Wizard of Vitamins

Arginine Vitamin

What is Arginine?

The amino acid arginine has several roles in the body, such as assisting in wound healing, helping remove excess ammonia from the body, stimulating immune function, and promoting secretion of several hormones, including glucagon, insulin, and growth hormone.

Arginine in Diets

Dairy, meat and poultry, and fish are good sources of arginine. Nuts and chocolate also contain significant amounts of this amino acid.

Arginine Medicinal Treatments

Angina Congestive heart failure Erectile dysfunction HIV support (in combination with glutamine and HMB) Infertility (male) Intermittent claudication (I.V. only) Interstitial cystitis Pre- and post-surgery health Sickle cell anemia (for pulmonary hypertension) Athletic performance (for body composition and strength) Female infertility (for in vitro fertilization) Gastritis High blood pressure Wound healing

Known Consequences of Arginine Deficiency

Normally, the body makes enough arginine, even when it is lacking in the diet. However, during times of unusual stress (including infection, burns, and injury), the body may not be able to keep up with increased requirements.

Arginine Recommended Dosages

Most people do not need to take extra arginine. While some people with serious infections, burns, or other trauma should take arginine, appropriate amounts must be determined by a doctor. Levels used in research vary considerably (2–30 grams per day). Most research on cardiovascular disease has used between 6 and 20 grams per day. Optimal intakes remain unknown and are likely to vary depending upon the individual.

Arginine Side Effects

For most people, arginine has so far appeared to be free of obvious side effects. However, longer-term studies are needed to confirm its safety. In a double-blind study, supplementation with 9 grams of arginine per day for six months, beginning within 3 to 21 days after a heart attack, resulted in an increase in the mortality rate. Therefore, people who have recently suffered a heart attack should probably not take large amounts of arginine. Arginine is beneficial for other manifestations of heart disease, such as heart failure and angina. However, because of the potential for arginine to cause adverse effects in heart patients, people with heart disease should consult a doctor before taking arginine. There have been two case reports of severe allergic reactions following intravenous administration of L-arginine; however, allergic reactions have not been reported after oral administration. People with kidney or liver disease should consult their doctor before supplementing with arginine. Some doctors believe that people with herpes (either cold sores or genital herpes) should not take arginine supplements, because of the possibility that arginine might stimulate replication of the virus. Administration of large amounts of arginine to animals has been found both to promote and to interfere with cancer growth. In preliminary research, high intake (30 grams per day) of arginine has increased cancer cell growth in humans. On the other hand, in people with cancer, arginine has been found to stimulate the immune system. At this time it remains unclear whether arginine is dangerous or helpful for people with cancer. Arginine works with ornithine in the synthesis of growth hormone. At the time of writing, there were no well-known drug interactions with arginine.