Go Ad-Free
logoThe People's Perspective on Medicine

Will Arginine Cream Boost Sexual Response?

Q. At my 40th high school reunion, we indulged in some “girl talk.” My dear friend told us about arginine cream. She got a prescription for this to improve her sexual response and swears it is working well. The instructions are to apply it to the clitoris about 20 minutes before sexual activity.

Is this too good to be true? I’d like to get good information on this compound and I hope you can help.

A. L-arginine is an amino acid found in many foods. It is a building block for nitric oxide, a powerful natural vasodilator.

When L-arginine cream is applied to the feet of people with diabetes, it appears to improve blood flow and temperature (Diabetes Care, Jan. 2004). We could find no published research on the effectiveness of L-arginine cream for female sexual dissatisfaction, but a clinical trial is pending.

Rate this article
star-fullstar-emptystar-fullstar-emptystar-fullstar-emptystar-fullstar-emptystar-fullstar-emptystar-fullstar-emptystar-fullstar-emptystar-fullstar-emptystar-fullstar-emptystar-fullstar-empty
3.8- 6 ratings
About the Author
Terry Graedon, PhD, is a medical anthropologist and co-host of The People’s Pharmacy radio show, co-author of The People’s Pharmacy syndicated newspaper columns and numerous books, and co-founder of The People’s Pharmacy website. Terry taught in the Duke University School of Nursing and was an adjunct assistant professor in the Department of Anthropology. She is a Fellow of the Society of Applied Anthropology. Terry is one of the country's leading authorities on the science behind folk remedies..
Tired of the ads on our website?

Now you can browse our website completely ad-free for just $5 / month. Stay up to date on breaking health news and support our work without the distraction of advertisements.

Browse our website ad-free
Join over 150,000 Subscribers at The People's Pharmacy

We're empowering you to make wise decisions about your own health, by providing you with essential health information about both medical and alternative treatment options.