Arginine is a semi-essential amino acid which, due to its vasodilating effect , has long been used in the fitness industry as a ” pump supplement “Is known. The amino acid is not only used in sports. In addition, people with cardiovascular diseases or erectile dysfunction also benefit from taking L-arginine. You can find out exactly how arginine works for erectile problems in our blog post today.
What are erectile dysfunction anyway?
The medical name for erectile dysfunction is ” erectile dysfunction “. Erectile dysfunction is a sexual disorder that lasts for at least six months and in which at least 70% of attempts to have sexual intercourse are unsuccessful.
An erection requires the nervous system, blood vessels, hormones and the psyche to work together. 80% of erectile dysfunctions are physical , only about 20% are psychological. Physical causes are, for example, circulatory disorders, atherosclerosis , diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, high blood pressure and obesity. Smoking, alcohol, certain medications and a sedentary lifestyle can also make erectile dysfunction worse. Therefore, the first therapeutic approach is to change your lifestyle (if necessary).
Often, erectile dysfunction is only an indication of a disease . For example, there may be a narrowing of the blood vessels in the heart, so that the blood flow is disturbed.
In Germany, around four million people suffer under erectile dysfunction. According to estimates by the WHO, around 150 million people are affected worldwide. However, the number of unreported cases is very high, as many men are ashamed of going to the doctor. The incidence of erectile dysfunction increases with age. Around half of 60-year-olds and around two-thirds of 70-year-olds are affected.
This is how arginine works for erectile problems
The amino acid is in the body important for the formation of nitric oxide (abbreviated to NO). Nitric oxide relaxes the muscles and blood vessel walls and thus promotes blood flow throughout the body, including the genital organs. An erection of the penis requires smooth muscle relaxation, which is triggered by NO. The effects of NO have long been known: in 1998, the scientists R. Furchgott, L. Ignarro and F. Murad received the Nobel Prize for Medicine for their research on the effects of nitric oxide in the cardiovascular system. A regular consumption of arginine means that the NO levels in the body are high .
If arginine is not in the body due to stress or certain illnesses, for example is available in sufficient quantities, it can lead to circulatory disorders, high blood pressure and erectile dysfunction. A study by Barassi et al. (2017) shows that a large proportion of people with erectile dysfunction have low arginine levels. Patients with arterial diseases in particular have low levels of this amino acid.
Improved blood flow means that oxygen and nutrients reach the organs faster . This also has positive effects on potency.
L-arginine vs. Potency pills
Arginine supplementation has positive effects on blood circulation and therefore also in erectile dysfunction. It should be noted, however, that a single dose of arginine does not have an immediate effect. A intake over a longer period of time (days to weeks) is necessary so that arginine can develop its effect. In contrast, sexual enhancers such as Viagra work directly. However, the list of side effects when taking sexual enhancers is very long. Therefore, these should never be taken without medical advice.
Advantages and disadvantages of taking L-arginine and sexual enhancers
Arginine | Potency means |
of course | Single revenue |
safe use, as no serious side effects are known | Disadvantages: Side effects, requires a prescription, problematic with previous illnesses such as cardiovascular diseases |
prescription-free | |
good for the heart and circulation | |
Disadvantage: regular consumption necessary |
Important: Before a Arginine intake, please discuss physical causes with the attending physician first !
Combination with citrulline or pine bark extract
Various studies show that a combination of different active ingredients can improve the effectiveness of arginine. It has been proven that citrulline enhances the effect of arginine. As a result, more NO can be formed in the body. That’s why we developed our combination product.
A combination with pine bark extract (antioxidant effect) also leads to an improved effect of L-arginine. A study by Stanislavov et al. (2003) shows that in men with erectile dysfunction a combination of pine bark extract and arginine leads to a normal erection after three months without any side effects being observed. A study from 2015 also shows these results in comparison with the placebo group.
Pine bark extract leads to increased expression of NO synthase , the enzyme that causes the formation of NO Arginine causes.