If a man was looking for an anti impotence treatment one might safely assume that he would do so by paying a visit to his GP or having an online consultation with a doctor on a website such as The Online Clinic. It is highly unlikely that he would head to the fruit and vegetable section in his local supermarket.
Scientists in Texas, however, have recently discovered that watermelons contain an active ingredient called citrulline which, when consumed in large quantities, triggers the production of a compound which causes the body’s blood vessels to relax in a similar way to when a man takes a Viagra pill.
The compound is called arginine and is an amino acid that has benefits for the cardiovascular and immune systems. Citrulline is found in both the flesh and the rind of the fruit but more than 60 percent is found in the rind.
The scientists who made the discovery are based in Texas’s A&M Fruit and Vegetable Improvement Center, which might sound like a correctional facility for naughty carrots and bananas, but is actually a research unit attempting to create super breeds. They have stressed than eating a watermelon is not going to give the same effect as the blue pill. Someone would have to eat about six cups worth of the fruit to boost the body’s arginine level. Anyone who thinks that this does not sound like an impossible amount to manage should also be alerted to the fact that watermelons are also a diuretic so you will be paying quite a few visits to the bathroom if you consume a vast amount which might put the dampeners on a night of passion. The fruit was actually used as a treatment for patients with kidney problems before the advent of dialysis.
There is also an issue with the amount of sugar to be found in a watermelon. Eating too many could cause a spike in the body’s sugar levels which is not healthy. The scientists are hoping that by cultivating watermelons with more citrulline in their flesh and reducing the amount of sugar, they can create a breed of fruit which will have beneficial effects for those who are obese, suffer with type-2 diabetes or who have circulatory problems. Until then, however, Viagra’s position as the world’s most successful anti-impotence treatment looks safe.