# Effect of l-arginine compared to placebo on sexual function in women with major depressive disorder: a randomized controlled trial

## TL;DR

This study found that l-arginine may improve sexual function and reduce depression in women, but the effects were not significantly different from a placebo.

## Contribution

The study is the first to investigate l-arginine's effects on both depression and sexual function in women with major depressive disorder.

## Key findings

- L-arginine improved lubrication and orgasm in women with depression.
- Depression severity decreased in all patients, but not significantly more in the l-arginine group.
- Minimal side effects were observed with l-arginine supplementation.

## Abstract

While some evidence suggests that l-arginine may improve sexual function and alleviate depression, it has not been investigated in women with depression to assess both its effects on the depression and sexual function concurrently.

Patients who had received a diagnosis of major depressive disorder, as determined by predetermined inclusion and exclusion criteria, were enrolled in this triple-blind clinical trial. Patients were divided into two groups: group A, received L-arginine 1 gram twice daily, and group B, received a placebo for four weeks. They were evaluated at baseline, after four and eight weeks with the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS), and Rosen’s questionnaire or Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI).

A decrease in the severity of depression was observed in all patients, which was determined due to Hamilton’s questionnaire (P-value < 0.001). During the time in group A, FSFI increased. Based on the FSFI questionnaire, they had improvement in some domains, including the lubrication index and orgasm index, which significantly changed in the eighth week compared to the baseline (P-value < 0.05). However, these two indicators did not change statistically significantly compared to the placebo group.

L-arginine supplementation can improve sexual function, particularly lubrication and orgasm, and mood in women with depression, with minimal side effects observed. Additional research is necessary to validate these results by examining the effects of higher dosages, extended durations, and larger populations of depressed patients.

Iranian Registry of Clinical Trial: IRCT20100127003210N26.