Scientists: Watermelon yields Viagra-like effects
By BETSY BLANEY
Associated Press Writer
1 hour, 9 minutes ago
A slice of cool, fresh watermelon is a juicy way to top off a Fourth
of July cookout and one that researchers say has effects similar to
Viagra =97 but don't necessarily expect it to keep the fireworks all
night long.
Watermelons contain an ingredient called citrulline that can trigger
production of a compound that helps relax the body's blood vessels,
similar to what happens when a man takes Viagra, said scientists in
Texas, one of the nation's top producers of the seedless variety.
Found in the flesh and rind of watermelons, citrulline reacts with the
body's enzymes when consumed in large quantities and is changed into
arginine, an amino acid that benefits the heart and the circulatory
and immune systems.
"Arginine boosts nitric oxide, which relaxes blood vessels, the same
basic effect that Viagra has, to treat erectile dysfunction and maybe
even prevent it," said Bhimu Patil, a researcher and director of Texas
A&M's Fruit and Vegetable Improvement Center. "Watermelon may not be
as organ-specific as Viagra, but it's a great way to relax blood
vessels without any drug side effects."
Todd Wehner, who studies watermelon breeding at North Carolina State
University, said anyone taking Viagra shouldn't expect the same result
from watermelon.
"It sounds like it would be an effect that would be interesting but
not a substitute for any medical treatment," Wehner said.
The nitric oxide can also help with angina, high blood pressure and
other cardiovascular problems, according to the study, which was paid
for by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
More citrulline =97 about 60 percent =97 is found in watermelon rind than
in the flesh, Patil said, but that can vary. But scientists may be
able to find ways to boost the concentrations in the flesh, he said.
Citrulline is found in all colors of watermelon and is highest in the
yellow-fleshed types, said Penelope Perkins-Veazie, a USDA researcher
in Lane, Okla.
She said Patil's research is valid, but with a caveat: One would need
to eat about six cups of watermelon to get enough citrulline to boost
the body's arginine level.
"The problem you have when you eat a lot of watermelon is you tend to
run to the bathroom more," Perkins-Veazie said.
Watermelon is a diuretic and was a homeopathic treatment for kidney
patients before dialysis became widespread.
Another issue is the amount of sugar that much watermelon would spill
into the bloodstream =97 a jolt that could cause cramping, Perkins-
Veazie said.
Patil said he would like to do future studies on how to reduce the
sugar content in watermelon.
The relation****p between citrulline and arginine might also prove
helpful to those who are obese or suffer from type-2 diabetes. The
beneficial effects =97 among them the ability to relax blood vessels,
much like Viagra does =97 are beginning to be revealed in research.
Citrulline is present in other curcubits, like cu***bers and
cantaloupe, at very low levels, and in the milk protein casein. The
highest concentrations of citrulline are found in walnut seedlings,
Perkins-Veazie said.
"But they're bitter and most people don't want to eat them," she said.
Copyright =A9 2008 The Associated Press.
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