DR MIRKIN ON L-ARGININE
A recent paper from the University of Alberta shows that the popular supplement, L-arginine, probably offers no advantage for athletic competition (Applied Physiology, Nutrition and Metabolism. 2011, 36(3): 405-411).
HOW ARGININE MAY IMPROVE PERFORMANCE
Arginine is an amino acid, a protein building block. In the body, arginine is converted to NITRIC OXIDE which opens blood vessels to increase the flow of blood to muscles.
DISEASED HEART
Theoretically, this could bring more oxygen to muscles and help you to ride faster. It also increases blood levels of GROWTH HORMONE that helps muscles recover faster from hard exercise.
Growth hormone also raises blood levels of INSULIN AND INSULIN-LIKE GROWTH FACTOR-1 that help muscles grow.
WHY ARGININE MAY NOT IMPROVE PERFORMANCE
Most of the studies that show these benefits have been done on non-athletes.
Arginine is usually given to people who have heart trouble and high blood pressure. The few studies done on competitive athletes show conflicting results, which could be due to the fact that nobody knows how much arginine to take to improve performance.
WHY THIS STUDY IS DIFFERENT FROM ALL OTHERS
The authors gave high doses (0.15 g/kg body weight), very low doses (.075 g/kg of body weight), and placebo (no arginine) successively to fit, healthy young men at rest.
Blood was drawn every half hour for three hours after each dose. The authors knew that arginine disappears from the bloodstream two hours after it is taken.
In these healthy young men, both the high and low doses of arginine raised blood arginine levels equally, and did not raise nitric oxide, growth hormone, insulin, or insulin-like growth factor-1.
The author concluded that arginine may benefit older sick people, but it may have little effect on healthy young men. The author has repeated these studies on endurance and strength-trained athletes but has not reported his findings.
Dr. Pinna says:
Arginine, as a supplement for body builders has been used for over a half century. As a medication for heart failure, it is used very rarely. If it works in heart disease it should work in other areas of muscle since the heart is a muscle.
The important thing to understand is that Arginine is an amino acid. YOU DO NOT NEED TO BUY CAPSULES OF ARGININE. SIMPLY EAT MEAT OR PROTEIN POWDER.
You will get more than your body can use. (Look at the list of amino acids in protein powder. You will see arginine listed.)
Popularity: 1% [?]
