L-arginine is a semi-essential amino acid which means It is obtained from either the diet or synthesized from other compounds but under some conditions it can only be absorbed from dietary regiment(e.g stress and rapid growth can make deplete body from arginine if the body’s production doesn’t meet the requirements).
L-arginine releases nitric oxide in the blood which helps in vasodilation. Vasodilation means widening blood vessels radius which may aid certain circulatory conditions like blood pressure. That is why Some research has shown that edible L-arginine supplements can lower blood pressure in healthy people and people with a type of high blood pressure that affects the arteries in the lungs and the right side of the heart (pulmonary hypertension).it can also help with congestive heart failure (CHF), chest pain and coronary artery disease, However, there currently is no data on how the long-term use of arginine affects cholesterol levels despite the claims.
There is a slight problem with L-arginine supplementation since not all of it gets absorbed. Lots of edible arginine deteriorates in the process of digestion that is why a lot of athletes take L-citrulline because it is converted into arginine in the kidneys rather than from mouth. L-Citrulline is able to increase levels of plasma arginine, improves the ammonia recycling process and nitric oxide metabolism and seems more effective than L-arginine itself.
There is also some evidence showing the benefit of arginine(especially citrulline) in overcoming erectile dysfunction and male infertility, mostly because of the vasodilation attribute it owns.
When it comes to fat loss and arginine, A slight reduction in fat has been noted with long-term intake in people with impaired glucose tolerance. No evidence supports the usage of arginine as a fat burner in healthy people.
animal proteins( red meat (beef), chicken and turkey breast, pork loin, dairy products), lentils, chickpeas, peanuts, pumpkin seeds, and soybeans are the main source of L-arginine and also a lot of other AAs.
still more research needs to be done on arginine and citrulline in health and fitness fields.