Men who downed the drink -- which has been hailed as a superfood -- every day for a month reported better performances in the bedroom.

The juice is thought to be rich in antioxidants that boost blood supply to the male genitals. It does this by raising levels of nitric oxide, a chemical which "relaxes" blood vessel walls.

Scientists believe it works in a similar way to anti-impotence drugs such as Viagra, which also increase nitric oxide supplies.

One in 10 men is affected by erection problems and many are successfully treated with prescription drugs like Viagra or Cialis.

But the latest study, published in the Journal of Impotence Research, suggests pomegranate juice could be a drug-free alternative.

Scientists at The University of California in Los Angeles found 47 percent of volunteers reported improvements after drinking the juice.

Dr. Christopher Forest, who led the study, said: "Pomegranate juice has great potential in the management of erectile dysfunction."

However, he stressed the numbers involved in his pilot study were too small to be conclusive and called for bigger studies to be carried out.

Source: Daily Record; Glasgow (UK). Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. Powered by Yellowbrix.

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