Dr. S Nagaraju

#1 Boosts Immunity

Oranges is an excellent source of vitamin c. A single medium-sized orange can fulfil about 72% of your daily requirement for vitamin c. Since vitamin c plays a crucial role as an antioxidant by protecting your body against the damage caused by free radicals generated in the body. It therefore reduces inflammation in immune related conditions like rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. Although debatable, researchers suggest that vitamin c also plays an important role in strengthening immune responses of the body, protecting against recurring cold and cough or any other common infections. Here are 11 ways to include oranges in your diet.

#2 Helps prevent ageing of skin

There's a reason why oranges are popularly used in the beauty industry. Several beauty products including face packs, masks and creams that are available contain orange extract as a key ingredient. That's because vitamin c present in oranges also helps prevent skin damage, by eliminating free radicals. Vitamin c, being involved in synthesis of collagen, an important component to maintain skin's overall appearance and texture, prevents premature aging and wrinkling of the skin. Apart from vitamin c, oranges are packed with vitamin a that help keep the skin membranes healthy. Here are 8 fruit packs you can make at home for beautiful skin.

#3 Protects the eyes

Vitamin a in oranges helps keep mucus membranes in the eyes healthy. Available in the form of carotenoid compounds like lutein, beta carotene and zeaxanthin, vitamin a is protective against age-related macular degeneration, a vision-related condition that causes blindness. Besides, it also plays an important role in allowing your eyes to absorb the light. You may also read tomatoes- natural remedy for good vision.

#4 Help prevents heart disease

This is yet another health benefit of oranges which is attributed to its vitamin c level. Free radicals generated during various reactions taking place in the cells can trigger oxidation of cholesterol, causing the oxidised molecules to aggregate and stick to the walls of the arteries. This leads to build up of plaques that eventually block the arteries, causing heart attack, coronary artery disease or even stroke. Vitamin c in oranges takes care of these free radicals and neutralises them, thus playing a role in preventing heart disease. Besides they also contain flavonoids like hesperidin that lowers cholesterol level and prevents the arteries from getting blocked.

#5 Helps brain development

Folate/folic acid or vitamin b9 present in oranges promote brain development and keep the vital organ in mint condition. In fact, these nutrients also make orange a healthy fruit for pregnant woman as it prevents the baby from having neurological disorders later. Oranges also contain phytonutrients called polyphenols that play a role in development of learning and memory functions of the brain.

#6 Helps prevent cancer

Oranges contain a compound called d – limonene that has been shown to play an important role in preventing various types of cancer like lung cancer, breast cancer, skin cancer, etc. Additionally, the antioxidants and vitamin c help promote the body’s immunity which helps in fighting cancer cells. Oranges are highly fibrous fruits, which contributes to its cancer-protecting effect. A study revealed that about 10 to 15 per cent of colon cancer cases are caused by mutations in the dna. These mutations can prevented by consuming vitamin c rich sources like oranges. Here are some other health benefits of vitamin c you should know

#7 Pevents constipation

Oranges are a very good source of soluble and insoluble fibre, which helps keep your stomach and intestines healthy by preventing problems like irritable bowel syndrome. The fibre content in them adds bulk to the digested food and reduces transit time of feces, preventing constipation and straining.

#8 Improves sperm quality

Death is inevitable, but our legacy may live on through our offspring. The antioxidants and vitamin c present in most fruits, including oranges improves the quality and motility of your sperm thus keeping you fertile. Another vitamin called folic acid also is an essential nutrient for maintaining healthy sperms that you can obtain from oranges. It also protects the sperm from genetic damage, which might lead to birth defects.

#9 Great for diabetics

The rich fibre content of oranges has the ability to keep a track of sugar levels in the body, preventing diabetes. It is also a good option for those who are diabetic. Also worth mentioning is that good oranges have a sweet taste, and since diabetics aren’t allowed to eat sweets or other sugary foods, they can eat oranges to tingle their taste buds.

#10 Prevents hair loss

Orange has high vitamin c content which is required for producing collagen which, in turn, is responsible for keeping the tissues in your hair together. Nobody likes bald patches on their head, and eating oranges can ensure that you do not have to part with your lovely hair as you grow older.

Sildenafil (Viagra), whose function is to inhibit a substance called Phosphodiestarase-5 or PDE5 - was initially used only for the treatment of angina pectoris (a cardiovascular problem) and pulmonary hypertension. Incidentally, it was discovered that it could help the issue of erectile dysfunction too, and thus became hugely popular in the late 1990s. The little blue pill, as it was called, ruled more than 50% of the sexual dysfunction market for more than 15 years. However, as its popularity and usage increased, so did the scientific information about this drug, and now there is an increased speculation that it could be contributing to skin cancer, specifically melanoma. This is considered as one of the most dangerous forms of skin cancer and so the safety of Viagra sildenafil came into question.

Research has shown that users of Viagra sildenafil are at a higher risk for developing melanoma. There are reports stating that about 45 million men are at an increased risk of developing melanoma due to associated Viagra sildenafil use. The risk of developing melanoma was found to increase in men using ED drugs by 21%. Though there is no conclusive proof as yet that sildenafil is the cause, research is increasingly pointing out its role in melanoma. For example, PDE5 inhibitors (sildenafil, tadalafil, vardenafil) are known to promote melanin synthesis, which may exacerbate melanoma development.

The analysis of biochemical pathways of this correlation suggests that Viagra sildenafil triggers a special biochemical action involving the growth-stimulating cGMP (cyclic guanosine monophosphate (an intracellular signaling molecule) which in turn promotes the growth of malignant melanoma. In normal cases, the enzyme phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) regulates the cGMP preventing any adverse cellular activity. Sildenafil inhibits the production of this enzyme, and potentiates a specific cGMP-related biochemical mechanism (called cGMP-cGKI pathway) , and thereby contributes to malignant melanoma. This has been proven to happen in mice and is yet to be proven in humans.

However, there are also reports which suggest that this does not happen due to Viagra sildenafil per se, but due to greater exposure to sun, which even otherwise increases the chances of skin cancer in general, and melanoma in particular. The countering theories also say that the population in which skin cancer was detected, comprised mostly of high income individuals who spent a significant amount of time holidaying on beaches and are not connected to the extensive use of Viagra per se. 

Therefore, though there is a correlation that has been established, there is no definite proof that Viagra sildenafil causes skin cancer. It is however, advisable to use ED drugs after medical consultation. If a patient has a genetic predisposition to develop melanoma, it is advisable to seek medical advice before the use of ED drugs. Occasional use should not be harmful. Also, when going out in the sun, limiting exposure to direct sun and UV protection should be managed too. If you wish to discuss any specific problem, you can consult a sexologist.