Introduction
L-Arginine is an amino acid that has numerous functions in the body. Arginine boosts immunity, reduces blood pressure and also helps with problems related to erectile dysfunction. For example, nuts contain a good amount of Arginine.
Arginine helps the body get rid of ammonia (a waste product), is used to make compounds in the body such creatine, L-glutamate, and L-proline, and can be converted to glucose and glycogen if needed.
Arginine is a nonessential amino acid, meaning it can be manufactured by the human body, and does not need to be obtained directly through the diet.
Functions of L-arginine in the body
L-arginine is used to make the nitric oxide, a compound in the body that relaxes blood vessels. Preliminary studies have found that L-arginine may help with conditions that improve when blood vessels are relaxed (called vasodilation), such as atherosclerosis, erectile dysfunction, and intermittent claudication.
L-arginine is also involved in protein formation. In larger amounts, L-arginine stimulates the release of hormones growth hormone and prolactin.
Classification
In mammals, arginine is classified as a semi-essential or conditionally-essential amino acid, depending on the developmental stage and health status of the individual. Infants are unable to effectively synthesize arginine, making it nutritionally essential for infants. Adults, however, are able to synthesize arginine in the urea cycle.
Arginine (abbreviated as Arg or R) is an α-amino acid, and the L-form, L-Arginine, is one of the 20 most common natural amino acids.
Dietary Sources of Arginine
Arginine is found in a variety of foods, including:
Animal sources: dairy products (e.g. cottage cheese, ricotta, milk, yogurt, whey protein drinks), beef, pork (e.g. bacon, ham), poultry (e.g. chicken and turkey light meat), wild game (e.g. pheasant, quail), seafood (e.g. halibut, lobster, salmon, shrimp, snails, tuna in water)
Vegetarian sources: wheat germ and flour, buckwheat, granola, oatmeal, nuts (coconut, pecans, cashews, walnuts, almonds, Brazil nuts, hazel nuts, pine nuts, peanuts), seeds (pumpkin, sesame, sunflower), chick peas, cooked soybeans, and chocolate.
History
Arginine was first isolated from a lupin seedling extract in 1886 by the Swiss chemist Ernst Schulze.