Arginine Dosage

If you want information on the correct L-arginine dosage for human beings, there's a lot of information you should take into account. Learn what you should take into account when supplementing your diet with this amino acid.

Grains and beans are a great source of L-arginine.

What Exactly Is L-Arginine?

L-arginine is not one of the eight essential amino acids that your body cannot manufacture. Arginine is considered a conditionally nonessential amino acid, meaning that it does not need to be obtained entirely through diet as the human body can usually manufacture most of the amount that it needs (except in the cases of infants, for whom arginine is considered essential.)

While your body can indeed manufacture arginine, it does not make enough to maintain ideal amounts. Folks with poor nutrition or declining health may make even less arginine than the average person, and therefore may need to either eat more arginine-rich foods or take a nutritional supplement.

What Is the Correct Arginine Dosage?

The appropriate dosage of L-arginine may vary depending on your reason for taking it. According to the Mayo Clinic, there are no established amounts of arginine that are recommended for adult human dosing; a common oral dose is two to three grams, three times a day, maxing at about nine grams in a 24-hour period. Often a high dosage is not necessary; in a recent study on the use of arginine to cure erectile dysfunction, the dose given to study participants was only 1.7 grams a day.

While you can take an intravenous form of arginine, this should only be administered by a health care provider. As always, if you're unsure how much to take or have any question, you should consult your doctor or other medical personnel before taking additional nutritional supplements.

When it comes to children (anyone under 18 years of age), it is not recommended that they be given arginine supplements because there is not enough medical data available to assess the risk of serious side effects.

Arginine Benefits and Risks

L-arginine is important for all sorts of important bodily functions, and can provide many benefits:

• Lowering blood pressure
• Improving fertility
• Improving circulation
• Reducing the risk oh cardiovascular disease
• Improving immune system functionality

There are several warnings out there that anyone taking additional arginine supplements should be aware of. For a while there arginine was touted as a preventative measure for heart attacks, but research has found that those already suffering from heart disease increase their risk of fatality by taking arginine supplements. (Romero, et al) Studies have also shown that arginine can increase lung inflammation and worsen asthma symptoms. (Sapienza, et al)

Foods Rich in Arginine

Amino acids are important little molecules.

There are many foods that are rich in L-arginine, and you probably get a fair amount in your everyday life if you eat a relatively healthy diet. Some foods that are known to contain healthy amounts of arginine are:

• Dairy products, such as:
  • Milk
  • Yogurt
  • Cottage cheese
• Meats
  • Beef
  • Pork
  • Chicken
  • Turkey (light meat)
• Seafood
  • Lobster
  • Salmon
  • Shrimp
  • Tuna
• Plant sources
  • Wheat flour
  • Brown rice
  • Raisins
  • Coconut
  • Cashews
  • Pumpkin seeds
  • Sunflower seeds
  • Soy

By eating more of these foods, you will automatically increase your L-arginine intake – which may decrease your need to take a nutritional supplement.

More Information on L-Arginine

If you want to know more about arginine dosage, here are some links that will help you find more information.

• The Mayo Clinic has a very informative page about the uses and dosing of arginine].
• Healthline has a great page with a ton of information about L-arginine and how you may use it to improve your health.
• This article in the Journal of Biomedical Science discusses the potential risks to Diabetes patients who supplement their diet with additional arginine.
• This article discusses the use of arginine to combat erectile dysfunction in men.

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