L-Arginine has long been recommended as part of the nutritional treatment of diabetes alongside medication. L-Arginine increases the rate of release of insulin from the pancreas, improving diabetics’ tolerance of sugar.
The dangers that stem from diabetes are side effects of having a high blood sugar level. They include impaired circulation, especially in the thin layer of cells which line blood vessels to filter the cells in the blood and control blood pressure, and more difficulties with processing oxygen. L-Arginine has positive effects on these main dangers of diabetes: it improves circulation, especially in tissues with thin capillaries, the smallest type of blood vessel. Researchers from the University Rio Grande in Brazil have now confirmed these effects.1.
Participants in a study, all young men suffering from diabetes type 1, took 7000mg of L-Arginine over a week. During that week, problems with processing oxygen and disturbances in the blood vessel lining cells were measured. Blood tests were performed on the study participants both in normal conditions as well as under conditions of stress. The group which had taken arginine had significantly lower rates of circulatory disturbance compared to the control group.
The scientists’ conclusion was that taking L-Arginine can help to prevent dangerous circulatory disturbances caused by blood sugar levels. This conclusion was also drawn for diabetes type 2 patients, as diabetes’ effects on blood vessels and metabolism are the same, even if the two types have different causes.
- “Fayh, AP, et al.; Effects of L: L-Arginine supplementation on blood flow, oxidative stress status and exercise responses in young adults with uncomplicated type I diabetes. Eur J Nutr. 2012 Jul 6″ ↩
