What is Arginine?

Arginine is a complex amino acid and is considered to be conditionally essential.

It does not fall perfectly into the essential or non-essential categories, due to the

fact that arginine can be synthesized in the body at adequate levels for

maintenance in normal adults. The body needs higher levels of arginine when it

is under conditions of stress, illness, malnutrition or injury. When these conditions

are present arginine is essential. There are also some rare genetic disorders in

which the synthesis of arginine is impaired; in these conditions supplemental

arginine is necessary. It is interesting that even in those not deficient in arginine,

beneficial effects were realized by supplementation. In the human body arginine

is most concentrated in skin and connective tissue.

Arginine has many benefits:

• Aids in liver detoxification

• Detoxifies ammonia

• Increases sperm count in males

• Aids in kidney disorders and trauma

• Maximizes protein synthesis

• Helps lower cholesterol

• Stimulates blood flow

• Stimulates cerebral circulation

• Promotes optimum growth

• Helps to reduce body fat and increase lean muscle mass

• Assists the body in collagen production

• Assists in the release of growth hormones

• Enhances immune system function

• Causes retardation of tumor growth

• The actions of L-arginine which are related to its use in cancer treatment

are:

• Inhibits cellular replication of tumors

• Assists in the release of growth hormones

• Enhances immune response