L-arginine is an amino acid that is made in the body as well as obtained from your diet. L-arginine is found in foods that contain protein, such as red meat, fish, chicken, soy products, nuts and beans. You can add an l-arinine supplement to your diet orally or by sprinkling it into your cooked foods. Consult a physician before you add l-arginine or any other supplement to your diet.
Uses
Most people have adequate levels of l-arginine in their diet, but supplementing with l-arginine may help some conditions. For example, there is evidence that l-arginine may be useful for improving recovery outcomes after surgery, reducing the amount of fluid around the heart, decreasing angina symptoms, reducing bladder inflammation, treating erectile dysfunction, improving kidney function, treating inflammation of the digestive tract in premature infants, and treating cramping and weakness in the legs associated with blocked arteries.
Dosages
The dose of l-arginine you need depends on your condition, reports the Medline Plus website. For example, 5 grams a day is usually recommended for erectile dysfunction, but between 6 and 20 milligrams a day divided into three doses is recommended for congestive heart failure. Consult a physician to get a recommendation for a dose of l-arginine for your needs. Too much l-arginine can cause death in people with some heart conditions.
Supplements
L-arginine is available without a prescription. You can purchase it at most health food stores, supplement retailers or online natural foods stores. The supplement is available in caplets or powdered form. Choose a form and dose that suits your needs. The caplet form will provide a precise dose without measuring, but the powdered form can be measured and added to food, baby formula or a beverage.
Adding to Food
If you have difficulty taking pills or if you would prefer to mix the supplement into your food, measure the dose of l-arginine with a sensitive food or pharmaceutical scale that can measure grams or milligrams, if applicable. Then mix the l-arginine powder into your food. Read the package instructions to determine if reheating food with l-arginine mixed in will destroy the supplement, or to find out how long the l-arginine will remain stable after it is mixed into the food or liquid.
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