What are the benefits of arginine?


L-Arginine supplements are widely used, including by athletes and people with certain medical conditions such as high blood pressure.

L-Arginine supplements are widely used, including by athletes and people with certain medical conditions such as high blood pressure.

It is also used in clinical settings to treat critically ill or injured individuals with traumatic injuries.

L-Arginine as a supplement offers a variety of potential benefits:

→ Arginine Enhances Athletic Performance

L-arginine supplements may enhance athletic performance by increasing nitric oxide in the body, improving blood flow and oxygenation to the muscles.

A 2017 randomized study of 56 male soccer players found that using 2 grams of L-arginine per day for 45 days of treatment significantly improved athletic performance compared to a placebo group.


Another small study of 9 men also found that those who consumed a drink containing 6 grams of L-arginine 1 hour before strenuous exercise had significantly higher levels of nitric oxide in their blood and were able to prolong their workout and improve tolerance compared to the placebo group.

→ Arginine regulates blood pressure

L-arginine supplements are good for people with high blood pressure to try, because one cause of high blood pressure is blocked blood vessels, and arginine can help open them.


Taking L-arginine supplements may help lower systolic (highest) and diastolic (lowest) blood pressure readings.

L-arginine is necessary for the production of nitric oxide, which helps cells in blood vessels relax, as well as regulating blood pressure.

A 2016 review of 7 studies found that L-arginine supplementation, both orally and intravenously (IV), significantly lowered systolic and diastolic blood pressure in adults with hypertension by as much as 5.4 mm/Hg and 3.1 mm/Hg, respectively.


→ Arginine aids in the management of major diseases

When your body is damaged by conditions such as infection or trauma, arginine becomes essential and your body's need for it increases significantly.


In these specific cases, such as severe infections, infantile necrotizing small bowel colitis, sepsis, burns, chronic illnesses and wounds, as well as before and after surgery, during critical illnesses, and in trauma patients, your body is no longer able to meet its requirements, and will have to augment its arginine levels with external sources.