Researcher Retreats on Sexual Enhancement Claim for Watermelon

Med Page Today ^ | 7/3/08 | John Gever

[Born Conservative]

COLLEGE STATION, Tex., July 3 -- Chalk up the widely publicized report that watermelons can enhance erections, much like a certain PDE-5 inhibitor, to a stretched version of the truth by a university PR officer seeking a good story for the Fourth of July.

A somewhat red-faced plant scientist, who was quoted extensively in a Texas A&M press release, backed away from claims that the summer picnic staple actually can promote erections. But he didn't abandon the notion entirely.

Bhimu Patil, Ph.D., director of the Fruit and Vegetable Improvement Center at Texas A&M, said he was sorry that a press release, issued by the university, referred to the well-known erectile dysfunction drug in its headline.

Hundreds of news outlets around the world picked up the release, which archly suggested that watermelon "may be better suited for Valentine's Day."

"That's because scientists say watermelon has ingredients that deliver Viagra-like effects to the body's blood vessels and may even increase libido," according to the release.

In reality, studies at Texas A&M and a nearby U.S. Department of Agriculture lab in Oklahoma have found that watermelon contains high levels of citrulline, which is converted into arginine in the human body.

Arginine is the raw material from which nitric oxide, the powerful vasodilator critical to penile erection, is generated in vivo.

But according to Dr. Patil, as well as physicians familiar with erectile biology, no studies have shown that boosting arginine -- through high-citrulline foods, arginine supplements, or other means -- promotes erectility.

[yorkie01]

Let’s hope that Bhimu Patil, Ph.D., director of the Fruit and Vegetable Improvement, investments in Texas watermelons paid off.

[Alia]

Ping.

[Alia]

Oh, well. Another story to add to the “strange fruit” annals.

[reagan_fanatic]

Great. Now what am I going to do with all these watermelons I bought?

[Loyal Buckeye]

BIG WATERMELLON speculator. Time for Congressional hearings.

[Sender]

Now think about it. This story broke sometime before Independence Day. Traditionally, grocery stores stock up on huge, perishable shipments of watermelons for backyard picknickers over the Independence Day weekend. Someone's gotta buy all those watermelons.

It was a brilliant marketing ploy by the melon barons.

[Islander7]

BINGO! We have a winner!

[MinuteGal]

"Nevertheless, Dr. Patil said his laboratory is going ahead with a breeding program to increase citrulline levels in watermelons, in confidence that it will be beneficial".

Who approves the government grants for this kind of crappola research, anyhow? I guess funneling tax money into university departments doing cancer or Alzheimer's research wouldn't be as much fun as studying erections via watermelons.

Leni

[wildbill]

what he meant to say was that “Watemelons engenders erectability in some A&M students” instead of ‘promotes’ erectability in humans.

Aggies always plug a watermelon to see if it is edible.

[nikos1121]

sorry lost my head

[BruceysMom]

Lemon-Mint Vodka Spiked Watermelon
Recipe courtesy Tyler Florence
Show: Food 911
Episode: Big Surf Clambake
1/4 cup sugar
2 lemons, juiced
1 (750 ml) bottle vodka
2 fresh mint sprigs
1 whole watermelon, 10 pounds or larger

Dissolve the sugar in the lemon juice. Pour out 1/4 cup vodka and add the lemon mixture and the mint sprigs to the bottle. Cap, shake, and let sit from 1 hour to overnight for the flavors to develop.

Cut a plug from the watermelon about 3-inches deep and as big around as the top of the bottle. Upend the bottle into the hole and let it sit for a couple of hours or until most of the vodka lemonade has been absorbed into the watermelon. Re-plug the watermelon and refrigerate it for a few hours. Slice and serve.

[webheart]

Well, after hearing about the amazing effects of watermelon, I started consuming them nonstop all weekend long. I cannot attest to any improvement in my ineterspousal relations, but I will say that watermelon has some incredible laxative properties.

[neverdem]

Thanks for the ping. I haven’t read it yet, nor the Peds paper on lipid screening, nor another paper on low fat diets that I was given the title. It’s a FReebie too. I’ll link it shortly. Somehow, I think the governmental advice on diet has been a tragedy of errors, at least from the epidemic of obesity.

[neverdem]

Ping