Arginine: properties and benefits

The arginine is a non-essential amino acid, that our organism can produce by itself, and whose precursor is the ortinina (which has a fundamental role to reduce body fat and build muscle).

While is true that we can find arginine in a wide variety of plant and animal foods, in recent years has increased its consumption as a supplement powder by athletes and professional bodybuilders and amateurs who seek to promote the growth and resistance of their muscles, due to its help in muscle growth.

Of course, considering the main ones side effects of arginine, its artificial consumption must always be carried out under medical supervision, an issue that in most cases does not occur.

Benefits of arginine

Considering that arginine is a non-essential amino acid and that we naturally find it in a wide variety of foods, there is no doubt that it is particularly useful to discover some of the main benefits of arginine:

  • Strengthens the immune system, so it is useful to increase defenses.
  • Regulates hormones and blood sugar.
  • Promotes and improves male fertility.
  • Necessary for the proper functioning of the liver.
  • Fundamental for the proper functioning of the skin, joints and musculature.
  • It helps the elimination of toxins from our body.
  • Promotes the production of useful proteins to repair the wear of muscle tissues.
  • Increases levels of growth hormone.

Foods rich in arginine

Following a healthy diet and a balanced diet we can enjoy an optimal consumption of arginine, since we can find this non-essential amino acid in a wide variety of foods.

For example, we can find it in foods like rice, cereals and nuts. Also, we can highlight the milk and dairy products, eggs and meats such as chicken, veal and fish.

Basically, we can indicate that the foods richest in arginine are protein foods.

Recommended daily amount of arginine

As we will see in the next section, the consumption of arginine as a supplement should always be done under the control of a doctor, especially due to the reactions that excessive consumption can cause in our body.

With reference to the recommended amount of daily arginine that can be consumed to enjoy the main properties of arginine, we must bear in mind that the dose of arginine goes in relation to the weight.

For this reason, many specialists recommend taking low doses of between 3 to 5 grams a day, never exceeding these amounts.

In relation to what time of day to take it, it is useful to know that the doses can be divided to take them before and after the treatment.

Beware of the consumption of artificial arginine

As we indicated at the beginning, for many years in many sports nutrition stores we can find arginine cans as a powder supplement. Considering that it is a useful supplement for muscle growth, there is no doubt that its increase in consumption is understandable.

However, what very few people originally know is that the consumption of arginine as a powder supplement must be done under medical supervision.

Why? Mainly because an overdose or an excessive consumption of arginine can cause nausea, weakness, hypotension, diarrhea and weakness.

Image | micsten This article is published for informational purposes only. You can not and should not replace the consultation with a Nutritionist. We advise you to consult your trusted Nutritionist.

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