Arginine, ornithine, and lysine are amino acids that each have a unique impact on the human body, having the ability to influence fat metabolism and stimulate growth hormone.
Amino acids make up the proteins in our body, and there are two types of amino acids: essential amino acids and non-essential amino acids.
Arginine, ornithine, and lysine are often grouped together for their purported ability to increase levels of human growth hormone.
Their health benefits are many, but the majority of claims are vastly unverified by scientific data.
The human growth hormone is released by the pituitary gland in the brain and plays a decisive role in muscle growth, fat metabolism, and immune system maintenance.
Arginine, Ornithine and Lysine Benefits
Arginine helps our body get rid of excess nitrogen, and also helps us build both muscle and collagen.
Some experts have also pointed out that arginine may also inhibit tumor growth, lower cholesterol, and promote wound healing.
Additionally, our body can use arginine to make ornithine.
Ornithine, in turn, helps make other amino acids, such as proline, and further supports the liver, boosts the immune system, and increases fat metabolism.
Lysine is one of the nine essential amino acids, and like many amino acids, it helps our body build muscle.
Also, lysine may prevent herpes outbreaks when consumed on a regular basis, and can also help you absorb calcium, build collagen and make carnitine, another amino acid
Combinations of Arginine, Ornithine, and Lysine
All three amino acids promote the secretion of human growth hormone, but taking them individually does not have the same impact as combining them (arginine with ornithine or lysine).
Additionally, the ability of arginine, ornithine, and lysine to encourage the release of growth hormone is erratic and highly dependent on the method of delivery.
Significant secretion and increases in growth hormone circulation have been observed when arginine, ornithine, and lysine are administered intravenously.
But the supplement combination is less effective when taken orally.
Athletic Performance
Most often, those who take arginine, ornithine, and lysine are athletes who are hoping to increase their growth hormone circulation in order to build more muscle mass.
However, an oral dosage of growth-hormone-stimulating amino acids would have to be extremely high in order to stimulate noticeable hormone release, and such high dosages can often cause abdominal discomfort and diarrhea.
This has led many scientists and physicians to caution against using arginine, ornithine, and lysine amino acids to stimulate growth hormone release to support athletic performance.
Although there is almost no evidence to support the idea that arginine supplementation can adequately increase growth hormone levels to improve muscle building and athletic performance, researchers indicate that the amount of hormone released may have a correlation with sex, age, and diet.
It was observed that females seem to exhibit a greater amount of growth hormone release after taking arginine, ornithine, and lysine supplements than their male counterparts.
Also, younger individuals will notice greater growth hormone release after taking these amino acids supplement, than older persons.
In continuation, individuals who are physically fit will also not benefit from taking arginine supplements with ornithine and lysine as much as those who are less physically fit.
In order to produce a noticeable release of growth hormone, physically fit individuals must consume large amounts of the supplement, which may be unsafe for health.
Warnings
Taking any nutrient, including amino acids, in supplement form can cause side effects, thus, if you choose to take arginine, ornithine or lysine in supplement form, consult a physician.
If you have a herpes viral infection, avoid arginine, as it may cause the virus to multiply. For those on medication to lower blood pressure, arginine may enhance its effects and cause it to go too low.
Pregnant women and children are also advised to avoid both arginine and ornithine.
Summary
All three amino acids of arginine, ornithine, and lysine promote the secretion of the human growth hormone, which stimulates fat cells to break down the fat in storage and to stop storing more fat.
Taking growth hormones helps people lose weight, especially, when they are deficient in the hormone and sometimes supports weight loss in people with normal hormone levels.
Amino acids that boost growth hormones can also help with weight loss, but more clinical studies are needed to verify their efficacy.
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