I don’t know why the forum isn’t leting me post a new thread, so I rather post this info here. I can’t remmember where I found it though, sorry.
The combination of the
nutrients and exercise significantly reduces the risk of atherosclerosis by boosting the body’s production
of nitric oxide, which protects against a variety of cardiovascular disorders, report researchers led by medicine nobel laureate Louis Ignarro from UCLA
Ignarro’s team found that moderate exercise reduced the development of atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries, in mice that are genetically prone to heart disease. Exercise alone has been shown to increase nitric oxide in the body.
But adding the amino acid L-arginine and the antioxidants vitamins C and E to the mix significantly magnified the effect, said Ignarro, who shared the 1998 Nobel Prize for his discoveries in the role that nitric oxide plays in the cardiovascular system.
“This is the first study that shows that if you exercise in addition to taking dietary supplements you have a markedly enhanced production of nitric oxide — in science, we like to call it a synergistic effect,” said Ignarro.
They explain that exercise increases the amount of endothelial NO synthase, an enzyme that converts L-arginine to nitric oxide, which in turn lowers abnormally elevated blood pressure, prevents unwanted blood clotting and early inflammation associated with coronary artery disease, and protects against stroke and myocardial infarction
The antioxidant vitamins C and E work together to remove destructive oxidants from the blood stream, thereby stabilizing the nitric oxide, which can thus rise to higher levels in the blood stream and produce a more beneficial effect
The researcher concluded that simple lifestyle changes - doing moderate exercise, eating a low-fat diet and taking dietary supplements - can make a difference to vascular health. “It works in mice, it’ll work in humans.”
The typical dietary intake of L-arginine is 3.5 to 5 grams daily. Most dietary L-arginine comes from plant and animal proteins. Small amounts of free L-arginine are found in vegetable juices and fermented foods, such as miso and yogurt.
Soy protein and other plant proteins are richer in L-arginine than are animal proteins, which are richer in lysine. It is thought that the possible hypocholesterolemic effect of soy protein is due, at least in part, to the higher L-arginine content in this protein.
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Various doses are used. For cardiovascular health reasons, doses from 8 to 21 grams daily have been used in divided doses. To help aid with sperm quantity and quality, doses of 10 to 20 grams daily have been used in divided doses. Doses of 5 grams daily have been used for erectile dysfunction. Doses of 1.5 to 2.4 grams daily have been used for interstitial cystitis.
Foods rich in L-arginine include seeds, nuts, peas, and chocolate
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