For Impotence, It's L-Arginine

As a cardiologist, I often recommend L-arginine to enhance heart health. It improves blood flow not only to the heart, but to the penis. Many of my patients report stronger, firmer erections and more satisfying sex lives!

Restore Male Potency With This Nutrient

Over the years, many of my male patients have complained about impotence. This is a subject that most men won't discuss with anyone but their doctors. Millions of U.S. men have trouble in the bedroom. In fact, nearly 20 percent of men age 55 report potency difficulties, and that percentage doubles by age 75.

Contrary to popular thinking, diminished sexual function isn't age-related. It can be tied to prostate problems, cardiac drugs, and/or a lack of vital nutrients to promote blood flow to the organs, including the penis.

When I hear complaints about poor "bedroom performance," the first thing I do is check the patient's cardiac drugs. It often helps to change, reduce or even discontinue some of these medicines, which can cause impotence among other things. I also look for signs of benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH), a non-malignant enlargement of the prostate that may be related to impotence.

Once I uncover the cause of the patient's potency problem, I typically put him on a nutritional support program to bolster potency and help improve prostate health.

Many of my patients have had success with L-arginine. I was initially drawn to this powerful vasodilator because of its ability to promote cardiac and circulatory health. But when my patients reported stronger erections after taking it, I began recommending it for potency.

This amino acid pumps up the body's natural supply of nitric oxide - an odorless gas made of nitrogen and oxygen that relaxes muscles and increase blood flow to vital organs, including the heart and penis.

Quite frankly, if you don't have enough nitric oxide, your erection will be soft, limp or, more likely, nonexistent.

What about Viagra?

This relatively new drug may help men who have been left impotent by prostate disease, diabetes, or atherosclerosis, but I prescribe it with caution. It needs more study before I can endorse it as the be-all end-all cure for male impotence. I won't even consider it for those with angina who take nitroglycerin-like drugs because it can cause blood pressure to quickly plummet downward and trigger serious problems and even death.

If you decide to try Viagra, discuss it with your spouse first and then work with your doctor to find the lowest effective dose. A 50-milligram tablet goes a long way; I've seen men do well on as little as 12 1/2 mg.

A better alternative for impotence is my herbal/supplemental program. Indeed, natural remedies can be just as effective, if not more effective than, prescription drugs - and without the dangerous side effects. There's no need to risk serious side effects from Viagra when such effective alternatives as L-arginine are available. Korean red ginseng helps increase the release of nitric oxide, thus increasing erectile ability. However, I caution men with hypertension about using this herb because blood pressure can skyrocket.