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L-Arginine and the pre-workout craze

Benjamin Carnine Dept. of Health & Kinesiology Texas A&M University. L-Arginine and the pre-workout craze. The Current Trend. L-Arginine and its various isoforms are being produced in pure supplement form i.e. pills, powders

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L-Arginine and the pre-workout craze

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  1. Benjamin Carnine Dept. of Health & Kinesiology Texas A&M University L-Arginine and the pre-workout craze

  2. The Current Trend • L-Arginine and its various isoforms are being produced in pure supplement form i.e. pills, powders • Its being added to most pre-workout drinks in combination with other performance enhancers i.e. creatine, beta alanine, & caffeine

  3. What is L-Arginine? • Amino acid • Naturally produced by the body • Can be obtained from food sources such as dairy, beef, pork, poultry, seafood, granola, wheat germ, & nuts • Known for its possible promotion of Nitric Oxide (NO) levels causing vasodilation of blood vessels via cGMP

  4. The L-Arginine Performance Enhancement Theory • Vasodilation results in increased blood flow = More efficient nutrient delivery system to active muscle = Efficient waste removal system • NO also mediates muscle functions such as force, power, protein synthesis, & mitochondrial biosynthesis

  5. Other Functions… • Boosts immune function & aids in wound healing • Needed to synthesize Creatine • Needed to eliminate toxic nitrogen compounds

  6. What Causes NO to be Released During Exercise? • With the onset of Exercise, Cardiac output is increased and blood flow is redirected to working muscle • This causes an increase in shear stress thus stimulating the endothelial cells to release NO

  7. The “L-Arginine Paradox” Pollock et al. • [NOS] in body is ~ 3 umol/L • [L-Arginine] in plasma of both healthy & unhealthy people ranges from 40 to 100 umol/L • It seems physiological concentrations of L-arginine are enough to saturate the enzyme • So is supplementation benefitting through other pathways?

  8. Conclusions • Studies on acute & chronic supplementation have showed some benefits in varying areas of performance • None of these studies looked at the underlying mechanisms of action however • It cannot be concluded that L-Arginine supplementation specifically improves performance through NO stimulation in healthy people yet • Further research is needed to declare L-Arginine an effective ergogenic aid

  9. Sources • Mayo Clinic (website) • Review Article; L-Arginine as a Potential Ergogenic Aid in Healthy Subjects by Alvares et al. 2011 • Alternative Medicine (website)

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