Table of Contents
- 1 Everything You Need To Know About Arginine
- 2 The Incredible Benefits of L-Arginine
- 3 What is L-Citrulline? What Is The Relationship of Citrulline and L-Arginine?
- 4 What Is L-Arginine Good For?
- 5 How Does L-Arginine Improve Blood Circulation?
- 6 Is There A Best Time To Take L-Arginine or Apply L-Arginine?
- 7 The Takeaway
Everything You Need To Know About Arginine
L-arginine is a type of amino acid, but to truly understand what l-arginine is and how we can benefit from it, we first need to understand the mechanism of amino acids as a whole.
Amino acids are organic compounds and there are 22 found in the human body. When combined, all 22 amino acids join together in multiple ways to form different types of proteins in the body (hair, skin, muscles, antibodies, etc.).
Amino acids are the building blocks of protein and of life. Read The Science of Amino Acids to learn more about the science of amino acids and Top 6 Benefits of Amino Acids You Need to Know to understand the benefits of amino acids.
The Incredible Benefits of L-Arginine
But what happens to the l-arginine once the body produces it? How does our body utilize this amino acid for its benefit?
Below is the summary of l-arginine’s impacts on the body; you can find the detailed biological effects of l-arginine in this article – The Effects of L-Arginine on the Body.
- enhances immune function
- may improve blood flow
- may lower blood pressure
- removes toxins and waste from the body, such as ammonia
- balances hormonal levels and supports reproductive health
- assists in wound healing
What is L-Citrulline? What Is The Relationship of Citrulline and L-Arginine?
To produce l-arginine, the body uses another amino acid, l-citrulline. By supplementing your body with l-citrulline, you may acquire the benefits of this amino acid, as mentioned in this article. – 6 L-citrulline Benefits You May Not Have Known: How it Helps Erectile Dysfunction.
What Is L-Arginine Good For?
Now that we know the functions and benefits of l-arginine, let’s delve deeper into how using l-arginine can be advantageous for the human body.
1. Supports Reproductive Health
Dealing with infertility can be distressing for many couples. Sometimes, even in spite of multiple work-ups, there is no concrete reason for infertility.
Research shows that l-arginine supports fertility by diminishing the symptoms of menstrual disorders. Additional benefits of how l-arginine boosts fertility can be found here – Beneficial Facts of Amino Acids in Fertility.
Supplementing with products like l-arginine circulation cream and l-arginine gel may improve blood circulation in both men and women. Increased circulation leads to an increased libido. In men, l-arginine also may improve the quality of erection and, if arginine is the underlying issue, can boost sperm count. This article – “Best L-arginine for Fertility: What Does It Really Do in Our Body?” explains what l-arginine really does in boosting fertility.
2. Enhances Sexual Health
Are you looking to increase your or your partner’s sex drive, and bring life back into your sexual encounters again?
L-arginine may be the thing you’ve been looking for. Let’s keep reading.
Low libido leads to unsatisfactory sexual health. There are many reasons why we may experience a decrease in libido, but whatever the reason is, research shows that l-arginine improves libido in both men and women. This article – ”How To Increase Sex Drive: Libido Booster” comprehensively discusses low sex drive and how l-arginine tackles it.
Dealing with erectile dysfunction can be emotionally draining, and may lead to lower overall sexual function. However, using l-arginine cream or gel may increase blood circulation to the genitals, thus overcoming erectile dysfunction. To understand how l-arginine may help stimulate performance, read here – Natural Supplements for Erectile Dysfunction.
L-arginine cream can enrich a healthy sex life, which can then have many holistic benefits to follow. Read reap the benefits of healthy sexual function with l-arginine cream.
3. Aids in Bodybuilding
Proteins are the main component of muscles. For this reason, it is encouraged to consume lean meat if one aims to become more muscular or toned. However, cooking meats can alter the composition and efficacy of proteins.
To make up for what has been lost in the cooking process, the fundamental ingredients for manufacturing proteins should be replaced. These are, again, amino acids.
By consuming l-arginine supplements, the body will receive a pure, concentrated form of amino acid necessary to form proteins and augment muscles.
Check out this article “Importance of L-Arginine in Bodybuilding: Definition, Uses, Dosage, & Side-effects” to know the importance of l-arginine in bodybuilding.
4. Help Prevent Hair Loss
Almost everyone deals with hair loss, but it is worrisome when one starts to experience excessive hair loss.
Hair is composed of the proteins keratin and collagen. Thus, supplementing with l-arginine may strengthen hair and fight against hair loss.
5. Assists in Weight Loss
Obesity is a pandemic and many of us have decided it is time to lose unwanted weight for good. Excessive weight gain has detrimental effects on the whole body, many of which do not manifest immediately, but gradually. The journey back is not an easy one and the possible causes for obesity vary from person to person.
If you are struggling to lose weight and maintain it, l arginine may be a possible solution for you. Several research articles such as L-Arginine Functions Properly on Weight Loss show that l-arginine is naturally effective for healthy weight loss, as it interferes with fat metabolism.
How Does L-Arginine Improve Blood Circulation?
L-arginine is also a necessary component for producing nitric oxide. Nitric oxide is a molecule that dilates the blood vessels, thus improving blood circulation. Therefore, by consuming an l-arginine supplement or applying transdermal blood circulation creams, one may improve blood flow within the body.
Why would I want to improve blood circulation? Well, an improvement in blood flow means that:
- blood pressure will be lower
- exercise performance will be better
- there will be a decrease in the occurrence of erectile dysfunction
Click here to find out how nitric oxide boosting supplements may improve your health.
Does L-Arginine Help Individuals With Diabetes?
Diabetes mellitus comes with an array of health issues, one of which is poor blood circulation, particularly in the limbs. Consequently, this often results in a critical complication of lower limb amputation. Unfortunately, Diabetes mellitus is the leading cause of lower limb amputation in the US.
The article – “4 Effective Ways on How to Improve Poor Blood Circulation in Legs and Feet Naturally” explains how l-arginine naturally promotes blood circulation to the limbs. This does NOT mean it will save your limbs but instead we want to give you a piece of the complicated puzzle. Diet, lifestyle, supplementation; these all work together for a healthier body. Do not, however, use l-arginine supplementation if you have gout, as it can exacerbate the issue.
Is l-arginine Good for Heart Health?
L-arginine produces nitric oxide, which improves blood flow, benefitting overall cardiovascular health. L-arginine also helps to maintain the patency of blood vessels by slowing the accumulation of plaque within vessel walls. Check out this article – “L-Arginine Cream: The Natural Remedy to Increase Blood Flow Circulation, Intimacy, Libido, Stamina and Better Workouts” to learn more about how l-arginine may improve blood flow.
Is There A Best Time To Take L-Arginine or Apply L-Arginine?
The best time to take l-arginine depends on what you want to achieve from it.
For weight loss, use l-arginine half an hour before a workout and one hour afterward.
To improve sexual performance, it is best to apply l-arginine cream or gel an hour before sexual intercourse is expected. It is not the little blue pill so don’t expect a 4 hour instantaneous, long lasting effect. It may take several applications to regain what you have lost and for some, it is not the answer and you should check with your doctor for other causes for your issues. Do not apply to the genitals themselves if you are using a cream that contains menthol. You’ll have quite the surprise.
For other uses, one can take l-arginine supplements like Virility Complex in the morning.
The Takeaway
Several types of research demonstrate extensive l-arginine benefits on the body. But a necessary question arises, is l-arginine safe?
L-arginine is considered to be generally safe. Since l-arginine boosts immune function, it should be used cautiously in people with asthma or allergies. Also, do not use it if you have herpes or gout.
However, for most, l-arginine can have many benefits. If you are concerned, check with your natural healthcare provider or your trusted doctor to find out if l-arginine supplements, gels or creams might be a good match for you.