L-Arginine
Amino Acid ·Exploratory record · not publication-reviewed ·Updated July 13, 2026
Precursor to nitric oxide, supporting blood flow and cardiovascular health.
Exploratory record, not a reviewed medical publication.
See the editorial and medical-review policies for the publication gate.
This generated database record has not completed a claim-level review by a qualified human medical reviewer. Bibliography links and evidence labels are not approval. The page remains available for reference and is excluded from search indexing.
What the research says.
A quick, data-only summary. The full evidence, dosing, and sources are below.
L-Arginine is an amino acid most often used for blood flow, cardiovascular health, exercise performance. NutriStack rates the overall evidence as strong. A typical adult dose is 3-6 g daily, commonly taken as l-arginine hcl or l-citrulline (better bioavailability). This profile indexes 19 sources.
The bottom line
Evidence rating strong. Most-documented uses: blood flow, cardiovascular health, exercise performance. 19 sources indexed (2011–2025), with 0 interaction records on file.
How it works, mechanistically.
Core mechanism
Converted to nitric oxide (NO) by nitric oxide synthase (NOS). NO relaxes vascular smooth muscle, improving blood flow. Also supports growth hormone release and wound healing.16,13
Dosing & protocol.
Empty stomach preferred for exercise; with food to reduce GI6,2
What it actually costs.
Real-world pricing across three quality tiers. Assumes L-Arginine HCl.
Assumes 3-6 g/day. Vendor basis: BulkSupplements powder, NOW Sports/iHerb, Vitacost, and Amazon marketplace; powder is much cheaper than capsules. Updated 2026-05-28.
The same dose, as food.
How much you'd eat to match a supplemental dose.
Whole foods provide arginine within protein and alongside other amino acids.
Full safety detail.
Side effects
- GI discomfort
- Bloating
- Low blood pressure
Contraindications
- Herpes simplex (may trigger outbreaks)
- Recent heart attack
- Guanidinoacetate methyltransferase deficiency
Sources, by evidence tier.
Numbered references. Citations throughout the page link here.
Meta-analyses & systematic reviews
14- 1L-Arginine and L-Citrulline for Prevention and Treatment of Pre-Eclampsia: A Systematic Review and Meta-AnalysisPMIDMakama M, McDougall ARA, Cao J et al. · BJOG : an international journal of obstetrics and gynaecology · 2025
Makama M, McDougall ARA, Cao J et al.. L-Arginine and L-Citrulline for Prevention and Treatment of Pre-Eclampsia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. BJOG : an international journal of obstetrics and gynaecology. 2025
- 2The influence of arginine supplementation on IGF-1: A systematic review and meta-analysisPMIDNejati M, Dehghan P, Safari S et al. · Clinical nutrition ESPEN · 2023
Nejati M, Dehghan P, Safari S et al.. The influence of arginine supplementation on IGF-1: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Clinical nutrition ESPEN. 2023
- 3Efficacy of L-arginine and Pycnogenol ® in the treatment of male erectile dysfunction: a systematic review and meta-analysisPMIDTian Y, Zhou Q, Li W et al. · Frontiers in endocrinology · 2023
Tian Y, Zhou Q, Li W et al.. Efficacy of L-arginine and Pycnogenol ® in the treatment of male erectile dysfunction: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Frontiers in endocrinology. 2023
- 4The use of oral and enteral tube-fed arginine supplementation in pressure injury care: A systematic review and meta-analysisPMIDCheshmeh S, Hojati N, Mohammadi A et al. · Nursing open · 2022
Cheshmeh S, Hojati N, Mohammadi A et al.. The use of oral and enteral tube-fed arginine supplementation in pressure injury care: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Nursing open. 2022
- 5l-Arginine in Mitochondrial Encephalopathy, Lactic Acidosis, and Stroke-like Episodes: A Systematic ReviewPMIDStefanetti RJ, Ng YS, Errington L et al. · Neurology · 2022
Stefanetti RJ, Ng YS, Errington L et al.. l-Arginine in Mitochondrial Encephalopathy, Lactic Acidosis, and Stroke-like Episodes: A Systematic Review. Neurology. 2022
- 6Effect of l-Arginine Supplementation on Blood Pressure in Adults: A Systematic Review and Dose-Response Meta-analysis of Randomized Clinical TrialsSource linkedPMIDShiraseb F, Asbaghi O, Bagheri R et al. · Advances in Nutrition · 2022
- 7The effect of L-arginine supplementation on maximal oxygen uptake: A systematic review and meta-analysisPMIDRezaei S, Gholamalizadeh M, Tabrizi R et al. · Physiological Reports · 2021
In 11 RCTs, L-arginine supplementation significantly increased VO2 max compared to control. L-arginine in pure form significantly increased VO2 max (WMD 0.11 L/min, I2=0.0%). No significant heterogeneity was observed.
- 8Effects of Arginine Supplementation on Athletic Performance Based on Energy Metabolism: A Systematic Review and Meta-AnalysisPMIDViribay A et al. · Nutrients · 2020
Arginine showed positive impact on sport performance through NO-mediated mechanisms, but results were controversial and not uniformly significant.
- 9Acute L-arginine supplementation and exercise performance: a systematic reviewSource linkedPMIDViribay A, Burgos J, Fernandez-Landa J et al. · Nutrients · 2020
- 10The effect of l-arginine supplementation on lipid profile: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trialsPMIDHadi A, Arab A, Moradi S et al. · British Journal of Nutrition · 2019
In 12 RCTs, L-arginine supplementation significantly reduced serum triglycerides (WMD -7.04 mg/dl, p<0.001) but did not significantly change total cholesterol, LDL, or HDL levels.
- 11Therapeutic Benefits of l-Arginine: An Umbrella Review of Meta-analysesPMIDBai Y et al. · Journal of Chiropractic Medicine · 2016
Evidence supports L-arginine supplementation for reducing blood pressure in hypertensive adults and reducing hospital-acquired infections.
- 12Effect of oral L-arginine supplementation on blood pressure: a meta-analysis of randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trialsPMIDDong JY et al. · American Heart Journal · 2011
Oral L-arginine supplementation significantly lowered systolic BP by 5.39 mmHg and diastolic BP by 2.66 mmHg compared to placebo across 11 RCTs.
- 13Effects of L-arginine supplementation on blood pressure: a meta-analysisPMIDDong JY, Qin LQ, Zhang Z et al. · Am Heart J · 2011
SBP reduced 5.39 mmHg, DBP reduced 2.66 mmHg via nitric oxide pathway
- 14Oral L-arginine supplementation and blood pressure: a meta-analysis of randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trialsSource linkedPMIDDong JY, Qin LQ, Zhang Z et al. · Am Heart J · 2011
Randomized controlled trials
1- 15A Single Dosage of l-Arginine Oral Supplementation Induced Post-Aerobic Exercise Hypotension in Hypertensive PatientsSource linkedPMIDVarious authors · Nutrients · 2022
Reviews & position papers
2- 16Role of L-Arginine in Nitric Oxide Synthesis and Health in HumansPMIDWu G et al. · Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology · 2021
L-arginine is the substrate for nitric oxide synthase (NOS); NO production is essential for blood pressure regulation and immune function.
- 17Effectiveness of Arginine Supplementation on Wound Healing in Older Adults in Acute and Chronic Settings: A Systematic ReviewPMIDWong A et al. · Journal of Wound, Ostomy, and Continence Nursing · 2019
Arginine supplementation contributed to improved pressure ulcer healing in older adults, with international guidelines recommending arginine-enriched nutrition for stage 2+ pressure injuries.
Reference material
2- 18Menichini D, Feliciello L, Neri I et al.. L-Arginine supplementation in pregnancy: a systematic review of maternal and fetal outcomes. The journal of maternal-fetal & neonatal medicine : the official journal of the European Association of Perinatal Medicine, the Federation of Asia and Oceania Perinatal Societies, the International Society of Perinatal Obstetricians. 2023Source linkedPMID
- 19Arribas-López E, Zand N, Ojo O et al.. The Effect of Amino Acids on Wound Healing: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis on Arginine and Glutamine. Nutrients. 2021Source linkedPMID
Common questions.
Quick answers about L-Arginine, drawn from the data on this page.
What is L-Arginine?
Precursor to nitric oxide, supporting blood flow and cardiovascular health.
What is L-Arginine used for?
Commonly cited benefits of L-Arginine include: Blood flow; Cardiovascular health; Exercise performance; Wound healing. NutriStack rates the overall evidence as strong.
What is a typical dose of L-Arginine?
A typical adult dose of L-Arginine is 3-6 g daily. The commonly recommended form is L-Arginine HCl or L-Citrulline (better bioavailability). These are general ranges, not personalized advice; confirm the right dose with a clinician.
What are the side effects of L-Arginine?
Reported side effects include gi discomfort, bloating, low blood pressure. This is educational information; check with a healthcare professional before use.
How strong is the evidence for L-Arginine?
NutriStack rates this as Strong, meaning multiple high-quality meta-analyses or systematic reviews converge on the same finding. Full tier criteria are at https://nutristackapp.com/methodology/evidence-tiers.
Use this with your stack
L-Arginine in NutriStack.
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