Watermelon and Viagra®

Watermelon may have Viagra®-like effects, a new study reports.

Researchers from Texas A & M University claim that watermelon has ingredients that deliver Viagra®-like effects to the body's blood vessels and may even increase libido. Viagra®, or sildenafil citrate, is a drug developed by the pharmaceutical company Pfizer to treat male erectile dysfunction and high blood pressure.

Erectile dysfunction (ED), sometimes called impotence, is the repeated inability to get or keep an erection. Impotence may also be used to describe other problems that interfere with sexual intercourse and reproduction, such as lack of sexual desire and problems with ejaculation or orgasm.

It is estimated that between 15 and 30 million (20-40 percent) Americans suffer from ED. Every year, there are approximately 26 new cases per 1,000 men in the United States. Worldwide, ED affects over 150 million men.

ED may be caused by lifestyle choices such as smoking or substance abuse. It can also result from physical diseases and disorders such as diabetes, vascular disease or hormonal disorders. Neurological or psychological conditions, surgery or trauma and even some medications may also contribute to ED.

Although it is more common in men older than 65, ED can occur at any age. An occasional episode of erectile dysfunction happens to most men and is normal. As men age, it is also normal to experience changes in erectile function.

Viagra® works by increasing levels of nitric oxide, which causes vascular smooth muscle cells to relax and the blood vessels to widen. This not only lowers blood pressure, but also allows blood to fill up the widened penile vessels,€“ resulting in an erection. Extra nitric oxide may also help those who need increased blood flow, such as those with chest pain, high blood pressure and other cardiovascular problems.

Beneficial ingredients in watermelon and other fruits and vegetables are known as phyto-nutrients. These are naturally occurring compounds that are bioactive, or able to react with the human body, to trigger healthy reactions.

Examples of the phyto-nutrients found in watermelon include lycopene, beta-carotene and citrulline (an amino acid). These compounds are being studied for their ability to relax blood vessels, similar to the way Viagra® does.

When watermelon is consumed, citrulline is converted into arginine (another amino acid) through certain enzymes. Arginine is thought to benefit the heart and circulation system and to help maintain a good immune system. Arginine is needed to produce nitric oxide, which is required to obtain an erection. However, it remains unclear whether increasing dietary intake of citrulline or arginine can increase nitric oxide levels like Viagra® does.

The researchers also cautioned that watermelon may not be as organ specific as Viagra®, but the citrulline it contains may help relax blood vessels with little risk of side effects. They added that arginine also helps the urea cycle by removing ammonia and other toxic compounds from the body.

The authors concluded that watermelon has a wide-range of health benefits that should be considered by consumers and scientists alike.

Comments

[Jill]

How much watermelon must one eat to get the desired effects? Have there been any clinical trials? Watermelon contains a lot of sugar - I would hesitate giving this recommendation to people with diabetes.

[ATAD]

Is this a true phenomenon, or are the venders of watermelon just trying to make a marketing pitch to entice consumers and increase purchases of watermelon? I don’t know about you, but on July 4th my local grocery store was completely sold out of watermelon. I read that you would need to eat about six cups of watermelon to get this effect. Most of the citrulline (60%) is found in the watermelon rind, not the flesh.

[Samara]

It’s surprising to me that researchers would single out watermelon for this effect. There are so many fruits, vegetables and other foods that act on the blood vessels. And many different alternative therapies have been studied for erectile dysfunction, including arginine, coleus, DHEA, L-carnitine, muira puama, Pycnogenol and yohimbe. In addition, early evidence suggests that ginseng may be effectively improve signs and symptoms of erectile dysfunction. Regarding the citrulline in watermelon, can you take a supplement containing citrulline for this effect, or is there some synergy that occurs when you consume the citrulline specifically from watermelon?

[molly]

This is such exciting news. I am sure once this is scientifically proven people will start switching from Viagra®, Cialis®, Levitra®, etc. to watermelon. The only question is how much of watermelon is sufficient to carry out this effect. Also, what about those who have comorbidity - type 2 diabetes, example? Too much watermelon is not a good thing, and there is certainly no such thing as sugar-free watermelon. Not to mention that watermelon, unlike Viagra®, is not an organ-specific acting agent. For those who also have heart problems and are taking nitrates, is watermelon going to cause the same interactions with these nitrates as Viagra® does?

[Kelsy]

Irwin Goldstein, MD, editor-in-chief of The Journal of Sexual Medicine, told WebMD: "The vast majority of Americans produce enough arginine." Goldstein, medical director of Alvarado Hospital Medical Center, San Diego, and clinical professor of surgery, University of California San Diego School of Medicine added, "men with ED are not deficient in arginine." Even though arginine is needed to make NO, which causes vascular smooth muscle cells to relax and the blood vessels to widen, "that doesn't mean eating something that is rich in citrulline will make enough arginine that it will lead to better penile erections," Goldstein said.

[Emma]

Cancer and heart attack are two prime diseases in today's world. Researchers and scientist are trying hard to overcome these diseases. In recent news has come out that watermelon can be useful for cancer and heart disease.

[DT]

This is very interesting. Now I know why eating too much watermelon will cause you to go to the bathroom more frequently. It’s due to relaxing the blood vessels. I hope that people are not going to buy lots of watermelon just because of this. Eating too much of anything will make a person get very sick because the body is not used to it. Eating healthy food, exercising daily and being happy is the best medicine in the world.

[komel]

I found this article that has nothing related to the pharmacological effects of watermelon, but it is watermelon-related, and I thought it was very interesting. http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nb20080607a2.html. A BLACK watermelon was sold for thousands of dollars in Japan.

[chub]

Did you ever hear about the “Lebanese Viagra?” Rumor has it that that a plant found in the Lebanese mountains, called Shirsh Zallouh, has been used for decades to help treat reduced libido and to restore sexual vigor. It grows to 6,000 feet and is picked from August - October. However, as a result of abundant amateurs looking for this plant, scientists are concerned that soon it may lead to this plant’s annihilation!

[Garick]

I agree with DT that too much of anything may create problems. But just one reading of any prescription, including Viagra®, makes it clear that our human-made drugs, while offering many important benefits, also offer a staggering number of negative side effects and potentially new problems. It reminds me of a connect-the-dots drawing. Start with one problem, take a synthetic or chemically manipulated "cure," and while you are getting positive results, you also develop new symptoms unrelated to the original problem, but definitely connected to the "cure." A new prescription is offered to heal the second problem, and we may experience a repeat of that scenario as we go from condition to cure, condition to cure. I value much of modern medicine, but feel that in looking for a quick fix and financial reward, we create new issues that we must then confront tomorrow.

[diamond]

The chemical, citrulline, found in watermelon is converted into the amino acid, arginine, which boosts nitric oxide, resulting in blood vessel relaxation. If one would have to consume at least six cups of day of the watermelon to produce such an effect why don’t you just consume a straight arginine supplement and see actual benefits?

[sunny]

Watermelon has lots of vitamin A. Vitamin A plays a very important role in the human body. For example, it helps with bone growth and vision, and it also regulates the immune system. Watermelon can also protective against cancer (prostate, bladder and cervical cancer). More information about watermelon: (http://bastyrcenter.org/content/view/970/&page=)

[loila]

Did anyone know that watermelon is a diuretic? I had no idea. No wonder eating watermelon makes you go to the bathroom so often. Does that make watermelon an antihypertensive agent? It can actually bring down the blood pressure by two mechanisms: being a diuretic and causing vasodilation through nitric oxide?

[Justin White]

The link between arginine and nitric oxide (which dilates blood vessels) won the Nobel Prize in Medicine. There are some good videos on the topic at YouTube.

http://www.youtube.com/weakbody

-Justin
http://www.cleancardio.com

[Alex Dantes]

Nitric oxide is a gas that is only produced by arginine and citrulline. Citrulline actually converts to arginine and into nitric oxide. The big benefits of this are that you will relax and dilate the arteries, thus lowering blood pressure. It also works to recondition the walls of the arteries. This will prevent plaque buildup and eventual heart attack or stroke. This has all been researched by Nobel prize-winning researchers, including Ignarro. http://www.youtube.com/weakbody http://www.cleancardio.com

[Herbal]

It's amazing how fruit's importance isn't realized, as most of the time we are able to get all the things we need for healthy organs from organic fruits and vegetables.

[David Lee]

Watermelon contains vitamins A, B6 and C, as well as minerals. Vitamin A is good for the eyes. Vitamin B6 helps the body cope with anxiety and panic.

[Sildenafil Citrate Cheap]

The fact is that many individuals who can't or don't want to use pharmaceuticals use products like this to avoid these issues to preserve their health. So it is never okay for a developer to hide a pharmaceutical drug in them.

[Smithroxy]

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[Erectile Dysfunction]

Watermelon and Viagra! wow, this is interesting. Watermelon contains lycopene, beta-carotene and citrulline (an amino acid). These compounds are being studied for their ability to relax blood vessels, similar to the way Viagra® does.

[Old Couples]

Interesting, but which one is better?