Do you have a problem in the bedroom?  So many men at one time or another suffer from the challenging problem of erectile dysfunction (ED).  Yet there is promising evidence in a simple amino acid that occurs naturally in watermelons – L-Citrulline –may be a solution.

L-Citrulline increases nitric oxide levels in the blood, and nitric oxide relaxes the blood vessels and promotes circulation.  L-Citrulline is available as an over the counter supplement, usually in the form of Citrulline Malate.

The study in Italy looked at the effectiveness of L-Citrulline supplementation for men who suffered from mild ED.

24 men participated in the study. None of the men recorded side effects.  For one month the men received a placebo, and for the second month, they received 1.5 g of L-Citrulline daily.  

2 of the 24 men recorded the same improvement when receiving the placebo.  However, 12 of the 24 men recorded improvement from mild ED to normal erectile function when receiving the L-Citrulline. All these men said that they were very satisfied with the results. 

The authors suggested that supplementing with L-Citrulline may be an effective and safe treatment (without side effects) for mild to moderate ED.  This may be especially so for those men who do not want to use phospodiesterase type-5 inhibitor drugs such as Viagra.

The most common form of L-Citrulline is Citrulline Malate - a combination of L-Citrulline and Malic Acid.  Malic Acid magnifies the body’s absorption of L-Citrulline.  It is usually a 2:1 formulation – so each  dosage is 2/3 L-Citrulline to 1/3 Malic Acid.

References:

Cormio L1, De Siati M, Lorusso F, Selvaggio O, Mirabella L, Sanguedolce F, Carrieri G.  Oral L-citrulline supplementation improves erection hardness in men with mild erectile dysfunction.  Urology. 2011 Jan;77(1):119-22. doi: 10.1016/j.urology.2010.08.028.