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L-arginine users say they can achieve a prosexual effect by taking the amino acid supplement 45 minutes before sex. Pearson and Shaw recommend taking 6-18 grams of L-arginine in combination with 666-2000 milligrams of choline and about a third as much of vitamin B-5 (amounts dependent on sex and weight) one hour before vigorous exercise in order to facilitate the release of growth hormone from the pituitary. And they also point out that you can maximize the GH-releasing effect by avoiding eating any protein or other amino acid supplements (except for choline and phenylalanine) less than 3 hours before or 2 hours after taking the L-arginine. The reason is that these substances compete with arginine for the limited number of molecules available to transport amino acid molecules from the blood into the brain. It is not clear whether these guidelines are relevant if you are taking L-arginine just for sex. Also, since most people take their arginine in a formulation that includes both choline and vitamin B-5, it is not known whether taking L-arginine by itself would have the same prosexual effects. Nevertheless, it seems that as long as you are going to the trouble to take L-arginine, why not take it with choline and vitamin B-5 and get the benefits of GH release too?

As a bonus, the choline and vitamin B-5 may have prosexual benefits all their own. Choline is a major building block of ACh, which transmits impulses in the parasympathetic nerves that supply the genital area and ultimately release NO. Vitamin B-5 is required to produce Ach from choline and cholinergic drugs increase mucous membrane secretions. The two taken together may enhance sexual activity by increasing cholinergic nerve transmission leading to a greater than normal release of NO. (See the next section for more about choline and vitamin B-5.)    HOME