L-arginine is an amino acid used to help generate creatine, improve blood flow and remove certain waste products from your body. People who have metabolic alkalosis, a condition in which your body fluids have an unusually high pH, may benefit from treatment with L-arginine hydrochloride or HCl, Drugs.com reports. Talk with your doctor about the potential side effects associated with L-arginine HCl before receiving this intravenous treatment.
Injection Site Irritation
This treatment is administered as an injection into a vein in your arm. Following receipt of an L-arginine HCl infusion, you may develop mild skin irritation at the injection site. The skin surrounding the site may appear unusually red or may be tender or painful to the touch. Sensations of numbness or tingling may also develop near the injection site. If the irritation persists or becomes severe, consult your doctor for further evaluation and care.
Flushing
The skin across your body may become abnormally flushed as a side effect following L-arginine HCl infusion, RxList warns. You may also notice that your skin feels itchy or tingly or is warm to the touch. Flushing side effects generally subside within a few hours following L-arginine HCl treatment.
Stomach Upset
You may experience stomach irritation as a side effect of this treatment. Nausea and vomiting may occur and may result in a temporary loss of your usual appetite. Seek additional care from your medical provider if you experience recurrent bouts of vomiting, because it may elevate your risk of becoming dehydrated.
Headache
Headache pain may develop as a side effect of L-arginine HCl, MayoClinic.com reports. Sensations of discomfort may develop across any region of your head and may be mild to severe. Taking an over-the-counter pain medication may help reduce headache side effects, though headache pain typically subsides within a few hours of treatment.
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