Q. Why do I need to take an arginine supplement if I
am getting it in my diet?
A. You simply
are not getting enough in your diet. The average
American diet will contain about 3.3 to 5.4 grams of
arginine while the vegetarian diet will contain
almost one full gram less. Individuals over the age
of 50, who are on a strict 'heart healthy' diet,
take in about 2.6 grams of daily arginine. Arginine
derived nitric oxide (ADNO) is decreased by poor
diets, lack of exercise, age, high cholesterol, high
blood pressure, diabetes and smoking. Because high
concentrations of arginine can overcome the negative
risk factors associated with heart disease and the
average American is not getting enough in their
diet, arginine supplementation simply makes sense.
Q. Can I take too much arginine?
A.
Arginine has long been considered by nutritionists
to be the least toxic of all the amino acids and its
consumption, even in relatively huge quantities,
seems to have very few adverse side effects.
Clinical trials at hospitals in the U.S. and abroad
have repeatedly administered 30 to 50 grams or
arginine safely to patients without reported
problems. Numerous body builders have long taken
large doses of arginine with no reported ill
effects.
Q. What is the recommended daily dosage of an
arginine supplement?
A. The benefits of
arginine supplementation are clearly dose-dependent
and can range from between 5 to 30 grams taken
orally every day.
Five grams of
arginine taken daily appears to be the recommended
dosage for the benefit of increasing nitric oxide
levels in the blood and preventing heart disease and
stroke. However, if you already have a risk factor
like diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol
or scored a D or below on your DPA analysis, then I
would recommend at least 10 to 15 grams per day
until they are all brought under control. You should
then take 5 grams in the morning and 5 grams right
before bedtime. You should avoid eating protein (by
an hour on either side) at the same time you take
the supplement because the other amino acids found
in the source of protein will block the absorption
of the arginine. It is for this same reason you
should avoid buying an arginine supplement, which
might contain any of the other amino acids like
lysine, carnitine, taurine, ornithine, or glutamine.
Arginine is the most sensitive of the amino acids
and the others will block out its absorption.
Stimulation of
the growth hormone will require higher dosages of
arginine to be taken at bedtime on a totally empty
stomach or 30 minutes before a workout. Male body
builders can take 9 to 21 grams depending on body
weight, while women body builders can take 6 to 18
grams.
Q. I can buy arginine supplements at the local
health food in pill form and pay less. Why should I
switch to a liquid formula when it costs more?
A. This is a valid question; however, remember this
fact of life...You get what you pay for! Anytime you
take a pill, it is 10-20% absorbed; a capsule fairs
a little better, it is 20-30% absorbed. This is
according to the Physicians Desk Reference 2002.
The reason a
liquid or powder form of arginine is better, is
because once it is mixed with a couple ounces of
water, or taken straight, it is up to 98% absorbed.
In fact, a liquid will bypass the digestive process
and go directly into the blood steam into the cells
within a matter of minutes. It does not have to
worry about waiting until it arrives in your stomach
where HCL (hydrochloric acid) must break it down and
hope that it fully does before it enters your small
intestine. I have seen x-rays that show pills fully
intact in a person's colon and you can actually read
the name stamped on the pill. According to the
National Advisory Board, 100 mg consumed in a tablet
form translates into a minute stabilized 8.3mg
concentration in the blood.
A recent exit
poll at a health food store revealed that people in
general do not like swallowing pills and would
prefer taking a liquid. Imagine trying to swallow
twelve 500 mg arginine pills (often referred to a
horse pills) in an effort to get what you believe is
6 grams of arginine. When actually you are only
getting about 600 mg to 1000 mg of arginine at best
and if you do the math that relates to actually
taking about 60 arginine pills each day. Now the
cost of your arginine supplementation just went up
by five times. I prefer to drink a shot glass of
liquid arginine because it is easy to swallow, it is
highly absorbable, it tastes great, it's actually
very affordable at $40 per month and most
importantly I am not flushing 90% of the arginine
down the toilet.
Q. Is it safe to take arginine with my medications?
A. First off, anyone who is taking any medications
prescribed by your doctor should continue taking
those medications and certainly consult with your
physician before changing your daily routine of
medication. Going cold turkey with your prescription
drugs could send your body into a tailspin. In the
clinical trials performed over the last twenty years
with the use of arginine, there have been no
contraindications with any of the medications
associated with cardiovascular disease like
cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes and other
heart medications.
At this time
(January-2011) there are no well-known drug
interactions with arginine other than people taking
nitrate drugs (i.e. nitroglycerine) or vasculogenic
drugs (i.e. Viagra), should avoid arginine since
blood pressure may drop too low; however, there have
been no reports of this adverse event.
If you are
monitoring your own sugar level, as in the case of
diabetes, or blood pressure, keep a watchful eye as
your levels begin to drop from taking arginine. When
they remain at a lowered level, ask your doctor to
adjust your medication dosage. My friend, if you are
consistent with your daily dose of arginine, I am
telling you there is great potential that one day
your doctor will have you off all those toxic
chemicals, which do nothing but cover-up the
underlying problem—the lack of nitric oxide in your
blood vessels.
As far as the
cholesterol lowering statin drugs like Lipitor,
Zocor, Crestor, Mevacor or Pravachol, if you read my
book (Let's STOP the #1 Killer in America TODAY),
you would quickly discover I am not a big fan of
these drugs. And it is my professional opinion that
the moment you start to take arginine on a daily
basis and commit to doing this for the rest of your
now much extended life, you can throw away these
toxic poisons forever. You must read my book to
fully appreciate why I am so animate about this, but
I will say that it is not the cholesterol number
that is the issue. It is the oxidizing of the LDL
cholesterol, which then becomes sticky and attaches
to the vessel wall. Arginine prevents the oxidizing
of the LDL cholesterol, thus no plaque build up and
several studies actually attest to the plaque
melting away.
Q. How soon can I expect results?
A. Oral
arginine does not work as quickly as injections of
arginine, but it does appear to work as well.
Increasing your oral intake by only 50 to 100
percent of what you're already receiving from your
food can begin to impact your health positively in a
few short weeks. Many people have reported immediate
changes in their energy levels. It is recommended
that you keep a health journal so you can keep track
of your changes as they happen. Some of the side
effects one can expect are: increase in energy,
improved memory, improved immune system, improved
sleep, loss of weight, increase in muscle tone,
decrease in pain, quicker wound healing, increase in
sexual function and better athletic performance.
Q. Can pregnant women take arginine?
A.
There are studies that show that arginine derived
nitric oxide may benefit a unique form of
hypertension called preeclampsia and may prevent
premature labor and preterm birth. I have had many
women take arginine throughout their entire
pregnancy without any side effects or complications.
Q. Is there anyone who should not take arginine
supplements?
A. Nutritionists have long
considered arginine the least toxic of the amino
acids, and its consumption, even in relatively huge
quantities, seems to have very few adverse side
effects. Numerous bodybuilders, for instance, have
for years chronically consumed much greater
quantities than my recommended dosage, and with no
reported ill effects. Moreover, clinical trials at
hospitals in the United States and abroad have
repeatedly administered 30 to 50 grams of arginine
safely to patients, again without reported problems.
Side effects
are very rare but for 5% of people they may include,
stomach upset or diarrhea (taking some carbohydrates
with arginine will prevent this).
Q. Is it true that arginine can cause an outbreak of
the herpes virus?
A. Arginine cannot
cause herpes outbreaks, but can exacerbate
virus-replication during an outbreak if a low-grade
arginine formula was consumed. The herpes virus
(herpes virus hominis) typically lays dormant in
humans until activated by stress, colds, lack of
sleep, and nutritional factors. Low-grade arginine
formulas can increase replication of the virus, so
make sure you are using a pharmaceutical grade,
quality form of arginine. Lysine is an amino acid
that will prevent and help eliminate the herpes
virus. I would recommend taking 500 mg of lysine
everyday if you know you have herpes and start
taking 1000 mg of lysine with 1000 mg of vitamin C
at the first sign of an outbreak three times per day
and make sure you separate taking arginine and
lysine by at least two hours.
Q. Can I give arginine to my children?
A.
A recent study showed that 60% of five to ten year
old children already have at least on risk factor
for cardiovascular disease; such as, high
cholesterol levels, high blood pressure or diabetes.
In today's fast food society, a single French fry we
feed are children are more carcinogenic then giving
them a cigarette. Both deplete the body of nitric
oxide, which will lead to cardiovascular disease.
There is a concern that arginine used by a child may
cause their body to decrease the output of the
growth hormone and thus stunt their growth process.
However, it is my opinion that giving a child a
small dose of arginine (1 to 2 grams depending on
body weight) soon after eating, can overact the
harmful effects of trans fatty acids found in their
diet and not have any influence on the growth
hormone, which requires an empty stomach and large
doses.
However, if
your child is eating quality meals, getting plenty
of exercise and is taking a one-a-day
multi-vitamin/mineral, then there is no reason for
them to take an arginine supplement.