In 1998, the Nobel Peace Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded to Robert Furchgott, Louis Ignarro, and Ferid Murad for their discovery of nitric oxide, a signaling molecule in the cardiovascular system. Little did they know that their research will help inspire the formulation of male enhancement supplements.
The three found that vasodilating (blood vessel widening) compounds release nitric oxide to help relax muscle cells in your veins. Endothelial cells lining your blood vessels produce nitric oxide to help support healthy blood circulation.
A key component of cardiovascular health is optimal circulation and relaxed blood vessels, which is why nitric oxide may play an important role in helping prevent chest pain, clogged arteries, and coronary heart disease.
The inability of the blood vessels in the penis to dilate long enough to allow blood to enter is one of the main causes of erectile dysfunction. This is why increasing nitric oxide production helps improve erection quality.
Boost Nitric Oxide Production with L-arginine
Male enhancement supplements contain L-arginine, a semi-essential amino acid discovered in 1886. L-arginine is a precursor to nitric oxide and is the only known nutritional substrate available to endothelial cells for the production of nitric oxide.
L-arginine helps dilate blood vessels to promote optimal blood circulation and maintain healthy blood pressure levels. When blood vessels are relaxed, blood rushes into the areas of your body that previously experienced poor circulation.
Taking L-arginine or male enhancement supplements that contain L-arginine will result in significant improvement in blood flow to your genitals. A study published in the Journal of Urology found that L-arginine allows more blood to flow into the penis and helps relax smooth muscles to prompt previously constrained blood to flow again. The increased levels of blood flow improved erection quality.
L-arginine supplements and male enhancement supplements containing L-arginine have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration but in research trials, it has been shown that it is safe to consume up to 30 grams of L- arginine daily.
Since nitric oxide is the explosive chemical found in dynamite and also found in car exhaust and cigarette smoke, don’t exceed the recommended dosage of male enhancement supplements that contain vasodilators like L-arginine because too much nitric oxide is dangerous to your health.
You may experience a “brain freeze” type of headache after taking male enhancement supplements that contain L-arginine and other vasodilators but the sensation quickly subsides once you get used to the increased blood flow.
Reminder: Consult your doctor first before using a male enhancement supplement, particularly if you have a pre-existing heart ailment, suffer from high blood pressure, or take prescription medication. Do not take L-arginine or male enhancement supplements containing L-arginine if you have an active herpes infection, whether in the form of oral and genital herpes or shingles.
