The Medical Benefits of L-arginine

Eating right is important to maintaining heart health. There are also a variety of health supplements available when you can't eat right. You can also find more answers to your important health questions by visiting med-help.net.

The possible medical benefits of l-arginine are numerous.  Researchers are learning more about what a safe dose of l-arginine can do for the human body every day.  The research mentioned here focuses on the possible benefits of l-arginine to the heart and blood vessels, because this site focuses on the heart.

Weightlifters, body builders and athletes have long been familiar with the benefits of l-arginine, an amino acid responsible for numerous functions in the human body.  The body can synthesize or create it's own l-arginine from other enzymes, but the process is relatively inefficient.  Food sources of l-arginine include nuts and other foods high in protein, such as meats, dairy products and seafood.  It is also found in chocolate. 

Dietary supplements that contain l-arginine are recommended to promote heart health, muscle and vascular function and to prevent "platelet aggregation" (reduce the risk of blood clots) and to lower blood pressure.  A safe dose of l-arginine may be beneficial to men suffering from erectile dysfunction and sterility. 

The Department of Cardiac Surgery in Lodz, Poland released the results of their research into l-arginine function in 2006.  According to their data, it is believed that l-arginine improves blood flow to and from the heart by stimulating nitric oxide release.  Nitric oxide dialates or enlarges the blood vessel.  This is one reason that body-builders have used the supplement to improve the appearance of their muscles.  

The Division of Vascular Surgery and Endovascular Therapy at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston has this to say about l-arginine: "NO (nitric oxide) precursor l-arginine supplementation enhances NO production at sites of venous thrombosis (a clot in a blood vessel). Moreover, l-arginine preserves endothelial vasoreactivity (healthy function of the lining of the blood vessels) and reduces platelet deposition (platelets are cell fragments floating in the bloodstream that are responsible for clots) after thrombolysis in iliac DVT(blood clot removal in the are of the hip). These data suggest that l-arginine may preserve endothelial function after thrombolysis and may reduce the likelihood of postthrombotic syndrome".

Basically, what the researchers are saying is that l-arginine may be beneficial for people who have suffered from had a blood clot.  As a preventitive, it should reduce the likelihood that a blood clot will form. 

A safe dose of l-arginine (75mg) is included in Cardio-Klenz by Xtendlife because it helps to regulate cardiovascular, immune system and nervous system function.  It is also necessary for the production of growth hormone, which is essential for muscle growh.  Another reason that many body-builders use the supplement.

Check back from time to time for more scientific findings on the medical benefits of l-arginine.