Sunday, May 26, 2013

Sunday's Dietary Supplements: L-arginine

L- arginine is an amino acid which converts into Nitric Oxide. Bodybuilders have supplemented with it for years, as Nitric Oxide acts as a vasodilator, meaning it signals the blood vessels to open wider. This allows for more blood and nutrients to come in and feed the muscle, spelling bigger pumps, better conditioning, more strength and faster recovery. Some whey protein supplements already have Nitric Oxide in them As a serious bodybuilder, this dietary supplement is one heck of a thing to consider to be in your arsenal. Let's face it, we all love the feeling of big veins and a muscle filled with blood.

Added Benefits 

Aside from this, L-arginine has been shown to boost immunity by sweeping up the free radicals in the body, thus helping the typical bodybuilder to recover and defend himself/herself from the effects of stress induced by lifting. It has also been proven to help the kidneys and their job of regulating the salt in the body. Also, considering the vasodilating effects of Nitric Oxide, it has been used to treat certain  heart conditions, blood pressure issues and erectile dysfunctions (good news for a lot of people, I imagine).

Natural Sources:

L-arginine is found in foods such as nuts, seeds, brown rice, raisins, cereals, chicken, chocolate, corn, dairy products, meats and oatmeal. It's an amino acid so expect that nature is abundantly supplied with it.

Supplement Timing and Dosage

According to Dwayne Jackson, PhD, and Jim Stoppani, PhD, L-arginine is best taken 30 minutes to 1 hour before the workout. A good dose would be 3-5 g with a piece of fruit or water to speed up the absorption rate. Too much L-arginine can cause weakness and nausea. There are some who say L-arginine is better taken in cycles. Experiment on when to go off the cycle and back to maximize the effects without desensitizing your body.


No comments:

Post a Comment