COLLEGE STATION, TX — Just in time for the American Independence Day holiday, science reveals that a refreshing seasonal favorite affects men’s bodies like Viagra, potentially adding hours of celebration to the festive days. In addition to being packed with moisture, Texas scientists who specialize in seedless watermelons say their flesh and rinds contain citrulline, with the rind containing an impressive 60-percent more than the flesh. When absorbed into the body, citrulline releases a compound that relaxes blood vessels in a way not unlike that used by Viagra.
When large amounts of citrulline is eaten – perhaps at a 4th of July picnic – it changes into arginine, a heart, circulatory, and immune system friendly amino acid. With nitric oxide boosted, blood vessels relax, just like with medication targeted at erectile dysfunction.
“Watermelon may not be as organ-specific as Viagra, but it’s a great way to relax blood vessels without any drug side effects,” Bhimu Patil, a researcher and director of Texas A&M’s Fruit and Vegetable Improvement Center explained to the Associated Press.
North Carolina State University watermelon expert Todd Wehner caution those excited about the idea of saving money and still rocking the house all night not to toss out their little blue pills.
“It sounds like it would be an effect that would be interesting, but not a substitute for any medical treatment,” he observes.
The study, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, also found that the elevated levels of nitric oxide can improve a variety of other cardiovascular ailments, including angina and high blood pressure. Additionally, it is possible that studying citrulline and arginine in combination may be useful in the study of type-2 diabetes and obesity.
How much watermelon might one need to consume before feeling its affect? According to Lane, OK USDA researcher Penelope Perkins-Veazie, it takes about six cups full.
In addition to possible trips to the bathroom, Perkins-Veazie worries that the sugar rush to the bloodstream could cause cramping.
Patil believes that science can both boost the varying amounts of citrulline and reduce the amount of sugar found in watermelons. Citrulline is most plentiful in yellow-fleshed varieties, although it is present in all colors. It is found in small amounts in cucumbers, cantaloupe – and is especially abundant in bitter walnut seedlings, which gives it an obvious disadvantage when compared to watermelon.
