Arginine Alpha-Ketoglutarate - What Is It?
Yes, I have yet another muscle building supplement to introduce to you.
You may have already heard of arginine or L-arginine, but have you heard of the supplement called arginine alpha-ketoglutarate?
I know it’s a mouthful but it’s a very beneficial version of arginine.
Some of you may not even know what arginine is, so let’s go over that first.
What’s Arginine?
Arginine is a common amino acid, which are the building blocks of protein. The L form of arginine, l-arginine, is one of the 20 most common naturally occurring amino acids.
Most of the time we can manufacture arginine in our body, so it’s partially considered nonessential. But our body can’t create enough arginine so we have to get it from food sources and in some cases supplements.
If you eat an unhealthy diet or your body doesn’t function correctly, you may need to increase the amount of arginine you take in from food sources or supplements.
It shouldn’t be hard for you to increase your arginine consumption because it’s found in common foods like:
- Beef
- Chick Peas
- Dairy Products
- Granola
- Nuts
- Pork
- Poultry
- Seafood
- Seeds
- Wheat Flour
So if you’re already eating a lot of these foods then the levels of arginine in your body are probably just fine.
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Arginine Supplements
What Does Arginine Do?
Now you might be wondering why we even need arginine; what makes it essential for us to survive?
Well, arginine has a handful of very important jobs in your body.
It helps with your immune system, releases hormones and removes ammonia from your body. Arginine also helps heal your wounds and takes part in cell division, no pun intended.
Arginine will relax your blood vessels so that they widen and allow more blood to flow through. Arginine also helps to produce nitric oxide and is necessary to create creatine, which are very beneficial especially if you workout.
If you supplement with arginine you might see benefits like:
- Decreased Blood Pressure
- Faster Healing
- Treatment for Erectile Dysfunction (when taken with yohimbine)
Who wouldn’t want their blood pressure under control, a faster healing body and to function properly in the bedroom? Arginine probably sounds a little more important now doesn’t it?
Arginine Alpha-Ketoglutarate Supplements
What’s Arginine Alpha-Ketoglutarate?
Arginine Alpha-Ketoglutarate is a salt where arginine is combined with alpha-ketoglutaric acid.
The alpha-ketoglutarate version of arginine is more efficient. When you combine these two things it’s more easily absorbed so you can save a little when buying supplements; because you won’t have to take as much.
This combination has been shown to boost insulin in healthy men and help small children grow faster. So not only will it improve your blood flow but it also boosts your hormones and makes you grow faster.
These benefits are something a lot of bodybuilders are looking for; a good pumped feeling and boosted muscle growth.
Now that you know what arginine alpha-ketoglutarate is, let’s see if we can figure out why and when people started supplementing with it.
