In addition to harboring a variety of vitamins and minerals, chicken is also a rich source of arginine, per Men’s Health. This amino acid gets converted into nitric oxide (NO) by the body which prompts our blood vessels to relax and widen — a process known as vasodilation, according to a 2019 study published in The Journal of Sexual Medicine. Nitric oxide is thought to be the top contributing factor in attaining an erection. However, findings of a 2017 study published in Andrology found that out of 122 patients with erectile dysfunction, a substantial number had low levels of arginine. A lack of arginine means the less concentrated the body’s nitric oxide becomes, potentially making one more prone to ED.
Eating foods packed with arginine may therefore improve symptoms of erectile dysfunction. In 1 cup of roasted chicken breast, you’ll find 2.62 grams of arginine, via the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). While there are no dietary guidelines regarding the recommended daily intake for arginine, a 2016 study published in the scientific journal Nutrients found that most U.S. adults are consuming approximately 4.40 grams daily with one-quarter of adults getting less than 2.6 grams per day.