How does L-Arginine Benefit You

L-Arginine is a non-essential amino-acid that has several functions in the human body. The body is able to make this amino-acid on its own and there are various natural sources from which L-Arginine can be derived. People who have certain medical conditions are told to intake L-Arginine supplements as its deficiency can cause several health problems. L-Arginine is extremely beneficial for the human body. We will be taking a look at the important benefits, but before that let us take a look at the foods which are high in L-Arginine.

Foods High in L-Arginine
L-Arginine is found in foods such as beef, chicken and turkey. Milk products are also high in L-Arginine. Mozzarella cheese, milk, buttermilk should be included in the daily diet to maintain the required levels of L-Arginine in the body. Peanuts, almonds, walnuts and hazelnuts have approximately 2-3 grams of L-Arginine per 100 grams. Legumes also contain good amounts of L-Arginine with kidney beans, french beans and black beans being the good selections. Soybeans and grains contain around 3 grams per 100 gram serving.

Benefits of L-Arginine
L-Arginine helps in strengthening the immune system of the body. It helps in achieving increased activity of the thymus gland, which is responsible for manufacturing the T-cells in the body. The T-cells, along with several other factors determine the strength of the immune system. More the T-cells, better the immune system and lesser the chances of illness. L-Arginine is therefore very important for preventing tumor growth and in the fight against AIDS. Let us go through a list of benefits of L-Arginine:

• Several researches have found that L-Arginine is beneficial for people suffering from cardio-vascular diseases. This is primarily because of the fact that L-Arginine helps in nitric-oxide synthesis. Nitric oxide widens blood vessels and increase the supply of oxygen to the body.
• L-Arginine supplements are used by body-builders as it has the ability to increase the protein synthesis of the body. As mentioned earlier, L-Arginine helps in increasing the oxygen supply to the body by widening the blood vessels, therefore bodybuilders usually take it in the form of supplements to increase their stamina for strenuous exercises.
• L-Arginine has also proved to be beneficial in treating erectile dysfunctions and increasing the sperm count in men. Researches have also found that L-Arginine increases the libido in both men and women.
• Some other benefits of L-Arginine include reducing the blood pressure, helping the body in healing injuries and burns, treating headaches (when combined with ibuprofen) and relieving leg pains.

Dosage
As L-Arginine is a non-essential amino-acid, that is, the body is able to make L-Arginine required to carry out the important activities, therefore FDA has not established a recommended dose. As research on L-Arginine is still in early stages, doctors are still not sure about the recommended dosage. It is however seen that most of the physicians agree that the L-Arginine dosage should not exceed more than nine grams in a 24-hour time-period. The manufacture of L-Arginine shakes and pills is not regulated closely, so it is very important that you carefully choose a trustworthy name or consult a physician or the pharmacist before taking L-Arginine.

Side-Effects
There are some potential side-effects of L-Arginine as an overdose can aggravate certain health problems and cause harm to the body. Some people may experience stomach pain and bloating after taking L-Arginine. Other side-effects are nausea, vomiting and headaches. Higher doses can worsen ulcers and can also increase blood sugar levels. So, people with diabetes should consult their doctors before taking L-Arginine. Pregnant women should stay away from L-Arginine it is not yet known whether L-Arginine is safe enough to be used in pregnancy.

This was some information on the benefits and side-effects of L-Arginine. Although, L-Arginine is known as the 'miracle molecule' because of its innumerable benefits, it is advised to take it in recommended amounts.