This study was conducted to test the efficacy and safety of Citrulline for ED. Also studied was citrulline’s effect in improving erection hardness and sexual frequency in patients with mild erectile dysfunction (ED).
In the present single-blind study, men with mild ED (erection hardness score of 3) received a placebo for 1 month and L-citrulline 1,500 mg a day for another month. The erection hardness score, number of intercourses per month, treatment satisfaction, and adverse events were recorded.
A total of 24 patients were entered and concluded the study without adverse events. The improvement in the erection hardness score from 3 (mild ED) to 4 (normal erectile function) occurred in 2 (8.3%) of the 24 men when taking placebo and 12 (50%) of the 24 men when taking L-citrulline (P < .01). The mean number of intercourses per month increased from 1.37 at baseline to 2.3 at the end of the treatment phase. All patients reporting an erection hardness score improvement from 3 to 4 reported being very satisfied.
The researchers concluded:
“L-citrulline supplementation has been proved to be safe and psychologically well accepted by patients. Its role as an alternative treatment for mild to moderate ED, particularly in patients with a psychologically fear of phosphodiesterase type-5 enzyme inhibitors, deserves further research.”
