Ornithine is a metabolite of the amino acid arginine. Arginine and ornithine are purported to stimulate muscle growth and sometimes are recommended for insomnia. However, as of 2011, conflicting information on both of these benefits makes it difficult to determine whether ornithine is effective for either purpose. Ornithine, in fact, may promote insomnia. Consult a doctor before trying ornithine supplements.
Insomnia and Side Effects
Some experts, including Eric R. Braverman, lead author of “The Healing Nutrients Within,” caution that ornithine can cause insomnia if you take more than 10 g per day. It also can cause symptoms that disturb sleep, including nausea and vomiting, according to Braverman, integrative medicine clinical assistant professor at Weill Cornell Medical College. Avoid ornithine if you have schizophrenia because it can worsen your symptoms.
Improved Sleep Theory
Some naturopaths such as Hulda Regehr Clark recommend using ornithine along with other substances, including melatonin, to promote sleep. According to Clark, ornithine removes ammonia and induces sleep because ammonia production in your bowels is frequently a cause of insomnia. Orthonine and arginine can decrease ammonia levels and also increase creatine synthesis, according to “Sports Nutrition,” by dietitian Judy Anne Driskell. Research documenting this does not relate to sleep, however. Driskell notes lowered ammonia levels and higher creatine levels may reduce muscle fatigue, speed athletic recovery and help increase muscle mass. Research on this effect produces conflicting results, however, according to Driskell.
Expert Insight
As of 2011, there is not enough scientific research to recommend using ornithine supplements for any purpose, including promoting sleep. Orthinine is sometimes combined with the amino acid glutamine to produce anabolic, or muscle- and tissue-building, effects. This combination is called orthinine alpha-ketoglutarate. This combination may increase your body’s secretion of human growth hormone, according to an August 2010 “Journal of Nutrition, Health and Aging,” study. Human growth hormone, in turn, can improve sleep by decreasing levels of the stress hormone cortisol at night, according to “The Natural Superwoman,” by Uzzi Reiss and Yfat Reiss Gendell. While orthinine alpha-ketoglutarate is marketed to athletes as an anabolic aid, there’s no evidence that it produces such effects in healthy people, according to “Collins Alternative Health Guide,” by physician Steven Bratman.
Considerations
If you are healthy, you can gain sufficient ornithine and arginine from protein-containing foods such as meat, fish and dairy products, according to Driskell. There is not enough research to establish a recommended dose of ornithine for any purpose, and research on possible toxicity is limited as of 2011. Dosages of 200 mg to 500 mg per 2.2 pounds of body weight appear nontoxic, according to Driskell. However, the long-term effects of taking high doses of orthinine are not known. Seizures have been reported among people taking high doses of orthinine, according to “The Encyclopedia of Nutrition and Good Health,” by nutritionist Robert A Ronzia. Do not take orthinine if you have kidney or liver ailments.
References
- “Sports Nutrition”; Judy Anne Driskell; 2000
- “The Healing Nutrients Within”; Eric R. Braverman, et al.; 2003
- Nutritional Supplements Knowledgebase; Ornithine; 2011
- DrClark.net; Stopping Insomnia; Hulda Regehr Clark; 2006
- Elmhurst College; Urea Cycle; 2003
- “The Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness”; Effects of Arginine and Ornithine on Strength, Lean Body Mass and Urinary Hydroxyproline in Adult Males; R.P. Elam, et al.; 1989
- LivingNetwork.Co; Insomnia; 2011
- “Critical Care Medicine”; Ornithine Alpha-Ketoglutarate Improves Wound Healing in Severe Burn Patients; C. Coudray-Lucas, et al.; June 2000
- “Collins Alternative Health Guide”; Steven Bratman; 2007
- “The Encyclopedia of Nutrition and Good Health;”; Robert A Ronzio; 2003
