Micah Stanley
Erectile dysfunction affects many men. Special dietary supplements such as the combination of L-arginine and pine bark extract represent an alternative to the usual medication with few side effects.
Are there natural remedies for erectile dysfunction?
Erectile dysfunction is a common problem in old age. Yes, it is even said that from the age of about forty, erectile dysfunction is no longer a particular symptom. Officially, it is assumed that 1 to 2 percent of the forty-year-olds are affected. However, in a 2013 study of 439 patients who visited their doctor for erectile dysfunction, one in four was younger than their 40s.
Drugs such as sildenafil (Viagra, etc.) are not a long-term solution, which is why many men are looking for tolerable and naturopathic alternatives. In the meantime, a number of dietary supplements and foods are known that can have a positive effect on erectile dysfunction, such as curcumin, beetroot juice, the cordyceps mushroom or L-arginine.
The combination of L-arginine and pine bark extract
We have already reported on L-arginine and the effects of this amino acid on potency (L-arginine for potency and ). L-arginine is used in the organism for the formation of nitrogen monoxide, which in turn relaxes the blood vessel walls and can thus also promote blood circulation in the genitals. The amino acid also supports fat burning, improves physical performance, and accelerates muscle growth.
However, it is now said that you have to take 3 to 5 grams of L-arginine daily for weeks for potency and muscle building in order to see an effect in terms of improved erection. The combination of L-arginine with pine bark extract (Pycnogenol®) is intended to achieve an increased effect here so that significantly less L-arginine is required.
While L-arginine is considered the building block for nitric oxide, Pycnogenol® activates the so-called endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), an enzyme that enables the formation of nitric oxide from L-arginine in the first place.
What is pine bark extract?
Pine bark extract is also known as pine bark extract. These are bark extracts from maritime pine (also called French maritime pine or Pinus pinaster A. subsp. Atlantica). The brand name of the extremely OPC-rich extract is Pycnogenol®. A better-known source of OPC is grape seed extract.
The effect after three months without side effects
A study from 2003 showed that a daily intake of 1.7 grams of L-arginine was sufficient if pine bark extract was also taken for erectile dysfunction. Specifically, participants in this study received 1.7 grams of L-arginine daily for the first month, took an additional 40 mg of Pycnogenol® twice a day for the second month, and increased the Pycnogenol dose to 40 mg three times a day for the third month.
There were “significant improvements in sexual functions without any side effects being observed,” the study concludes.
Erectile dysfunction and sperm quality improve
In September 2015, a study was also published in the specialist journal Archivo Italiano di Urologia e Andrologia that looked at the effects of L-arginine on erectile dysfunction. 47 men who also suffered from reduced sperm quality (OAT syndrome) took a combination of 690 mg L-arginine (Edicare®) and 60 mg Pycnogenol®.
After two to four months, the sperm concentration had increased and the ability to have an erection had also improved significantly. The scientists thus explained that the dietary supplement mentioned was extremely helpful in improving sperm quality and erectile function.
After 1 month, the erectile function returns to normal
A randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study by the University of Münster was also published in 2015. For this study, 50 men with erectile dysfunction took a dietary supplement of Pycnogenol®, Roburine, L-arginine, and L-citrulline or a placebo supplement. In the course of a month, the ability to have an erection is said to have returned to normal completely in this study, without any side effects have arisen.
Prostate problems also improve
A Japanese study from January 2017 examined the effect of two dietary supplements on lower urinary tract symptoms (e.g. as a result of benign prostate enlargement) and also on sexual dysfunction.
One of the supplements contained 160 mg saw palmetto extract per tablet, the other a mixture of 10 mg Pycnogenol®, 115 mg L-arginine, and 92 mg aspartate (aspartic acid) per tablet.
19 participants now received two tablets of saw palmetto extract daily, and 20 participants took four tablets of the other dietary supplement daily. Both groups showed significant improvements in terms of prostate problems and the associated quality of life. The ability to have an erection and the symptoms of an irritable bladder only improved in the pycnogenol-arginine group.
Ultimately, the researchers involved concluded that the second dietary supplement represents an effective therapeutic alternative, particularly for elderly patients with lower urinary tract disorders and erectile dysfunction.
If you have erectile dysfunction, think about testosterone levels
Since low testosterone levels can also contribute to erectile dysfunction, here are holistic ways you can increase your testosterone levels.
Pycnogenol lowers blood pressure and helps with menopause
Conveniently, Pycnogenol® can also positively impact high blood pressure, as a June 2018 study showed. This is not particularly surprising, since nitric oxide, as a means of expanding blood vessels, can of course also lower blood pressure. We have already explained how pine bark extract (= pine bark extract) lowers blood pressure and can also improve psoriasis here: Pine bark for high blood pressure and psoriasis
Pine bark extract can also help women with menopausal symptoms, according to a study in March 2013. In the double-blind, placebo-controlled study, 170 menopausal women received either 30 mg Pycnogenol® twice daily or a placebo preparation for three months. Compared to the placebo preparation, Pycnogenol® was able to significantly improve almost all menopausal symptoms including sleep disorders, hot flashes, and night sweats.
