Saturday Sept 28, 2013 (foodconsumer.org) -- An early study suggests that watermelon compound L-citrulline supplements may help erectile dysfunction (ED). Now a Japanese animal study confirms that this natural compound can really do the trick.

The study published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine shows that oral L-citrulline supplementation improves erectile function in rats that suffered acute arteriogenic erectile dysfunction.

Kazunori Kimura, PhD from Nagoya City University in Mizuho-ku, Japan and colleagues conducted the study and found L-citrulline supplements increased serum L-arginine levels more effectively than L-arginine and increased nitric oxide production.  

Nitric oxide is an agent that relaxes the blood vessels and make the blood flow more easily which is important for the male erectile function.  Arginine and vitamin C both can increase the production, early studies show.

In the study, some 8-week old rats with acute arteriogenic erectile dysfunction were fed 2% L-citrulline water for three weeks.  Erectile function was assessed by maximum intracavernous pressure/mean arterial pressure (ICP/MAP) ratios. 

It was found that the control rats that were subject to an surgey leading to loss of their erectile dysfunction and not given L-citrulline supplements suffered ED at the end of the trial.   The study group had a better ICP/MAP ratio indicating that erectile dysfunction was improved and also had higher nitric oxide levels.  SM/collagen ratios were also found higher in the study group.

The researchers concluded "Oral l-citrulline supplementation improved ICP/MAP and SM/collagen ratios and increased NOx. Therefore, oral l-citrulline supplementation might be a useful novel therapy for acute arteriogenic ED."

Whatever can help erectile dysfunction may also help coronary heart disease in both men and women.  So people who have heart disease or high cholesterol levels may also try l-citrulline.  Arginine, vitamin C, garlic, and omega-3 fatty acids can also help maintain men's health. (DL)