Peak Sexual Performance from L-arginine

L-arginine is an important amino acid that plays numerous functions in our body. One of it, which is also the reason why I’m blogging about it, is its role in your sexual health. L-arginine is widely marketed and used as a supplement for sexual dysfunction in men and women (lack of libido for women, and erectile dysfunction for men). Current studies support the use of L-arginine supplements to ensure that nitric oxide secretion is sufficient to keep blood flowing to the body especially the lower extremities. This is because L-arginine is used to make the nitric oxide, a compound in the body that relaxes blood vessels and muscles which helps in boosting blood flow. Researches say that the lack of arginine lessens your body’s production of nitric oxide which can lead to poor sexual function (usually erectile dysfunction for males).

L-arginine has been proven to be important for peak sexual performance in men and probably the most effective natural supplement for increasing male libido. It helps in promoting better and prolonged erection. A low dose of L-arginine supplement, at 500 mg three times a day, has not been found to benefit impotence. In one study, 50 men with erectile dysfunction took either 5 grams of L-arginine per day or a placebo. After six weeks, more men in the L-arginine group had an improvement compared to those taking the placebo. Another study published in 1994 showed an 80 percent improvement in the erectile function of men given 2.8 grams of argentine a day for two weeks.

Amazingly, it also does the same libido enhancement for women. A study done at the University of Texas at Austin examined L-arginine benefit, combined with yohimbine, on sexual arousal in postmenopausal women. Twenty-four women participated in three sessions in which sexual responses to erotic stimuli were measured following treatment with either L-arginine glutamate (6 g) plus yohimbine (6 mg), yohimbine alone (6 mg), or a placebo, using a randomized, double-blind design. Sexual responses were measured at one hour after taking the supplements. Compared to placebo, the combined oral administration of L-arginine and yohimbine increased vaginal pulse amplitude responses to the erotic film.

Besides the sexual benefits you’ll get from it, L-arginine is also useful in improving your overall health including your heart. One study conducted by the University of California at Los Angeles on mice suggests that the effects of food supplements (L-arginine and antioxidant vitamins) in combination with regular but not over-strenuous exercise boosted levels of nitric oxide, which is known to protect the arteries and heart from damage, and increased their resistance from heart diseases. According to them, if it works in mice, it'll work in humans.

The benefits and functions attributed to oral ingestion of L-arginine include:

• Precursor for the synthesis of Nitric Oxide (NO)
• Stimulation of the release of the most important anti-aging hormone in the body, growth hormone
• Improves immune function
• Reduces healing time of injuries (particularly bone)
• Reduces risk of heart disease
• Increases muscle mass
• Reduces adipose tissue body fat
• Helps improve insulin sensitivity
• Helps decrease blood pressure
• Alleviates male infertility, improving sperm production and motility
• Increases circulation throughout the body, including the sex organs

Before taking L-arginine supplements, please be warned about its possible side effects first:

• L-arginine may lower blood pressure because it is involved in the formation of nitric oxide. It may also result in indigestion, nausea, and headache.
• L-arginine should not be used following a heart attack. If you have a history of heart disease, consult your doctor before taking L-arginine. Researchers speculate that L-arginine may in fact be responsible for aggravating further the effects of cardiac shock.
• Higher doses of arginine can increase stomach acid, so it may worsen heartburn, ulcers, or digestive upset cause by medications. Arginine appears to increase stomach acid by stimulating the production of gastrin, a hormone that increases stomach acid.
• L-arginine may also alter potassium levels, especially in people with liver disease. People with kidney disease and those who take ACE inhibitors or potassium sparing diuretics should not use supplemental L-arginine unless they are under professional supervision. It may also alter the levels of other chemicals and electrolytes in the body, such as chloride, sodium, and phosphate.
• Arginine may increase blood sugar levels, so it shouldn't be used by people with diabetes unless under a doctor's supervision.
• Pregnant and nursing women and children should not use supplemental L-arginine, as its safety has not been established.

Arginine, the natural form of L-arginine, is a nonessential amino acid, meaning it can be manufactured by the human body, and does not need to be obtained directly through the diet. The biosynthetic pathway however does not produce sufficient arginine, and some must still be consumed through diet. Individuals who have poor nutrition or certain physical conditions are advised to supplement their diet with L-Arginine or increase their intake of foods containing arginine. Arginine is found in a wide variety of foods, including:

Animal sources: dairy products (e.g. cottage cheese, ricotta, milk, yogurt, whey protein drinks), beef, pork (e.g. bacon, ham), poultry (e.g. chicken and turkey light meat), wild game (e.g. pheasant, quail), seafood (e.g. halibut, lobster, salmon, shrimp, snails, tuna in water)

Vegetarian sources: wheat germ and flour, buckwheat, granola, oatmeal, nuts (coconut, pecans, cashews, walnuts, almonds, Brazil nuts, hazel nuts, pine nuts, peanuts), seeds (pumpkin, sesame, sunflower), chick peas, cooked soybeans, chocolate

Other: some energy drinks, body building and food supplements, aphrodisiac supplements