Why should I use arginine?

A couple sitting together on a yoga mat in a studio.

It’s pretty likely that if you’re reading this, you have probably heard a thing or two about L-arginine (generally just called arginine). But you may not fully know why it’s such a big deal right now. It’s high time that you learn a thing or two about arginine then. Because we, here at Natural Arginine, are such big believers in proper education, we thought we would help you achieve this. So, let’s go over what it is and why people have been using it. Ready to start?

Some of the basics of arginine

Let’s start off with the basic information about arginine. More specifically, what it is.

Arginine is what’s known as an amino acid. These are chemical compounds that the body needs in order to build proteins. The reason why proteins are such a big deal is that they are what makes the body work properly. Every function is achieved through the work of proteins. So, amino acids, like arginine, are incredibly important to your wellbeing.

Despite how important amino acids are to our bodies, we don’t make them ourselves. Instead, we get our amino acids from our diets. That is part of the reason why you need to be sure that you’re eating a balanced diet. Arginine is found in high protein foods, like red meats, fish, and beans, for example. So, if you’re looking for more arginine, eating more foods like that could be a solution. However, that isn’t always an option for everyone.

Sometimes those foods don’t provide enough arginine for you. Sometimes you can’t eat those foods because of a restrictive diet that you are (or have to) be on. This is why supplements, like those made with arginine, exist. They make it easy to get that amino acid that you’ve been missing from your diet.

But this doesn’t answer the question of why people want to take these supplements in the first place.

Why should you use arginine?

Clearly, amino acids are important. But what is that arginine does that has made it such a popular amino acid in recent years?

The main thing that arginine is capable of doing is helping expand narrowed blood vessels. It doesn’t take much to figure out that having narrow blood vessels could be a major issue. However, there is a lot more to this than you may initially think. Because arginine may be able to help open narrowed blood vessels, it could be a more natural alternative to medication that may not be a good option for certain people. 

One of the big things that arginine is used for is helping with hypertension. Sometimes called high blood pressure, hypertension can lead to all kinds of problems, not the least of which is inducing a stroke and severe, permanent damage to your arteries. So, arginine may be able to help reduce hypertension and the risks that come along with it. That being said, if you are on medication for hypertension, you need to talk with your doctor before you start using it. This is because arginine may not mix well with those medications, so you need to be sure that it’s safe for you to use. Also, you should never stop taking your medication unless told to do so by your doctor.

Another thing that arginine may be able to help with is pregnancy-related hypertension. You may be wondering how this is any different than regular hypertension. The difference is that hypertension during pregnancy is not only dangerous for the mother, but for the baby as well. If there isn’t enough blood flowing to the placenta, the baby won’t be getting the oxygen and nutrients it needs. Plus, a lot of pregnant women can’t take hypertension medication as it could be dangerous for the baby. So, arginine may be a more natural alternative. However, like with regular hypertension, you should talk to your doctor before adding arginine to your diet. That way you can be sure that it’s right for you.

Angina is another condition that arginine could be able to help with. As you can probably guess, this is because of arginine’s ability to widen blood vessels. Angina creates sharp, sudden pains in your chest. It is caused by narrowed blood vessels, so arginine could help offer some relief. But, like with the other things that arginine may be able to help with, it may not work well with certain medications. So, be sure to talk with your doctor before adding it to your routine.

Beyond the potential health benefits of using arginine, there are other reasons why people use it. Sometimes, you can’t take the medication needed for your particular condition, whether it’s because of allergies or other reasons. This can be rather stressful if you can’t take medication to help with your condition. Arginine could be an alternative for those who can’t take medication.

As you can see, there are all kinds of reasons to use arginine. The biggest thing is that you check in with your doctor first if you have any of these conditions. These are all pretty serious and it’s likely that you’re already on medication for them if you have one of them. So, you will want to be sure that it’s right for you to use. They will be able to help you know whether you should use it, how much you should use, and if it means that you should keep taking your current medication at the same level. All of these are important things to know about before you dive into using arginine.

So, there you have it, the reasons why arginine is worth trying. If you’re ready to give it a try yourself, then you’re in the right place. Here at Natural Arginine, we provide you with the best arginine supplement around. That way you can start helping your circulation in a quick and easy way. You can check out our two main kinds of arginine on our product page. If you have any comments, questions, or concerns, please reach out to our team! Is L-arginine safe?