Arginine
Arginine is an amino acid that increases nitric oxide production for better blood flow. Citrulline is often more effective because it is better absorbed.
Clinical dosage
Origin
Natural & syntheticL-arginine is a semi-essential amino acid found in meat, poultry, fish, dairy, nuts, and legumes. Your body also produces it, but not always enough during intense exercise. In supplements usually synthetic via fermentation.
Safety
Arginine is safe at doses up to 9g per day (EFSA). Higher doses (>10g) may cause gastrointestinal issues. It's a precursor to nitric oxide (NO), which widens blood vessels. People with herpes simplex should be cautious, arginine can trigger outbreaks.
For comparison
A 200g chicken breast contains about 2g of arginine. For a sports dose of 6g you'd need to eat 600g of chicken. Interestingly, citrulline is more effective at raising arginine blood levels than arginine itself, because arginine is largely broken down in the gut.
Dosage by weight and gender
The effective arginine dose for sports performance is 3-6g per session (Bailey et al., 2010). Body weight plays a limited role. There are no significant differences between men and women. Because arginine is poorly absorbed through the gut, citrulline is often a more effective choice for NO production.
Frequently asked questions
What does arginine do?▼
Arginine is the direct precursor to nitric oxide (NO), which widens your blood vessels. This provides better blood flow, more pump during training, and potentially better performance. It also plays a role in removing ammonia from your body.
Is arginine dangerous?▼
No, arginine is an amino acid you consume daily through food. Doses up to 9g per day are safe for healthy adults. Higher doses may cause stomach issues. Don't use in combination with blood pressure medication without consulting a doctor.
Is citrulline better than arginine?▼
For NO production and pump, citrulline is more effective because it's not broken down in the gut like arginine. Citrulline is converted to arginine in the kidneys and raises arginine blood levels better than arginine itself (Schwedhelm et al., 2008).
Scientific sources
The clinical dosages on this page are based on peer-reviewed research.
- Acute L-Arginine supplementation increases muscle blood volume but not strength performanceAlvares TS et al. — Appl Physiol Nutr Metab (2012)
Pre-workouts with Arginine
No products found with this ingredient