More Good Stuff

To continue our discussion of just what is contained in a balanced Arginine product . . . . .

We've discussed what the amino acid L'Arginine is and how it creates Nitric Oxide in your body and what that miracle molecule does for you.  We talked about the fact that it must be a balanced product for it to function correctly and be the most beneficial for health.  Vitamin D3 was the first ingredient we discussed . . in itself, a miracle drug, indeed.

Another ingredient in a balanced Arginine product is your B vitamins.  B vitamins help improve the function of NOS - the enzyme that makes Nitric Oxide.  Studies show that women who consume more B vitamins have half the risk of heart disease.

B vitamins also help rid the body of Homocysteine, which is a compound that builds up in B Vitamin deficiency.  Homocysteine is an amino acid produced by the body, usually as a byproduct of consuming meat.  Homocysteine is made from another amino acid, methionine, and then in turn is converted into other amino acids.  Elevated levels of homocysteine in the blood appear to make for an elevated risk of cardiovascular disease.  If you have a blood test and you look at Homocysteines, you have a good way of seeing if you have enough Vitamin B in your system.  Too much Homocysteines reduces the amount of Vitamin B.  Homocysteines inhibit the action of Nitric Oxide and they also may generate free radicals - causing oxidative damage.

The next ingredient in a balanced Arginine product is Omega 3.  Omega 3's are anti-inflammatory, they make blood vessels more pliable, they improve endothelial function, they enhance the production of Nitric Oxide, they increase HDL (the good cholesterol) and decrease LDL (the bad cholesterol). 

Do you see the connection with these ingredients and what Arginine does?  Most of the time you think of Omega 3's as coming from fish oil but there is always the possibility of mercury poisoning with fish oil.  There are good plant sources of Omega 3's as well.  Perilla oil and flax oil are good sources.  The anti-inflammatory properties of Omega 3's are very important.  If you've ever been diagnosed with anything whose name ended in "-itis" (that's ITIS), that denotes inflammation:  for example:  arthr-itis.

Next is EDTA.  Intravenous studies are underway by the National Institutes of Health.  EDTA has been available in oral form for years.  EDTA is a heavy metal scavenger.  It is unclear it's exact mechanism in atherosclerosis, but it has been proven to have an affect.  EDTA is a natural chelator.  Many doctor's have used IV chelation for years.  If someone is exposed to heavy metals via an accident, etc., those metals will show up in their urine, hair and blood; and IV chelation would be used to remove them.  If those metals are not removed and are allowed to sit in the body, they begin to settle in the body's major organs and may not show up in urine, hair, and blood.  The problem still exists, however, and deterioration of those organs result and ultimately destruction.  One example is heavy metal toxicity in the brain.

As I mentioned before, you can readily see how the ingredients I've discussed work hand in hand with Arginine and support it's function in the body.  There are still a few more ingredients to discuss as we discover more good stuff. . .