Everything about L-Arginine

L-Arginine belongs to the group of semi-essential amino acids and is commonly used in capsule form by many strength athletes and bodybuilders. L-Arginine is also often included in pre-workout boosters. But what exactly is L-Arginine? In this article from XXL Nutrition, we’ll tell you everything about L-Arginine. By the end, you’ll know what arginine is, its benefits and drawbacks, how much you need daily, and which arginine is the best!

What is L-Arginine?

Have you always wondered what L-Arginine is exactly? Arginine is a semi-essential amino acid. This means that under certain circumstances, it can no longer be produced in sufficient quantities by the body, making it an essential amino acid. Arginine is produced from glutamine, glutamic acid, and proline and plays an important role in the proper functioning of the immune system.

For children, arginine is an essential amino acid. They do not produce enough L-Arginine themselves and therefore must obtain it from their daily diet.

Arginine is used in pre-workouts, but also as a standalone supplement. Athletes use this substance to increase nitric oxide (NO) production.

The function of arginine in your body

L-Arginine has various functions in the body. Its primary function is the conversion into other amino acids, such as ornithine and proline. It is also a precursor of nitric oxide (NO), a molecule that supports processes such as vasodilation, improving the flow of oxygen and blood to your muscles, which contributes to the pump during training.

Arginine is an important component of the building blocks of protein, namely amino acids. Athletes need to get enough of these amino acids because they contribute to various physiological processes in the body.

• Amino acids from proteins contribute to muscle growth.
• Amino acids from proteins help maintain muscle mass.
• Amino acids from proteins support rapid muscle recovery after training or sports.
• Amino acids from proteins support muscle building, strength, and mass.
• Amino acids from proteins play a role in muscle recovery after physical exertion.
• Amino acids from proteins help repair muscle tissue after training or sports.
• Amino acids from proteins stimulate muscle growth and lean muscle mass (in sports).

Which foods contain arginine?

As arginine is a semi-essential amino acid, it’s helpful to include it in your diet. But which foods contain a lot of arginine? Naturally, you’ll find arginine in many protein sources, as it’s an amino acid, and these are the building blocks of proteins. You can find L-Arginine in protein powder, but also in the following protein-rich foods:

• Nuts and seeds
• Meat
• Fish
• Poultry
• Eggs
• Dairy
• Cocoa
• Soy

How much L-Arginine do you need per day?

There is no official guideline for the daily amount of L-Arginine, as this amino acid is found in varying quantities in protein-rich foods. You can assume that if you consume enough protein daily, you are also getting enough arginine. It is generally accepted that a protein-rich diet contains sufficient L-Arginine to meet daily needs. However, for specific purposes like sports and muscle building, supplements are often used. The Dutch Health Council has set a safe upper limit for supplements at 2.3 grams of L-Arginine per day for adults. As long as you stick to this amount, using L-Arginine supplements is considered safe.

Using L-Arginine supplements

L-Arginine supplements are commonly used by athletes to increase nitric oxide (NO) production. This molecule plays a role in vasodilation, improving blood flow to the muscles and enhancing performance during training. Athletes typically take L-Arginine 30 minutes before a workout to experience the maximum effect. Supplements are available in various forms, such as powder and capsules, with capsules often being preferred due to easier dosing.

Is there an optimal time to take it?

For athletes, the optimal time to take L-Arginine is typically 30 minutes before training. This gives the body enough time to absorb the amino acid and stimulate nitric oxide production, leading to better blood flow and improved performance during training. It can also be beneficial to take L-Arginine as part of a stack with other amino acids such as ornithine and GABA, which can enhance each other’s effects on muscle growth and recovery.

Does L-Arginine have any disadvantages or side effects?

Scientific research has shown that arginine supplements are safe, even when taken over a long period of time. Therefore, you don’t need to worry about the disadvantages or side effects of L-Arginine powder or capsules.

However, research has shown that very high doses can lead to bloating, nausea, and diarrhea. For this reason, it’s always important to stick to the recommended dosage when using arginine, as with any other dietary supplements.

Arginine has been deemed completely safe and can be used by most athletes without any downsides. However, there are certain groups of people who should avoid arginine supplements. These include people with asthma, liver cirrhosis, kidney disease, and Guanidinoacetate Methyltransferase (GAMT) deficiency, a congenital disorder affecting arginine metabolism in the body.

Combination of arginine and ornithine

Strength athletes often opt for a combination of arginine and ornithine, as these amino acids enhance each other’s effects. L-Arginine and L-Ornithine are taken together after strength training. XXL Nutrition has combined arginine and ornithine (along with GABA) in the GH Stack.

But what is ornithine, exactly? Ornithine is a non-essential amino acid produced in the liver from arginine. It’s involved in removing ammonia, which is produced when proteins break down in your body.

Buying the best arginine at XXL Nutrition

Looking to buy the best arginine for your workouts? At XXL Nutrition, we work with the highest quality L-Arginine. Arginine is a semi-essential amino acid that has been used by experienced athletes for years. There are plenty of studies showing what L-Arginine can do for an athlete’s body. XXL Nutrition offers L-Arginine in capsule form, making it easy to dose without the need to mix it yourself. For maximum effect, take L-Arginine about 30 minutes before training.

You can also opt for our GH Stack, a powerful and affordable stack that provides you with three semi-essential amino acids at once. These semi-essential amino acids are L-Arginine, L-Ornithine, and Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid (GABA).