December 12, 2012 by: Raw Michelle
(NaturalNews) Arginine is a health bolstering amino-acid with a heap of beneficial effects, and that can be easily acquired from plant sources. While it is not an essential amino acid in adult humans, low arginine intake can weaken the body and pave the way for an array of health problems.
The many benefits of arginine
Arginine has been described as pro-sexual, because it supports a healthy sex drive in both men and women. Arginine also plays an important role in wound healing, immunity, detoxification and can even reduce mental stress, depression and anxiety.
The human body is able to synthesize some amounts of arginine on its own, but unfortunately that quantity is not sufficient. Moreover, preterm infants cannot synthesize any arginine themselves, and that is why they must obtain it from their diets.
A Japanese study published in 2007 showed that arginine, in conjunction with fellow amino-acid lysine, can significantly decrease cortisol levels, which become elevated in response to stress. This could be particularly helpful for people who are struggling with muscle wasting because their bodies are producing too much cortisol. The tiny amino acid also functions as a natural growth hormone stimulator, and can help build body muscle and improve overall physical performance.
Since it can improve blood flow to the genital area, arginine works as a natural treatment against erectile dysfunction. In women, arginine has been shown to help improve sexual response, especially after menopause. Arginine was also found to reduce blood pressure in people suffering from hypertension.
Food sources of arginine
Vegan food sources of arginine include whole grains, granola, peanuts, oatmeal, cashews, pecans, coconut, seaweed, seeds, chick peas, watermelon, lentils, and spinach. Some research suggests that arginine may help fight obesity by promoting skeletal muscle gain and reducing the total fat mass of the body. Consuming too much arginine (over 16 grams) can have some unpleasant side effects, such as nausea or diarrhea, but such high amounts cannot be ingested without taking arginine supplements in pill form.
Some studies suggest that a high arginine intake may have additional curative properties. A recent study published in the American Journal of Physiology brings new hope to diabetics suffering from diabetic foot. More than 80 percent of foot amputations in diabetics are a result of diabetic foot ulcers that could not be treated because of the foot's inability to heal properly. The research found that the healing of diabetic foot ulcers can be vastly improved by having an arginine and proline rich diet.
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About the author:
Raw Michelle is a natural health blogger and researcher, sharing her passions with others, using the Internet as her medium. She discusses topics in a straight forward way in hopes to help people from all walks of life achieve optimal health and well-being. She has authored and published hundreds of articles on topics such as the raw food diet and green living in general. In 2010, Michelle created RawFoodHealthWatch.com, to share with people her approach to the raw food diet and detoxification.
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