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Erectile dysfunction aka impotence is a sexual disorder that is feared by many men. To overcome this, there are many types of drugs, both chemical and herbal, that promise effective treatment. Well, a study found that the nutrients in watermelon have almost the same function to treat impotence as strong drugs. So is it true that watermelon can treat impotence? Check out the facts first below.
Can watermelon treat impotence?
Erectile dysfunction (impotence) is a condition when a man is unable to get an erection (keep the penis hard or tense) optimally during intercourse. As a result, it is difficult for men to penetrate the vagina.
There are various ways that can be done to prevent and even treat impotence, one of which can be by eating watermelon. Sounds strange indeed, maybe you never thought that the favorite fruit of many people in hot weather can have a positive effect as a safe herbal tonic.
According to Bhimu Patil, PHD, head of the Fruit and Vegetable Improvement Center at Texas A&M University, College Station, watermelon contains citrulline in it. Citrulline is believed to be able to dilate blood vessels, like Viagra and other drugs commonly used to treat impotence.
Viagra works by increasing blood flow to the penis, allowing a man to get an erection more easily when he feels aroused. Well, in this case the citrulin content in watermelon can do the same thing, even though it works differently from Viagra.
How effective does the citrulline in watermelon work?
Reporting from the Healthline page, watermelon works in treating impotence by producing high levels of citrulline, which then mixes with the nitric oxide system in your body so that it can dilate blood vessels so you can get an optimal erection.
A study in 2011 conducted on 24 men routinely taking citrulline supplements for a month. The results showed that half of the men experienced progress on an erection. Not only that, men who consumed citrulline also had sex more frequently, from an average of 1.37 times a month to 2.3 times per month.
These findings were corroborated by a 2013 study that tested mice by comparing mice with arteriogenic erectile dysfunction, which is the cause of erectile problems in humans, and mice that had surgery on their blood vessels.
The results stated that the mice who took citrulline supplements had better erections than mice who underwent surgery. These findings then prove that citrulline can increase blood flow which in turn has the potential to treat impotence.
Once you know these benefits of watermelon, note that it may not work as effectively as Viagra. It may even work less than optimal in men who have not been able to treat impotence with the help of Viagra. The reason is, both of them have a similar mechanism of action in making the erection process occur, namely increasing blood flow.
If impotence is caused by another problem such as damage to the nerves or a more serious problem, then increasing blood flow to the penis alone is of little help.
For that, before deciding to try this method it's a good idea to consult your doctor again. Especially if you have health problems such as diabetes. The reason is, some fruits - including watermelon - can increase blood sugar levels, so eating large amounts of watermelon is not safe for men with diabetes.
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