L-Arginine May Protect Against Heart Disease
(VRP Newsletter, Mar 2003)

Artery inflammation can be devastating to the body because cholesterol tends to build up on inflamed areas, creating blockages that can lead to heart attack and stroke. Now Dr. Louis J. Ignarro, a Nobel laureate in medicine & UCLA professor, and associates, report that L-arginine and antioxidants may prevent the inflammation that results from the force of blood pounding against the vessel walls as it is pumped through the circulatory system. The researchers showed that exposing human cells to high fluid forces induces inflammation and adding a combination of antioxidants and the amino acid, L-arginine, inhibits this inflammation. Furthermore, the L-arginine promotes the production of Epithelial Nitric Oxide Synthase (eNOS), a substance that prevents clotting. These findings suggest that antioxidants and L-arginine may protect against cardiovascular disease.