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Approach the average man on the street and ask him to name a food that’s likely to improve male virility and sexual stamina, and he might say oysters or perhaps truffles, which are known to emit a pheromone secreted by males. However, the odds are pretty strong that watermelon won’t be at the top of his list of such foods and probably won’t be on it at all.
Nevertheless, some scholarly studies offer evidence that the popular summer fruit’s high levels of L-citrulline have beneficial effects on erectile function. And a popular British tabloid recently came up with a recipe for a watermelon-based punch that it describes as “liquid Viagra.”
What Does Citrulline Do?
Before sharing the Daily Star’s recipe, it probably makes sense to look a little more closely at the science behind the erection-friendly properties that are being claimed for watermelon. As previously noted, the fruit contains high levels of L-citrulline, an amino acid. Citrulline itself plays no direct role in erectile function. However, it is a chemical precursor of L-arginine, which is also an amino acid but one that is critical for the synthesis of nitric oxide, a key signaling molecule that dilates blood vessels so that they can carry a greater volume of blood.
This improvement in blood flow combats erectile dysfunction in the millions of men who suffer from this disorder because of insufficient blood flow to the penis, responsible for roughly 80 percent of ED. For those whose impotence is psychological in origin, there is little likelihood that the citrulline in watermelon would have much, if any, effect on their erection problems.
Citrulline in Pulp and Rind
A few years back, WebMD.com carried an article quoting a researcher who likened watermelon to natural Viagra. That researcher, Bhimu Patil, Ph.D., director of the Fruit and Vegetable Improvement Center at Texas A&M University, cited studies showing that the edible portion of watermelon — the red pulp of the melon — contains more citrulline than previously thought. He noted that it was once believed that almost all of watermelon’s citrulline resided in the rind, which most people discard after eating the pulp.
When asked how much watermelon one would have to eat to produce Viagra-like effects, Patil admitted that science had not yet found an answer to that question. He did explain, however, that citrulline is readily converted by the body into arginine, which is a direct precursor to nitric oxide, an important vasodilator.
Importance of Nitric Oxide
Nitric oxide plays a key role in the erection process, which begins in the brain — not in the penis, as some may believe. When the brain receives signals of sexual desire and/or physical stimuli to male erogenous zones, it sends a flood of nitric oxide coursing through the body toward the pelvic region. The sharp increase in nitric oxide levels gives rise to the production of a substance known as cyclic guanosine monophosphate, or cGMP. To further increase the volume of blood flowing to the penis, cGMP relaxes the smooth muscles that line the inner walls of the arteries supplying the penis.
How an Erection Is Created
As those arteries expand, blood rushes into the penis, filling the spongy erectile tissue of the penis’s corpora cavernosum, twin cylinders that run the length of the penis. This creates an erection. At the same time, veins that would ordinarily carry blood away from the penis temporarily constrict, trapping the blood within the penis until sexual activity is complete.
Patil told WebMD that a typical 4-ounce serving of watermelon — equivalent to about 10 watermelon balls — contains 150 milligrams of citrulline, but he was unable to quantify the amount of the amino acid it would take to promote the erectile function.
Italian Study Cited
An Italian study published in the January 2011 issue of “Urology” examined the effects of oral L-citrulline supplementation in men with mild erectile dysfunction. The researchers, all members of the faculty and staff at Italy’s University of Foggia, recruited 24 men with a mean age of 56.5 years and a history of mild ED. Results of the study were judged by various criteria, including the internationally accepted Erection Hardness Score, or EHS, which rates erections on a scale from 0 to 4. A score of 0 indicates that the penis has failed to enlarge at all, while a score of 4 indicates a penis that is completely hard and fully rigid. Other criteria included overall satisfaction with the method of treatment, number of intercourses per month, and adverse events, if any.
At the outset of the research study, participants had EHS scores of 3, indicating a penis that is hard enough for penetration but not completely hard. Such a condition is generally characterized as mild erectile dysfunction.
Methodology of Study
For the first month of the study, test subjects were given a placebo daily. In the month that followed, each test subject received a daily oral dose of 1,500 milligrams of L-citrulline. At the conclusion of the placebo phase of the study, two of the 24 subjects reported an improvement in their EHS from 3 to 4, which is the top of the scale. The number reporting the same degree of improvement after the citrulline phase of the study increased to 12, or 50 percent of all test subjects.
In the conclusion to the short-term study, the Italian researchers acknowledged that the L-citrulline supplementation was less effective that the popular PDE5 inhibitors, such as Viagra, Levitra, and Cialis. However, they pointed out that it was a short-term study, suggesting that the results might be more impressive if the study were carried out over a longer period. However, they said that their research showed that L-citrulline was safe and well tolerated by patients. They called for additional research to explore L-citrulline’s potential as “an alternative treatment for mild to moderate ED, particularly in patients with a psychological fear” of PDE5 inhibitors.
Now, for those who’d like to give the Daily Star’s watermelon punch a try, here’s the recipe. Pointing out that the watermelon rind contains 60 percent more citrulline than the edible pulp, the recipe calls for slicing and dicing a whole watermelon into pieces that can then be put into the blender or food processor and liquefied to produce the equivalent of about one liter of watermelon juice.
Next, put the watermelon juice in a saucepan and bring it to a boil. While doing so, add the juice of one lemon to the contents of the saucepan. Once the boiling liquid has been reduced by one-half, remove it from the burner and transfer the remaining liquid into a container that can be chilled in the refrigerator. When it’s completely cooled, drink the watermelon punch and see what sort of results it produces.
Fortunately, citrulline is safe for most people, but occasionally some do suffer stomach irritation as a side effect. Experts advise taking citrulline on an empty stomach to minimize such problems.
If you’d prefer to give your erection a boost with one of the popular oral medications that are widely used to treat ED, pay a visit to eDrugstore’s Male Impotence Page.
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