Difficulty achieving an erection, also called erectile dysfunction, may have either a psychological or physical cause. When the problem is physical, it is commonly due to a disorder that affects the circulation and interferes with blood flow to the penis. Cialis is a drug frequently prescribed for erectile dysfunction. Arginine is a natural compound that may also improve the disorder and may be useful when taken together with cialis. Discuss arginine with your doctor to determine if it might be helpful for you.
Physical Causes
Difficulty achieving an erection is often caused by one of several underlying conditions. Examples include diabetes, high blood pressure, heart conditions or neurological conditions such as Parkinson's disease and multiple sclerosis. Each of these disorders may cause changes to your circulation that impair blood flow to various organs, including the penis. Other causes include certain medications such as beta-blockers or digoixin, which are prescribed for heart conditions. Injury to nerves from prostate surgery, spinal cord injury or consuming too much alcohol may also contribute to erectile problems.
Cialis
Cialis is the brand name for tadalafil, a compound that belongs to a class of drugs called phosphodiesterase inhibitors. It acts by blocking an enzyme that degrades a signaling molecule made in smooth muscle cells of arteries, including the arteries that supply the penis. When you take Cialis, the end result is relaxation of arterial walls, causing the vessels to dilate. This increases blood flow to the penis, often allowing a man with erectile dysfunction to have an erection.
Arginine
Arginine is an amino acid that your body either obtains from food or manufactures itself. In addition to its use for many biochemical reactions, arginine also affects the function of your arteries. Smooth muscle cells in artery walls act on arginine to produce a compound called nitric oxide. When nitric oxide is made, it causes the smooth muscle to relax, allowing the vessels to dilate and blood flow to increase. Arginine acts on the same pathway as does Cialis, although it targets a point on the pathway slightly different from the one affected by the drug.
Research and Recommendations
Although no clinical studies have been performed combining Cialis with arginine, a comparable study was carried out and published in the "Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy" in 2003, using arginine with another drug very similar to Cialis. In that study, 92 percent of subjects with erectile dysfunction who took both the drug and arginine for three months were able to achieve an erection. The authors of the study concluded that the combination therapy was very successful.
Arginine is available as a supplement from health food stores and is considered very safe. However, it may cause mild gastric side effects in some people. If you are taking Cialis, talk to your doctor in detail about adding arginine before including it in your regimen.
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