Recently, watermelon has been creating a lot of buzz as the new wonder fruit for fertility. Apparently, it has a couple of natural components that help the body’s blood vessels to relax, increase libido, and promote blood flow. Some studies have even compared the potential effect of watermelon on men to that of Viagra in a sense. Though 92% of watermelon is comprised of water, the remaining 8% includes phytonutrients in the forms of beta-carotene, lycopene, and citrulline. Citrulline is believed to improve sperm count, while lycopene has been a part of fertility diet plans for a considerable time. Therefore, watermelon has a combination of potent nutrients that can boost your chances of conceiving and promote a healthy sexual life.
What is citrulline?
L-citrulline is a rich source of amino acid that has been the subject of a few recent studies. They suggest that L-citrulline has the ability to naturally dilate our blood vessels and thus improve blood flow by converting an amino acid to arginine.
A study and review determined that L-Citrulline – either synthetic or from watermelon – can have a relaxing effect on our body’s blood vessels without the use of drugs. This may help in greater male sexual performance by increasing blood flow to erectile tissue such as the clitoral area in women and the penis in men and thus enhancing arousal. Citrulline increases the availability of L-arginine, another amino acid that in turn improves the synthesis of nitric oxide. So, a robust dilation of blood vessel walls is triggered. It’s extremely vital that inside the uterus a healthy supply of blood reaches the major implantation sites. Poor uterine blood flow can often be the root cause of repeated implantation failure as well as unexplained infertility.
Watermelon can also contribute to a greater sperm count and motility and improved libido in men with regular consumption. According to a 2015 study, another added bonus is that watermelon renders quick results. Nitric oxide bioavailability was seen to improve with a daily dose of 3.4 g L-Citrulline through watermelon juice in just two weeks.
What Is Lycopene?
Lycopene, another component of watermelons, is an antioxidant and carotenoid. Studies have found that lycopene can reduce the risk of cancer, heart disease, and macular degeneration. Watermelon carries approximately 40 percent more lycopene than even raw tomatoes. On an average, one and a half cup of watermelon has approximately 9 to 13 mg. of lycopene. According to some experts, the deep red variety of watermelon can even replace tomatoes as the best source of lycopene.
A study published in the Journal of International Urology and Nephrology found that 66% of the male subjects suffering from idiopathic infertility experienced an increased sperm count, while 53% experienced improved sperm motility after taking oral doses of lycopene for three months. The All India Institute of Medical Sciences also conducted a recent study on the effect of lycopene, the antioxidant present in watermelon, tomatoes, apricots, papaya, and pink grapefruit. Results showed that lycopene can boost sperm concentrations in men with infertility and even six pregnancies followed after the successful trial.
It’s apparent that this refreshing fruit is a rich reserve of nutrients including vitamins A, B6 and C, antioxidants and amino acids like lycopene and citrulline. As an added benefit it is also fat-free, low in sodium and contains about 40 calories every cup. So you should definitely put watermelons on your fertility diet to give your pregnancy attempts a serious boost.
