Arginine and Nitric Oxide for the endothelium
Arginine is a semi-essential amino acid and precursor of Nitric Oxide (NO);
Increase arginine to improve pressure
Recently a study was published (university thesis by Francesco Rombolà - Dietician) focusing on the effect of short-term integration with arginine. The examined sample consists of 14 subjects, 7 of which are healthy and 7 diabetic but without complications; the observations lasted 6 months during which the operators detected the blood pressure (systolic and diastolic) and the sphygmic wave (body position: supine, instruments: sphygmomanometer for arterial pressure and oscillometer for pulsatile pressure on the walls of the vessels ); in parallel, the analysis of the state of nutrition and the common blood tests were also carried out.
Through the dietary history the level of overall intake of arginine with the diet was estimated to then develop specific dietary patterns to increase intake. The foods richest in arginine, therefore added in the diet are: pine nuts, leg of guinea fowl without skin, skin of chicken without skin, whole rabbit and turkey; the most suitable cooking methods are: baked, baked, steamed, grilled and microwaved.
The dietary patterns administered were divided into 5 meals of which 3 were main and two were snacks.
NB . The concentration of the other molecules able to interfere with blood pressure altering the results (omega3, polyphenols, flavonoids etc.) has been kept unchanged. The average amount of arginine administered was 8g / day.
The results obtained are excellent; the sample of healthy subjects found a significant decrease in blood pressure while the pulsatile pressure (pulse Nearure - PP) remained unchanged. Diabetic changes have also been observed: the arterial pressure is reduced as well as the PP, while the macrovascular elasticity is increased.
The study confirms that in the "no complication" type 2 diabetic there is however some vascular compromise (affecting the endothelium) towards which it is possible to act by promoting arginine intake. It works by increasing the production of ON and consequently favoring the elasticity of the vessels and / or optimizing vascular compliance .
NB . The bioavailability of arginine depends not only on food sources but also on:
- Amount of Arginase enzyme in intestinal and hepatic cells
- Quantity of transport inhibitors (asymmetric dimethylarginine and n-monomethylarginine).
The study focused on the short term because, according to the results of other research, the administration of synthetic L-Arginine acts positively for a limited period of time, beyond which the parameters return to the initial levels (effect of the increase of Arginase in the enterocytes).
The most important aspect of the study is undoubtedly the decrease in cardiovascular risk (independent) attributable to the improvement of pulsatile pressure (PP) parameters; the administration of arginine alone is not sufficient to restore endothelial function, however it can increase the production of ON by improving the parameter of vascular compliance.
Bibliography :
- Effect of an arginine-enriched diet on vascular compliance ; experimental study on healthy volunteers and patients with diabetes 2 - Francesco Rombolà - Dietary CDL - University of Siena - Magazine of the National Dietitian Association (ANDID) - year 22nd, number II, bimonthly period II ° two months 2012 - pag 6 : 9.
