Should you take L-arginine supplements before your workouts? These are some of the pre-workout benefits of L-arginine.
If you’re an athlete looking to enhance your workout performance, you’re probably familiar with supplements like L-arginine. While some clinical evidence supports the idea that these supplements are helpful, not all studies agree. However, one area where L-arginine seems to excel at is as a pre-workout supplement.
What is L-arginine?
The body uses L-arginine (also known as simply arginine) to remove ammonia, for hormone secretion, DNA synthesis, and more. You can find arginine in foods such as eggs, milk, meats, peanuts, walnuts, and soy proteins. However, due to the amount in dietary sources, it may be a better option to use arginine supplements for better results.
L-arginine and Fitness
Researchers at Stanford University in California studied the effects of arginine on aerobic capacity in lab animals. Their study, available in the Journal of Applied Physiology, suggests that L-arginine may increase aerobic capacity.
Furthermore, their results also show that arginine enhances the synthesis of endothelium-derived relaxing factor. This process affects the cells that line the blood vessels’ interior surface and boost smooth muscle relaxation.
Many bodybuilders also use L-arginine supplements as a human growth stimulant to increase their muscle and strength gains. Still, even though arginine can increase circulating growth hormone concentration when given through an IV, oral supplements are different. In fact, to get the same results through oral supplementation, you would need to take a high amount that may cause stomach discomfort and diarrhea.
Finally, when it comes to stamina, a team at the University of Exeter in England found some positive results. Also available in the Journal of Applied Physiology, their research shows that arginine supplements may boost stamina during high-intensity workouts. In fact, their study shows that participants taking arginine supplements could exercise up to 20% longer than their placebo counterparts.
The Outlook
Based on the research, it seems that taking L-arginine supplements before exercising will enhance your stamina. Nevertheless, it’s a good idea to be aware of the side effects. While it typically doesn’t cause any serious side effects, consuming large quantities can lead to nausea and diarrhea.
Moreover, arginine can increase your blood vessel dilation, which can result in lower blood pressure. Lastly, if you have kidney or liver damage, be aware that arginine may lead to low potassium and high serum urea nitrogen levels, so it’s not recommended.
However, if you want to take it as a preworkout in doses that are not too high, you may experience a boost to your workouts. In addition, supplements like L-arginine Plus contain additional ingredients that may benefit your overall heart health.
If you want to give your heart health and exercise extra support, then consider taking L-arginine Plus.