It never fails — there’s always a question about erectile dysfunction at every one of my lectures. No kidding. I could be discussing cold remedies and somehow, in some way, a gentleman will abruptly steer the discussion to his issues “down there.”
And we get it. This is an important condition that millions of aging men deal with every day. Why do you think a big-time pharma company spent millions, and now makes billions, selling the “blue pill” for men? One thing about Big Pharma: They always know where the market is.
But what if you don’t want to take a prescription medication? What if you prefer an all-natural approach to health and disease treatment? Well, this post’s for you.
Arginine is Nature’s Blue Pill
Let’s make something clear right out of the gate: Nature does not work as quickly nor as powerfully (in most cases) as prescription chemicals. If you need something quickly, you don’t care about potential side effects, and you don’t mind putting unnecessary chemicals in your body, then stick with the billion-dollar “blue pill.” You’ll be happy, and you’ll make someone a little richer.
But if you’re after safe, long-term effects, you should look to nature. And arginine is what it has to offer. Arginine is an amino acid that plays several significant roles in your body. But the most important one for our discussion is how it affects your arteries.
Arginine is the precursor to nitric oxide, abbreviated as NO. This powerful chemical causes arteries to dilate, increasing blood flow into a specific area of the body. Do you see where we’re going with this?
Let’s take a look at the research that shows arginine can help men with ED. A group of researchers took Japanese men with mild and moderate ED and administered L-arginine and pine bark extract. Subjects were instructed to take a supplement of 60 mg/day of pine bark and 690 mg/day of arginine or take an identical placebo for eight weeks.1
The results were pretty impressive. At the end of the eight weeks, the supplement group showed improvement in their total scores on a test called IIEF-5, or International Index of Erectile Function. They also reported marked improvement in the hardness of erection and in overall satisfaction with sexual intercourse.
And guess what? No adverse reactions were reported by the participants. There was a slight drop in blood pressure in some of the men but not enough to cause any problems. By the way, this drop in pressure is due to the dilation of the arteries … exactly what we’re looking to do.
Try this Tri-Nutrient Formula for ED
A different group of researchers carried out a single-blind, one-arm study to evaluate the effects of a three-month supplementation with propionyl-L-carnitine, L-arginine, and niacin on their subjects’ sexual performance. They reported that the treatment regimen improved erections in 40% of cases, with a partial response occurring in up to 77% of enrolled subjects.
The study authors concluded, “This study documents nutritional supplementation — as first-line or adjunctive treatment to PDE5 inhibitors — that goes beyond the measurable increment in penile rigidity.”2
Are You a Rabbit or Tortoise?
And I don’t mean in bed — get your mind out of the gutter! What I mean is this: Are you willing to stick with a supplement regimen that works but takes time, or do you just want results right now?
