
researchers evaluated the nitric oxide levels of 50 men with erectile
dysfunction. The men were given either L-Arginine or a placebo for six weeks.
Nine of the 29 men (31%) given L-Arginine reported a significant improvement in
their sexual performance. These nine men had low nitric oxide levels at the
start of the trial, but their levels doubled by the end of the study.5
It is important to note, however, that
erectile dysfunction can be caused by a variety of factors, including aging,
diabetes and other endocrine disorders. L-Arginine may be effective only in
those men whose erectile dysfunction is due to low levels of nitric oxide. In
fact, in one study in which the participants suffered from impotence for a
variety of reasons, L-Arginine was found to be effective in only 17% of the
patients.6 However, optimal nitric oxide
production will ensure optimum erectile function, and for many people with
sexual dysfunction not related to an underlying disease, arginine supplements will
ensure adequate nitric oxide levels.
Animal studies
Studies done on animals provide some evidence
for effectiveness as well. In a laboratory study, two groups of rats were given
free access to L-Arginine which was dissolved in their drinking water. Both
groups had greater serum and penile concentrations of arginine, and exhibited a
significant increase in intra-penile pressure or "hardness."
Serum and penile tissue levels of L-Arginine
in the treated rats were increased by 64 - 148% compared to control animals.
The penile nitric oxide levels also increased nearly 100% in the L-Arginine
treated groups compared to the control groups. The researchers concluded that
these data support the use of dietary supplements for treatment of erectile
dysfunction.7
The positive benefits of arginine go beyond sexual
enhancement
This remarkable amino acid helps build muscle
mass, enhance immune function, improve blood pressure, increase memory, and
speed wound healing.8910 Arginine-derived nitric oxide
has also been found to play a supporting role in the cardiovascular, immune,
and nervous systems and has been validated by hundreds of studies.
L-Arginine is essential to several systems in the body.
Among its many roles, L-Arginine:
Is a precursor of nitric oxide (NO)
Promotes circulation resulting in improved
blood flow
Stimulates the release of growth hormone
Improves immune function
Reduces healing time of injuries
Plays a role in the formation of bone and
tendons
Increases muscle mass, while reducing body
fat
Supports male fertility, improving sperm
production and motility
Reduces risk of blood clots and stroke1112
Supports normal blood pressure13
Improves vascular function for patients with
angina14
Helps recovery after heart attack15
Helps prevent and treat cardiovascular
disease16
Helps reduce growth of cancerous tumors17
Timing and contraindications
L-Arginine users say they can achieve a
prosexual effect by taking it 45 minutes before sex. There are few reported
side effects. The most notable is:
People with herpes - L-Arginine may increase the severity of outbreaks, but some
reports indicate that it may also enhance your immune function enough so you
are less likely to get herpes outbreaks.
L-Arginine is an excellent supplement for
anyone wanting to increase his or her sexual arousal, improve performance, and
overall health. The huge advantage this natural and safe supplement has over
Viagra is that both men and women can take it, it's considerably less expensive
(Viagra costs as much as $10 a pill!), and it's been proven to work in numerous
double-blind studies.
http://www.smart-publications.com/articles/l-arginine-the-prosexual-nutrient-with-numerous-health-benefits