L-Arginine & Erectile Dysfunction
L-Arginine is an amino acid that the body uses to produce nitric oxide which is a substance that signals muscles surrounding blood vessels to relax and dilates arteries to increase blood flow. Smooth muscle relaxation allows the penis to improve blood circulation, which causes an erection. L-arginine is found naturally in foods such as meat, dairy, poultry and fish. L-arginine is also available as oral supplements, which some manufacturers like to market as natural Viagra. There were a few studies to evaluate the effectiveness of L-arginine and its role in erectile dysfunction. One study included 50 men who took 5 grams per day of L-arginine and a placebo. After six weeks, many more men taking L-arginine experienced an improvement in sexual function compared with men taking placebo. Interestingly, it does not benefit men with low initial levels of nitric oxide. Another study using a lower dose of L-arginine and a shorter duration of treatment found no advantage in the use of L-arginine. The study involved 32 men with erectile dysfunction who took oral 500 mg three times per day of L-arginine supplements or placebo for 17 days. Oral administration of L-arginine was no better than placebo. Side effects may include digestive problems. High doses of L-arginine can stimulate the body's production of gastrin, a hormone that increases stomach acid. For this reason, the L-arginine may be harmful for people with ulcers and people taking drugs that are hard in the stomach. L-arginine may also alter potassium levels in the body, especially in people with liver disease. It should not be taken by people who take medications that alter potassium levels, such as diuretics and ACE inhibitors.
How about propionyl-L-carnitine? One study investigated the use of two forms of carnitine, propionyl L-carnitine and acetyl-L-carnitine in 96 men with erectile dysfunction after prostate surgery. One group received a placebo, another group took propionyl-L-carnitine plus acetyl-L-carnitine and sildenafil (Viagra) when needed, and the third group used Viagra alone. Propionyl-L-carnitine and acetyl-L-carnitine was found to improve the effectiveness of sildenafil, and the results of erectile function improved sexual satisfaction, orgasm and sexual well being compared to Viagra alone. Another study examined the effectiveness of propionyl-L-carnitine plus sildenafil in men with erectile dysfunction and diabetes that were previously unresponsive to Viagra alone. Participants in the study received propionyl-L-carnitine and Viagra twice a week or Viagra alone. After twenty four weeks of treatment, propionyl L-carnitine plus Viagra was significantly more effective than Viagra alone.
Losing Weight With Dark Chocolate?
Over the years, much research has found that dark chocolate is filling, full of anti oxidants, and has natural properties that may help in losing weight. A simple internet search will yield many results of diet and health companies that are offering dark chocolate as a remedy to fight weight gain and to curve the appetite for sweets and salty foods. As well, a lot of researchers have concluded that dark rich chocolate has many
New Study Says Green Tea Keeps Off The Weight
According to a team of US food scientists, green tea may decrease weight gain and may be an integral role in the fight against obesity epidemic. Their findings which is in an online journal "Obesity", did a controlled study of obese mice and fed them Epigallocatechin-3-gal late (EGCG), which is a compound found in most green teas. The research suggests that EGCG inhibits an enzyme called pancreatic lipase (PL). PL is secreted in the intestines
Normal Weight Raises For The First Time In Years
Everyone knows about the obesity epidemic in developed countries, especially in the United States. Over weight Americans have been the center of world wide attention since it was found that over 60 percent of them are over weight or obese. A gallop poll just released says that the "normal weight" of Americans has increased to over 36%, whereas last year is was at 35 percent. Unfortunately the solid majority of Americans are still fat.
Texting Helps With Dieting – New Study
Melissa Napolitano, lead researcher of the Center for Obesity, says that smart phones and texting has been a positive innovation for helping young adults and teens for loosing weight and healthy dieting. Her findings claim that students who use cell phones to monitor physical activity and calories showed the best results with the battle to lose weight. Students that got personal feedback from their phones lost more weight than those who didn't use their phones for
U.K. Could Introduce The "Fat Tax"S To Reduce Obesity
In order to tackle the growing obesity problem in the U.K. the prime minister, David Cameron, has said that they are going to try and introduce what is called the "fat tax". This is a surcharge on foods that contain more than 2.3% of saturated fats. Foods being taxed would include many processed items such as pizzas, butter, as well as milk and other dairy products. Of course this "fat tax" has come under the