L Arginine

Scientific Name:  2-amino-5-(diaminomethylidene amino)petanoic acid (C6H14N4O2).

Other Names:  Arg, R.

L-arginine, or arginine, is one of the twenty most common natural amino acids. 

It is considered a semi-essential or conditionally essential amino acid in mammals dependent upon their developmental stage, infants cannot produce enough of this nutritionally essential amino acid. 

Adults can synthesize it during the production of urea, the dominant nitrogenous product in mammalian urine, known as the urea cycle.

Origin:  L-arginine was first extracted from lupin seeding in 1886 by Swiss chemist Ernst Schulze (a common flowering plant in northern Europe and North America). 

Since then, it has been found in many dietary sources.

Sources of L-Arginine: As a dietary supplement, L-arginine can be found as pills (capsules or tablets) and is also included in many energy drinks as an “active ingredient”. 

However, there are also many foods rich in L-arginine, including wheat germ, seeds, nuts, beef, pork, and even chocolate.

Home Remedies using L-Arginine:

Benefits and Uses of L-Arginine:

L-arginine is an essential part of the cell division process. 

It is also important in the removal of ammonia from the body, as well as the regulated release of hormones, the functionality of the immune system, and the healing of wounds. 

L-arginine is also required for the synthesis of creatine and is used to help the body produce citrulline and glutamate. 

In addition, L-arginine is a precursor of urea, nitric oxide, and agmatine.

In combination with pycnogenol or yohimbine, L-arginine has shown much promise in treating erectile dysfunction. 

As a precursor of nitric oxide, which can be used to relax the blood vessels and allow them to expand, it is used for vasodilatation, aiding in the treatment of vascular diseases.

Side Effects of L-Arginine:

A link has been discovered between the use of L-arginine as a supplement in patients recovering from heart attacks and an increased rate of death. 

The substance can also increase the production of growth hormone, leading to various excessive growth conditions and perhaps even affecting the growth rate of cancerous cells. 

Some sources claim that L-arginine assists in releasing prolactin, an estrogenic compound in association with lactation, that may curb the secretion of testosterone.