Arginine

Arginine is classified as a semi-essential or conditionally essential amino acid, depending on individual requirements. Infants cannot synthesize it effectively, making it nutritionally essential up until a few months old. However adults synthesize arginine in the urea cycle.

Arginine plays a key role in cell division and is therefore required to ensure the liver, joints, muscles (including the heart) and skin are healthy. It also acts to remove ammonia from the body and regulate many hormonal processes in the body, including male fertility.

Vital for muscle metabolism, arginine aids weight loss by facilitating increased muscle mass and reduced body fat.

Sufficient production of arginine is normally easily maintained unless the body is under a great amount of physical stress or illness.

People with herpes should not take arginine as it promotes the growth of this virus. However, that effect is cancelled out if combined with lysine (the amino acid which has anti-herpes properties).