Blood urea nitrogen, or BUN, is a waste product produced in your liver. Your kidneys excrete BUN to remove it from your body. If your kidneys are not functioning properly, your BUN level may elevate. Arginine supplements can increase BUN production, but healthy kidneys will eliminate the extra BUN and keep the BUN level from becoming elevated. If you have kidney problems, consult your doctor and avoid taking arginine supplements.
Arginine
Arginine is an amino acid that plays a key part in the urea cycle, which enables your body to rid itself of excess nitrogen. Your body converts nitrogen to ammonia. Ammonia then undergoes a series of chemical reactions in the liver that lead to arginine reacting with the enzyme arginase to produce ornithine and urea. The urea cycle is essential for life in humans and other mammals since it rids the body of ammonia, which is toxic.
BUN
BUN is a product of your body's urea cycle. The urea produced in your liver enters your bloodstream in the form of BUN, which travels to your kidneys for secretion. Since impaired kidney function causes BUN to increase, BUN is a common blood test to monitor kidney function. BUN levels will also increase if you eat a high-protein diet, have gastrointestinal bleeding or have any condition that decreases blood flow to the kidneys, such as congestive heart failure or shock. BUN may become decreased due to liver disease and sometimes fluctuates during pregnancy.
Effects of Elevated BUN
Slightly elevated BUN levels cause no symptoms and are nothing to worry about. An excessively high BUN level is a condition called "uremia," which causes symptoms such as confusion, thirst, fatigue, dry mouth and rapid pulse. Uremia can cause a decrease in urination and sometimes an increase in urination at night. You may also experience swelling, abdominal pain and paleness if you are suffering from uremia. Severe uremia is dangerous and can lead to acute kidney failure. Treatment for uremia depends on its severity and can include blood transfusion and intravenous fluids, medications to increase cardiac output and hemodialysis.
Precautions
According to MayoClinic.com, people with asthma should not use arginine because it may increase airway inflammation. Arginine can cause outbreaks in people with the herpes virus and flare-ups in gout sufferers. Pregnant or nursing women should not take arginine supplements because their safety during pregnancy and nursing has not been proven. Also, women with breast cancer should not take arginine supplements. Don't take arginine if you are also taking nitrates, medication for high blood pressure or phosphodiesterase inhibitors such as Viagra or Cialis.
References
- MayoClinic.com: Arginine Safety
- Lab Tests Online: BUN
- MedlinePlus: L-arginine
- Elmhurst College Virtual ChemBook; Urea Cycle; Charles E. Ophardt; 2003
- The Medical Biochemistry Page; The Urea Cycle; Michael W. King, Ph.D.
- Amarillo Medical Specialists, LLP; How to Interpret and Understand your Blood Test Results; William C. Biggs, MD, FACE
- PubMed Health: Prerenal Azotemia
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