Have you ever heard of l-arginine? If not, you’ve likely heard of amino acids — and l-arginine just happens to be an amino acid you can get through either your diet or supplements.
There’s solid scientific evidence showing it could help your health in many different ways.
Here’s some information on how this amino acid works, and why you need more of it in your body.
How it Works
First, your body converts l-arginine into nitric oxide, which helps the blood vessels relax. This, in turn, makes it easier for blood to circulate throughout the body.1
You can get l-arginine from many high-protein foods (such as dairy products and fish) as well as from arginine supplements. And, as long as you can sustain a good supply of l-arginine, your body should continue to have an ample supply of nitric oxide as well.
Health Benefits
Why is this important? Well, as you’ll see, this mighty amino acid is associated with a wide range of health benefits.
Here are just five of the most important.
1. Cardiovascular Health
There is evidence that l-arginine could help people who suffer from angina – a condition that leads to severe chest pain. There is also evidence that taking arginine supplements could help lower blood pressure in healthy people and also in those suffering from a condition known as pulmonary hypertension. This is a form of high blood pressure that affects the right side of the heart as well as lung arteries.
2. Reducing Inflammation
L-arginine helps reduce inflammation as well as the amount of ammonia in the blood.3 This is very important because ammonia is a contributing factor to not only inflammation but also cell death.4
3. Increasing Exercise Efficiency
L-arginine supplements might also play a key role in the production of human growth hormone, or HGH. If you have an HGH deficiency, you might be susceptible to an increase in body fat as well as a decrease in muscle mass. You may also be at risk for bone weakness.
According to research, l-arginine supplementation can increase HGH levels by 100 percent, even while your body’s at rest. It can also raise levels by up to 500 percent during exercise. This is important because HGH helps support a healthy body weight and strong muscles.6
4. Supporting Immune System Health
This powerful amino acid helps boost the strength of T cells, which are key to helping support a strong immune system. T cells help fight harmful viruses and bacteria. According to one study, when the level of l-arginine is increased, it can help re-energize T cells and also help them live longer.7
5. Boosting Reproductive Health in Men and Women
Researchers studied the effect of l-arginine on erectile difficulties. A group of 40 men participated. By the end of the three-month study, more than 90 percent of the participants who received arginine supplements in combination with pine bark extract showed substantial improvement in their conditions.8
According to the results of another study, the combination of l-arginine with several herbs helped to improve pregnancy rates in women who were having trouble conceiving.9
The Bottom Line
So you can see there’s a substantial amount of evidence suggesting that l-arginine may provide major benefits to the body.
However, you should never start taking amino acid supplements without first having a detailed discussion with your doctor. He or she will let you know if it will be safe for you to do so after looking at your medical history, as well as any medications you may be taking.
And, if you do receive permission from your doctor, talk to her about how much of the amino acid you need to get each day.
Learn More:
Eat Your Way to 100: 4 Longevity-Boosting Superfoods to Try Now
How Stress is Destroying Your Microbiome (+ 3 stress-busting tips)
Get Better Abs… By Doing Less, More Effectively (4 tips!)
Sources
1.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22112350
3.http://www.amjmed.com/article/0002-9343(57)90295-4/abstract
4.https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/BF00353945
6.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18090659
7.https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/10/161013125949.htm
8.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12851125
9.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15134155
If you’re suffering from acid reflux or GERD, you might be interested in trying more natural methods to find relief. And probiotics, which are available in supplement form as well as through food, could be an option.
A combination of obesity and high levels of blood glucose can lead to major health problems.3 According to the results of one study, 
You can easily make a healthy, delicious tea at home using either American or Korean ginseng. You can easily purchase some ginseng root at your local health food store.
Apple cider vinegar has been shown to help reduce symptoms in women suffering from a condition known as polycystic ovarian syndrome, or PCOS. This is a hormonal disorder characterized by increased levels of the male hormone androgen, as well as irregular menstrual periods.
Apple cider vinegar contains several organic acids that have been shown to kill Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes) bacteria.
The fermentation process has been used for thousands of years. It was key to preserving vegetables before the advent of refrigerators – even before canning. Fermented food undergoes substantial changes.3
You can buy sauerkraut at just about any grocery store, of course. But if you’re the adventurous type and want to learn more about the fermentation process you can easily make it yourself at home. Here’s how.
Not getting enough water can lead to dehydration. And dehydration is a contributing factor to constipation.2 If you’re all of a sudden finding it difficult – if not impossible – to pass stool, a lack of water might be the culprit.
Many herbal laxatives contain glycosides. These are compounds found in plants that help stimulate the nerves in the gastrointestinal tract, or “gut.” This stimulation may help you achieve a bowel movement.9,10
One way in which altering your diet might help bring constipation relief is to eat more foods that are high in 
Apples also contain copper, a mineral that also helps to promote healthy skin. Copper plays a key role in producing melanin, the pigment that gives your skin its color. But melanin also helps to protect the skin from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays.17
