Contents

• What is L-Arginine?
• What does L-Arginine do?
• Advantages of L-Arginine
• How does L-Arginine work?
• Side effects of L-Arginine
• L-Arginine dosage

What is L-Arginine?

L-Arginine is a naturally occurring amino acid found in red meat, poultry, fish, and dairy products, and can also be taken in powder form as a supplement.

As an amino acid, its main biological function is its role as a substrate in protein synthesis - the production of proteins by the body.

Another important function is the role it plays in the production of nitric oxide. Nitric oxide is a vasodilator (opens blood vessels), which promotes blood circulation. This allows more blood to reach the muscles, providing them with more oxygen, which is beneficial for both performance and the 'pump' feeling.

What does L-Arginine do?

Arginine plays a number of biological roles. The main functions appear to be:

• Helping to remove waste products from the body
• Maintaining immune and hormone function
• The expansion of arteries
• Contributing to protein synthesis

dosage & side effects

What are the benefits of L-Arginine?

• Improvement of athletic performance
• Regulation of blood sugar levels
• Improved blood circulation

Athletic performance

Arginine increases the production of nitric oxide, which is a vasodilator. As a result, supplementation with arginine increases blood flow and oxygen supply to the muscles. Studies have shown that this has led to improved performance in time to exhaustion, enhanced average power output, and exercise capacity at moderate intensity. This may mean that arginine supplementation can be beneficial for endurance sports participants.

Regulation of blood sugar levels

Arginine has also been studied to see if it can help regulate blood sugar levels, and there is evidence that long-term supplementation with arginine, combined with exercise and a controlled diet, may help to improve glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity in people with type II diabetes.

Blood pressure

Because arginine contributes to better blood circulation, it has been studied whether supplementation with arginine can help with high blood pressure. Although some findings suggest that it may slightly lower blood pressure in healthy individuals, it is important to consult your doctor for the treatment of medical conditions.

How does L-Arginine work?

In the body, L-Arginine is converted into the chemical nitric oxide. This acts as a vasodilator, relaxing and opening the blood vessels, which leads to increased blood flow. This improved circulation can result in numerous health benefits.

Side effects of L-Arginine

Although L-Arginine is generally considered safe, high doses of L-Arginine have been reported to cause side effects such as nausea, diarrhea, and bloating. Arginine has also been reported to worsen asthma symptoms. A doctor should be consulted before using arginine.

Dosage L-Arginine

In clinical studies, the dosage used can vary significantly, with high doses sometimes used for research purposes. For endurance markers, such as increased time to exhaustion and exercise capacity at moderate intensity, a short-term dosage of 6-10 g per day for 7 days has proven beneficial.

In a study on the effects of glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity, a dose of 8.3 g per day was used.

Message to take home

Arginine has several potential benefits due to its role in the production of nitric oxide. When it comes to sports performance, those who participate in endurance sports are likely to see the most benefits, although the current evidence is limited. While there are indications that arginine may help with glucose metabolism, insulin sensitivity, and blood pressure, a general practitioner should always be consulted before self-treating medical conditions with arginine supplementation.