May 2004
Esquire Drug of the Month: Vivaxl
Chances are you wouldn't mind being happier. And I'd bet that you wouldn't object
to a leaner body, a stronger immune system, and the sex drive of a bonobo. (Bonobos
have more sex and are generally happier than any other primate, including humans.)
Arginine, an amino
acid and the main ingredient in a new product called Vivaxl,
claims to do all of the above, and then some.
How can this be? Arginine promotes a process called nitric-oxide release. Nitric-oxide
release is good.
It boosts circulation by relaxing blood vessels in the brain and
the body (including the region below your belt). Arginine also inhibits somatostatin,
a substance that reduces your body's production of human growth hormone—the stuff
that keeps us young and frisky.
And the catch is . . . You can't just shovel in a bunch of arginine and hope for
the best. Your body needs to process it at precisely the right dosage, which is
2,800 milligrams (the amount contained in a packet of Vivaxl). Ingredients also
include an energy-bolstering mix of B vitamins and ginseng.
Fun fact: Helps detoxify your liver by neutralizing ammonia. Does it work? I tried
Vivaxl on a day when I was feeling hungover, foggy, and low-voltage. In less than
thirty minutes, I felt a noticeable lift in mood. I was somewhat more compelled
to get off the couch, and I definitely felt sharper. But after a week of drinking one or two packets a day, the lift diminished. So I took a few days off. When I
went
back to Vivaxl, the happy buzz returned at full force. As for the enhanced-erectile-function
claim, well, you'll have to tell me. Where to buy: Nutraceutics.com; $49.99 for
a box of twenty packets.