L-Arginine May Slow Weight Gain

The amino acid l-arginine is most widely known as a compound important to heart and sexual health. L-Arginine supports heart and sexual health by increasing the signaling molecule nitric oxide in the blood, which in turn works as a vasodilator, increasing blood flow through the body. A dysfunction in the l-arginine-nitric oxide pathway may reduce blood flow and may affect heart and sexual function. A new study from Texas A&M University has found that l-arginine may reduce fat development and lower the risk of developing metabolic syndrome.

The study was conducted on rats that are genetically predisposed toward obesity. At 4 weeks of age, the rats were divided into two groups that received either a high-fat or low-fat diet for 15 weeks. At 19 weeks, the rats from both the low-fat and high-fat diet groups received either supplemental l-arginine or l-alanine (control) for 12 weeks. Each of the test animals was paired with a control animal receiving the same diet. While the rats in all groups consumed similar amounts of food, those in the l-arginine groups had reduced fat mass. The low-fat diet rats reduced their gains by 65% and the rats given the high-fat diet reduced their fat mass increase by 63%, as compared to the respective control groups.

The arginine groups also saw significant increases in specific muscle groups. Also notable in the findings was an improvement in glucose tolerance and lower serum concentrations of glucose and triglycerides, indicators of metabolic syndrome.

The researchers concluded "dietary arginine supplementation shifts nutrient partitioning to promote muscle over fat gain and may provide a useful treatment for improving the metabolic profile and reducing body white fat in diet-induced obese rats."

While it's unknown whether l-arginine supplementation will translate to weight loss or obesity control in humans, the benefits of l-arginine to heart and sexual health is well established. In fact, the 1998 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine was for the discovery of "nitric oxide as a signaling molecule in the cardiovascular system" and l-arginine is one of the best ways to increase nitric oxide in the body.

Whole Health offers l-arginine as part of the ViriLife® High Potency Sexual Support formula. Learn more about l-arginine and our Anti-Inflammatory Support here.

1. Jobgen, W., C. J. Meininger, et al. (2009). "Dietary L-arginine supplementation reduces white fat gain and enhances skeletal muscle and brown fat masses in diet-induced obese rats." J Nutr 139(2): 230-7.