Everyone knows that you should eat whole foods and exercise regularly to stay healthy. However, supplementing your diet with additional vitamins and minerals is an excellent way to ensure you’re giving your body what it needs to function properly and reduce the instance of disease. L-arginine is an amino acid naturally produced in the body. Research into this amino acid has found that l-arginine supplements can improve certain health conditions.
Erectile Dysfunction
The inability to attain or maintain an erection is known as erectile dysfunction. Although it can happen to any man at any time, it is more prevalent in older men due to the effects of aging on their sexual reproductive systems. It’s a condition that many men find humiliating and devastating to have. Fortunately, there are natural supplements that can help, and l-arginine is one of them.
Research into the effects l-arginine has on erectile dysfunction was conducted in 1999. In the study, 50 men were given either 5 gram of l-arginine or a placebo each day. The men who took the amino acid showed significant improvement in sexual function after six weeks. It is believed l-arginine assists the action of nitric oxide, which helps increase blood flow to and relaxes the sexual organ. To obtain the effect, however, men must take the supplement on a daily basis.
Improve Heart Health
A human heart beats about 100,000 times per day. Like the brain, it’s an organ that never stops working. Due to diet, stress, and other factors, the heart can become damaged. The result is reduced function that can produce serious consequences for other organs in the body.
A 2000 study found that l-arginine may improve heart function in people who have congestive heart failure. Other studies have also found the supplement can alleviate the symptoms of angina, improve the function of blood vessels, and increase exercise tolerance in people with this condition. People with hypertension who took the amino acid intravenously experienced a reduction in blood pressure.
L-arginine supplements can help improve or maintain your health. Talk to your doctor to determine if adding this amino acid to your diet is right for you.