Do you know the difference between worry and panic? Worry is the first time you can’t do
it a second time. Panic is the second time you can’t do it the first time.
Researchers today know that upwards of 80 percent of impotence cases can be
linked to purely physical problems, from cardiovascular and neurological ailments to
smoking and prescription drugs.

If you are a male over 40 years old you might be feeling the effects of impotency. At this
age our bodies begin to experience the results of a poor diet and sedentary lifestyle.
Science has discovered that high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, being over-
weight, and smoking not only are the leading indicators for heart disease, but also are
indicators for sexual dysfunction.

In fact, so strong is the link between early impotence and atherosclerotic heart disease
that some cardiologists have already begun considering impotence before sixty as an
early biomedical marker for future heart problems.
And the prescription drugs used to treat these vascular problems actually in themselves
can affect erectile performance.

If you are a baby boomer like me, you have got to be asking yourself, “Is there a solution
for this very personal problem?” The answer to this question my friend is a resounding
YES!

But first let’s talk about the pharmaceutical companies answer to impotence. Yep, if you
are like me your email box is bombarded with messages about sex  
enhancing type products. But do they work and are they safe? Let’s take a look at the
leader in vasculogenic drug sales, which is still Viagra, but if you have watched any
television lately you will see it has been getting a lot of competition from the likes of Levitra
and Cialis.

What Is Viagra?
Viagra is a prescription medicine (sildenafil citrate) taken by mouth for the treatment of
erectile dysfunction (ED) in men. ED is a condition where the penis does not harden and
expand when a man is sexually excited, or when he cannot keep an erection. Viagra may
help a man with ED get and keep an erection when he is sexually excited. Viagra must be
used only under a doctor’s care.

Pfizer originally clinically studied sildenafil citrate for use with patients with heart disease.
Unfortunately, the scientists soon discovered that it was actually weakening the hearts of
the men volunteering for these trials, which was the opposite effect they were hoping for.
But during the trials a pleasant side effect was discovered. Men were reporting an
increased erectile function.

Pfizer soon changed the trials to the studying of erectile dysfunction and the rest is
history. Once it passed FDA approval, Pfizer reported sales of 30,000 prescriptions the
1st week, 110,000 prescriptions the 2nd week and a total of 350,000 prescriptions filled by
the end of the very first month. WOW! What a gold mine! What was not so bragged about
by Pfizer was the report by the FDA, which showed during its first year of sales, Viagra had
1473 adverse events. Included among those adverse events were:

• 255 serious heart rhythm disturbances
• 53 episodes of congestive heart failure
• 119 strokes
• 517 heart attacks
• 522 deaths

That’s right 522 deaths! Remember the FDA pulled the natural product ephedra from the
market because there were 155 assumed deaths reported over a 10-year period. None of
these deaths were actually proven to be caused from taking ephedra. And it’s synthetic
twin (ephedrine) remains on the market even today. I wonder who it is exactly that the FDA
is protecting?

How Does Viagra Work?

Once a man is aroused, nerves in his brain begin firing and cause a release of the
neurotransmitter acetylcholine in the penis. This acetylcholine, in turn causes the
endothelial cells in penile arteries to begin producing nitric oxide from arginine.

Once created, nitric oxide triggers the release of another naturally occurring chemical
called “cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP).” As cGMP levels build, the smooth
muscles of the penile arteries relax; the vessels dilate, and increased blood flow causes
swelling of the corpus cavernosa, producing an erection. Even as nitric oxide continues to
build up cGMP, another enzyme begins to break it down. This enzyme,
phosphodiesterase, appears to act as a brake on the overall system, preventing erections
from becoming excessive or permanent.

Following climax or other cessation of the sexual stimulation, the penile nerves stop firing
and the nerve endings cease releasing acetylcholine. Without the acetylcholine signal, the
endothelial cells cut back on nitric oxide. Without nitric oxide, no more cGMP is produced,
and what little is left is soon broken down by phosphodiesterase resulting in loss of
erection.  

You can see that having sex is quite a complicated function in the human body and having
an erection might potentially be affected at any number of different stages, none of which
have anything to do with a man’s manhood.

Let’s quickly review:

Brain Stimulation > Acetylcholine Released > Nitric Oxide Converted From
Arginine > cGMP Released > Blood Vessels Dilate > Erection >
Phosphodiesterase Released > Climax > Acetylcholine Signal Stopped > Penile
Shrinkage

Knowing this biochemical chain reaction will better help you understand what role Viagra
plays in the love making process. Viagra works by blocking the enzyme
phosphodiesterase. Without this enzyme to put the brakes on cGMP, levels of this potent
vasodilator can build unchecked. For impotent men whose ability to create nitric oxide has
been impaired by damage to the endothelium, what little nitric oxide they can produce
slowly but steadily triggers production of cGMP.

Like most pharmaceutical drugs, Viagra just covers up the problem, which is an unhealthy
endothelium and lack of nitric oxide, and helps the symptom of ED. Later we will look at
how by increasing nitric oxide from arginine, not only is a man’s ED challenge solved but
the endothelium is also repaired.

Viagra does not:

  • Cure ED
  • Increase a man’s sexual desire
  • Protect a man or his partner from sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV.         
    Speak to your healthcare professional about ways to guard against sexually
    transmitted diseases.
  • Serve as a male form of birth control

Special Note: Viagra is only for men with ED. Viagra is not for women or children. Viagra
must be used only under a healthcare professional’s care.

Who Should Not Take Viagra?

Do not take Viagra if you:

  • Take any medicines called “nitrates”
  • Use recreational drugs called “poppers” like amyl nitrate and butyl nitrate
  • Have been told by your healthcare professional to not have sexual activity because
    of health problems

What are The Risks?

The following are the major possible risks and side effects of Viagra therapy. This list is
not complete.

Viagra can cause your blood pressure to drop suddenly to an unsafe level if it is taken
with certain other medicines such as nitrates and alpha-blockers, and recreational drugs
that contain nitrates called “poppers.” A sudden drop in your blood pressure could cause
you to become dizzy, faint, or have a heart attack or stroke.

Tell all your healthcare professionals that you take Viagra. If you need emergency medical
care for a heart problem, it will be important for your healthcare professionals to know
when you last took Viagra.  

Viagra may uncommonly cause:

  • An erection that won’t go away (priapism)
  • Vision changes, such as seeing a blue tinge to objects or having difficulty telling the
    difference between the colors blue and green
  • Permanent vision loss called nonarteritic ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION),
    described as "stroke of the eye” (FDA has approved new labels for Viagra, Cialis,
    and Levitra to include information on possible eyesight loss (NAION). Stop using
    Viagra, Cialis, or Levitra if you have a loss in your eyesight. Get medical help right
    away).

Some common side effects with Viagra include:

  • Headache
  • Flushing
  • Upset stomach
  • Stuffy or runny nose
  • Urinary tract infection
  • Diarrhea

What Should I Tell My Healthcare Professional?

Tell your healthcare professional if you:

  • Have or had heart problems
  • Have low blood pressure or have high blood pressure that is not controlled
  • Have had a stroke
  • Have liver problems
  • Have ever had severe vision loss
  • Have kidney problems or require dialysis
  • Have retinitis pigmentosa, a rare genetic eye disease
  • Have stomach ulcers
  • Have a bleeding problem
  • Have a deformed penis shape or Peyronie’s disease
  • Have had an erection that lasted more than 4 hours
  • Have blood cell problems such as sickle cell anemia, multiple myeloma, or leukemia
  • Are taking a medicine called a protease inhibitor for the treatment of HIV
  • Are taking medicines called alpha blockers (alpha blockers are sometimes
    prescribed for prostate problems or high blood pressure)

A Natural Alternative

According to a ruling by our very own Federal Drug Administration (FDA), foods do not
heal…only drugs can heal. Yet, as we look, as in thease of Viagra, drugs clearly do not
heal, they merely cover up the real problem by altering a symptom of that original problem.

Hippocrates, who is referred to as “The Father of Medicine,” said this in 365 AD:

    “Let food be your medicine and medicine be your food.”

    “The only science of medicine is the intelligent use of nature’s only real medicinal
    remedies…herbs.”

Well, I am here to tell you that the nutritional supplement arginine is a real medicine. As
researchers across the globe have affirmed in leading journals, arginine is not some mild
placebo with only marginal effects on penile blood flow.  

Rather, it has been shown time and again to provide your body with the one critical item it
most requires to function optimally: nitric oxide.

    “The amount of nitric oxide produced in the penis, and thus the ability to have an
    erection, is directly related to the availability of arginine.”

    -The Harvard Health Letter

    “This year scientists proved definitively that nitric oxide translates sexual excitement
    into potency by causing erections. The pelvic nerves get a message from the brain
    and make nitric oxide in response. Nitric oxide dilates the blood vessels throughout
    the crucial areas of the penis, blood rushes in and the penis rises to the occasion.”
    -Science Magazine
    “80% of sexual dysfunction in men and women is directly attributable to some form
    of nitric oxide failure brought on by smoking, prescription drugs, diabetes, high
    blood pressure, high LDL cholesterol and obesity (35 pounds overweight).
    Ironically, these are the same risk factors for heart disease and stroke.”

    -New England Journal of Medicine
In the genital tissue, nitric oxide triggers the release of c-GMP, which is a molecule that
causes engorgement of this tissue. Arginine releases nitric oxide to make sure there is
plenty of c-GMP. Viagra on the other hand, just blocks the enzyme phosphodiesterase,
which protects the body from producing too much
c-GMP. I hope I am explaining this well enough for you to see there is a big difference
between these two actions.  

Oral arginine supplements seem to boost erections in the full spectrum of men, from the
completely healthy to those suffering from advanced cardiovascular disease. In men
without erectile problems, for example, arginine seems to strengthen and prolong
erections. In those with occasional failure, it can reduce the frequency of such
occurrences. In men with more serious so-called vascular impotence due to advanced
atherosclerosis, hypertension, or diabetes, supplemental arginine can gradually begin to
reverse damage and rejuvenate penile function.

Comparable to Viagra, oral arginine may take up to an hour before it enters your system.
But once the arginine begins to convert over to nitric oxide in the endothelium of your
blood vessels, the miracles begin to happen. And the best part is, not only does the sexual
dysfunction become a problem of the past, but the nitric oxide is also repairing your
endothelium, which translates to solving the problem of the lowered nitric oxide levels to
begin with. Soon blood pressure is normal, diabetes is under control, LDL cholesterol is
normal, and best of all…no more prescription drugs, which also contribute to sexual
dysfunction by lowering nitric oxide levels.

You can think of arginine as a “chronic tonic” for your entire cardiovascular system, which
includes your penile plumbing.

What about women?

It is estimated that over 40% of women experience some form of sexual dysfunction
making it, like heart disease, not just a “man problem.”

Sleep researchers recently discovered that it’s not just men who undergo nightly changes
in their sex-organ blood flow pattern. Sleeping women undergo nearly identical changes
as well. To be sure, blood engorgement of the vaginal tissues may be harder to see than
the changes in a penis as it becomes erect, but more  
and more doctors now believe that a healthy sexual response in women is as dependent
on a well-functioning vasculature as it is in men. Vaginal lubrication, for instance, is just
one example of a process that’s highly dependent on ample blood flow in the urogenital
arteries.

Researchers at Stanford University School of Medicine discovered that arginine works to
increase levels of nitric oxide in the body and is potentially a signal molecule for sexual
arousal. Their research showed arginine did significantly improve women’s sexual desire
and overall satisfaction.

The Definitive Proof

The following are just a sampling of studies proving the benefits of supplementing with
arginine (minimum of 5 grams per day) for men and women:

  • Arginine alleviates male impotence (by stimulating the production of nitric oxide, the
    endogenous chemical that stimulates erections in males) (1).
  • Arginine alleviates male infertility by improving sperm count and sperm motility (due
    to its involvement in the manufacture of endogenous spermidine) (2).
  • Arginine enhances (male and female) sexual desire (libido) (3).
  • Arginine enhances (female) sexual performance - due to its role in the production of
    nitric oxide in the clitoris (nitric oxide facilitates female orgasm in the clitoris) (4).
  • Arginine improves (male) sexual performance by providing nitrogen to the nitric
    oxide (NO) molecule that is integral to the achievement of erections - Arginine
    produces erections that are bigger, harder and more frequent. It also increases
    male sexual endurance, i.e. erections that last for a longer period of time (5).
  • Arginine improves sperm count and sperm motility


Safety of Arginine

The recommended dosage for a healthy person is 5 grams of supplemental arginine per
day. For people with cardiovascular problems including sexual dysfunction, a divided dose
of 5 grams taken first thing in the morning and 5 grams taken last thing before bedtime will
give the best results. Unlike Viagra arginine has been shown to be safe in the above listed
studies as well as thousands of others with as high of doses as 50 grams with no known
side effects (8).

Don’t Be Ripped Off

I recently saw an informercial selling a product called Vazomyne. They were making huge
claims about increasing a man’s sexual performance. What I found truly interesting was
they were claiming these powerful results by taking just 500 mg per day of their arginine
tablets, when the recommended dose for sexual enhancement is a minimum of 5000 mg
per day. Now at $39.99 per bottle of thirty 500 mg tablets, that would last you 3 days if you
wanted to take the appropriate amount of 5000 mg, or it would cost you $399.99 for a 30-
day supply.

My point is you do not have to sell one of your kidneys to enjoy love making into your
twilight years. Find an arginine product that is a liquid formulation, which will give you a
faster and better absorption, one that has at least 5000 mg of arginine per dose and one
that is reasonably priced. The price especially matters for all the men who are reading this
report and will be running out to buy a case of arginine for their wives!  

Resources
1. Chen, J., et al. Effect of oral administration of high-dose nitric oxide donor L-arginine in
men with organic erectile dysfunction: results of a double blind, randomized, placebo-
controlled study. British Journal of Urology. 83:269-273, 1999.
2. Papp, G., et al. [The role of arginine and arginase activity in fertility]. Andrologia. 11:37-
41, 1979.
3. Women and sex drive. Life Enhancement. December 1999.
4. Block, W. Sexual enhancement available to women too. Viagra duality: better to NO?
Life Enhancement. July 1998:15-18.
5. Chen J, Wollman Y, Chernichovsky T, et al. Effect of high dose nitric oxide donor L-
arginine in men with organic erectile dysfunction. BJU Int 1999 Feb; 83(3): 269-73.
6. Keller, D. W., et al. L-arginine stimulation of human sperm motility in vitro. Biol Reprod.
13:154-157, 1975.
7. Aikawa K, Yokota T, et al. Endogenous nitric oxide-mediated relaxation and nitrinergic
innervation in the rabbit prostate: the change with aging. Prostate 2001 Jun 15; 48(1): 40-
6.
8. Fideieff HL, et al. Reproducibility and safety of the arginine test in normal adults.
Medicina (B Aires) 1999; 59(3):249-53.

Related link
MAYO CLINIC
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/erectile-dysfunction/HB00074

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To order  A BALANCED L-Arginine
product CLICK HERE

The Stewardship Group L.L.C.
info@stewardshipgroup.net
918.747.7292
Arginine - “The Love Potion”
By Dr. Harry Elwardt, N.D., Ph.D.