Description
L-arginine is a non-essential amino acid. This does not mean that it is not essential or important. It indicates that you do not depend only on your diet to get it. The body produces it, and it is also found in foods like spinach, lentils, soybeans, turkey, seafood, peanuts, and pumpkin seeds.
Heart Health:
The body uses arginine for a variety of functions. When arginine enters the blood vessels, it stimulates cells in the inner layer of your blood vessel wall. These cells produce an enzyme called Nitric Oxide Synthase (NOS). Along with other cofactors, NOS takes the l-arginine and convert it into nitric oxide. Nitric oxide then helps blood vessels to dilate. It does it by moving into the middle layer of the blood vessel wall (called the vascular smooth muscle) and causes the smooth muscle to relax. On relaxing, blood vessels widen, and blood can flow more easily. Blood pressure then lowers, and this maintains a healthy heart.
Besides lowered blood pressure, there are many other benefits of nitric oxide and its effects on blood vessels. L-Arginine is also involved in the synthesis of creatine, L-Ornithine, L-Glutamate, collagen, polyamines, and agmatine. It promotes the secretion of growth hormone from the pituitary gland and is implicated in T cell proliferation and host immune responses. Supplementing with arginine has been shown to improve oxidative metabolism, through an enhanced mitochondrial function, eventually improving physical performance. Athletes often take nitric oxide supplements, a derivative from arginine, to improve their performance because it improves blood flow.
Muscle Support & Repair:
Like other amino acids, L-arginine plays a role in building protein. The body can use the protein to help build muscle and rebuild tissue.
Cholesterol Control:
Arginine has been shown to be more effective than methionine, taurine or glycine in lowering blood cholesterol in experimental animals. Arginine was shown to lowers fat absorption in these animals. Citrulline is an arginine precursor. This amino acid is high in cholesterol-lowering foods such as onions, scallions, and garlic. These foods may lower cholesterol because citrulline is converted to arginine. Arginine can lower cholesterol by no more than 5 – 10%. Consult your health professional before taking arginine to facilitate cholesterol control. Dosages need to be individually calculated.
Male Fertility:
Male fertility in relation to actual sperm count could be improved with the intake of arginine. Consult your health professional for dosages.
Blood Sugar Control:
L-Arginine plays essential roles in various metabolic pathways, including glucose metabolism. L-Arginine could be used as an additional strategy for patients with diabetes, especially in the early stages of the disease, to prevent or at least slow down complications involving other organs. Numerous clinical studies have confirmed the reduction of blood pressure and platelet aggregation in diabetic patients treated with intravenous L-Arginine. Also, intravenous injections of L-Arginine in obese Type 2 Diabetes Miletus patients have been shown to stimulate insulin reactivity, restoring insulin-dependent vasodilation. On the other hand, long term oral administration of arginine improves sensitivity to hepatic and peripheral insulin sensitivity in type 2 diabetic patients. A recent comparative study has shown that oral supplementation with L-Arginine (5 g/day for 14 days) improves vascular and microvascular health in elderly women with or without Type 2 Diabetes Miletus.
Directions for use:
Start with 1ml of L-Arginine powder per day dissolved in a little water and build up to a 1/2 or full teaspoon, or as directed by your health professional. Ensure all side effects and interactions have been considered.
Side effects and Interactions:
- Can cause abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhoea, gout, and blood abnormalities.
- Can make allergy symptoms and asthma worse.
- Lowers blood pressure. If on blood pressure lowering medication, caution in using Arginine should be exercised as blood pressure could drop too low.
- Should be used with caution for people with cirrhosis.
- Evidence suggests l-arginine makes herpes worse as it counteracts l-lysine.
- Can cause dangerously high potassium levels in people with kidney disease.
- Must not be taken 2 weeks before a scheduled surgery.
- When taking medications that increase blood flow to the heart (nitrates), taking l-arginine with these can cause dizziness and light-headedness.
- Sildenafil (Viagra). Like medications for blood pressure, taking l-arginine with sildenafil (Viagra) can cause blood pressure to be too low.
Ingredients:
- 100% L-Arginine powder.
- Easy to digest & absorb.
- Dairy-free & gluten-free.
- Sodium-free.
- Suitable for vegans & vegetarians.
- Kosher & Halal.
- No artificial colours, flavours, or sweeteners added.
Warnings:
- Do not exceed recommended dosages unless advised by a healthcare provider.
- Do not use this product if you are allergic to any ingredients.
- If you are pregnant, nursing, taking any medications, or have any medical conditions, please consult your healthcare practitioner before taking this supplement.
