In this article we are going to examine, what is arginine, what its health benefits are, where can we find it and what is its role in our bodies.

Arginine is a “semi-essential” amino acid involved in the biosynthesis of proteins. It can be ingested from food, but it can also be produced endogenously by the human body, which is why its deficiency is relatively rare.

What is Arginine

Arginine is an amino acid involved in the biosynthesis of proteins. It can be ingested from food, but it can also be produced endogenously by the human body, which is why its deficiency is relatively rare.

Arginine is a semi-essential amino acid. This means that the necessity of its consumption depends on the individual’s condition.

In some situations of high demands, endogenous arginine synthesis is not sufficient to meet the required needs, so it must be obtained from external sources.

Arginine is present in a wide variety of animal and plant products such as meat and poultry, fish, legumes, dairy products, etc.

Here’s a 60 second video on what is arginine to help you better understand the basics behind this amino acid.

What are the roles of arginine?

Protein synthesis

Arginine is an amino acid – the building blocks of proteins. So arginine, like the other amino acids we consume, is used by the body to synthesise new proteins.Proteins have many roles in the functioning of our bodies – from synthesising muscle tissue to catalysing chemical reactions.

Nitric oxide synthesis

Arginine is a precursor of nitric oxide (NO). Nitric oxide in the body acts as an important “biological messenger” – that is, substances that signal the body in response to specific situations or stimuli. Specifically, nitric oxide is a beta (second) messenger.

Second messengers are located inside the cells and cause changes at the cellular level in response to signals from a (first) messenger located outside the cells. Nitric oxide plays an important role in the body’s defense system as well as in vasodilation and thus, by extension, in lowering blood pressure.

Excretion of nitrogenous waste

Arginine plays an important role in kidney function and in clearing the body of waste substances. In the urea cycle, arginine is converted into ornithine and urea, which are two critical substances in the urea cycle.

Because of its role in the urea cycle, arginine indirectly plays an important role in the acid-base balance of the body.

Where do we find arginine?

Arginine can be synthesized in our body either through the recycling of amino acids or through its new synthesis from precursors.

For these reasons, arginine is not considered an essential amino acid.

👉 Note that the term “essential amino acid” does not refer to the importance of the amino acid in the body, but to the necessity of its intake from the diet. Essential amino acids are amino acids that cannot be synthesized by the body and therefore must be obtained from the diet.

However, in certain situations such as stress or very rapid growth, the need for arginine can increase to a point where it cannot be met by the body’s synthesis of it, making it a semi-essential or occasionally essential amino acid.

In addition to being synthesized by the body, arginine can also be obtained from the diet as one of the components of the proteins we consume.

All protein foods will contain an amount of arginine. However, there are certain foods (even foods low in total protein) that are considered to contain a large amount of arginine such as:

Seafood
Sweet potatoes
Nuts
Salt
Red meat
Soy protein
Eggs
Sesame Seeds
Peanut Butter

The arginine we get from the diet – in the absence of conditions that increase the necessary intake and excluding supplementation – is about 20-25% of the necessary intake. The remaining percentage is covered by its synthesis by the body.

Arginine health benefits

Arginine is an extremely important amino acid for various functions in our body – from excreting harmful substances to lowering blood pressure; however, whether supplementation can provide additional benefits is a matter of debate.

Sports performance

Because of its position in the production of nitric acid, which is responsible for vasodilation, it is thought by some that arginine supplementation could improve athletic performance; however, scientific evidence shows mixed results, perhaps with a bias towards arginine not significantly increasing athletic performance.

Blood pressure regulation

Arginine, as mentioned many times above, can help to lower blood pressure due to its synthesis into nitric acid; however, it is important to note that if the individual is already consuming all the necessary amount of arginine needed from the diet, then additional supplementation may not provide additional benefit (since not all of the arginine will be synthesized into nitric acid).

Glucose (sugar) regulation

Nitric acid is an important substance in the Krebs cycle – the metabolic process in which carbohydrates are broken down and produce energy.

Because of this, adequate consumption of arginine is important for sugar regulation; however, similarly to blood pressure regulation, additional arginine than is needed daily may not provide additional benefit to sugar regulation; this makes supplementation rarely necessary.

Improvement in erectile dysfunction

Some research suggests that arginine supplementation may help against erectile dysfunction.

More specifically a meta-analysis of 10 randomized control trials concluded that arginine supplements with dosage ranging from 1,500 to 5,000 mg significantly improved ED compared with placebo or no treatment.

However, more research is needed to find out.

Who should and who should not take arginine supplements?

Most healthy adults do not need an arginine supplement since the combination of production by the body and consumption from the diet usually provides sufficient arginine for optimal body function.

However, certain conditions and diseases make arginine supplementation helpful or even necessary.

Conditions such as:

Pre-eclampsia or risk of pre-eclampsia during pregnancy.
When a woman follows a restrictive diet during pregnancy or breastfeeding.
For recovery from trauma or serious infection.
To combat symptoms of constipation

Recommended Arginine Supplements

Here are some recommended arginine supplements that can help support your arginine needs. These supplements are vetted by our editorial team for quality and safety.

21st Century L-Arginine 1000 mg – 100 Tablets – Each 21st Century’s L-Arginine contains 1000 mg of L-Arginine (From L-Arginine Hydrochloride) and is intended to provide nutritive support for cardiovascular and circulatory health. Dosage is one (1) tablet per day.
Microingredients L-Arginine 1500 mg – 200 Caplets – L-Arginine from Microingredients is perfect for anyone looking to improve their physical endurance, muscle recovery, and overall blood circulation. It’s also GMO-free, preservative-free, sugar-free, artificial color and flavor-free, soy-free, and gluten-free. Plus, it’s been third party lab tested and manufactured in the USA.
Solgar L-Arginine 1000 mg – 90 Tablets – Solgar’s L-Arginine supplement contains 1000mg of L-arginine (free-form) per serving. As a dietary supplement for adults, take one (1) tablet daily, preferably with a meal. Solgar’s L-Arginine is free of gluten, wheat, dairy, soy, yeast, sugar, sodium, artificial flavor, sweetener, preservatives and color.

Final Words

By now you should learn a thing or two on what is arginine. Let’s recap:

Arginine is a semi essential amino acid that has a number of important functions in the body.
Arginine supplements have been shown to improve exercise performance, increase muscle mass, and speed up recovery from exercise.
Arginine may also help improve blood sugar control and reduce inflammation. Arginine supplements are generally considered safe when taken as directed.

However, it is important to talk to your healthcare provider before taking Arginine or any other supplement, especially if you have a medical condition or are taking medication.

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What is Arginine, Health Benefits, Foods, Supplements