March 01, 2000 Researchers report that people with heart failure might benefit from a combination of exercise and the Arginine to improve blood flow to the heart and the rest of the body.
Rainer Hambrecht, MD, an author of the study, with the University of Leipzig Heart Center in Germany, said "that exercise and arginine together seem to significantly improve the ability of the blood vessels to supply oxygen and nutrients to the cells of the body, including the heart."
The trial involved 40 men 70 years old or younger, all with heart failure. Each did handgrip exercises six times a week and/or took L-arginine three times a day. The researchers found the combination of regular exercise and the L-arginine led to a greater enlargement of blood vessels than either one alone.
Correction of endothelial dysfunction in chronic heart failure: additional effects of exercise training and oral L-arginine supplementation [Clinical Studies]
Rainer Hambrecht, Lutz Hilbrich, Sandra Erbs, Stephan Gielen, Eduard Fiehn, Nina Schoene, Gerhard Schuler
Abstract Brief: OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to analyze whether L-arginine (L-arg.) has comparable or additive effects to physical exercise regarding endothelium-dependent vasodilation in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF). BACKGROUND Endothelial dysfunction in patients with CHF can be corrected by both dietary supplementation with L-arg. and regular physical exercise.< 0.001 vs. C), by 8.6 ± 0.9% in T (p< 0.001 vs. C) and by 12.0 ± 0.3% in L-arg. + T (p< 0.005 vs. C, L-arg. and T). Endothelium-independent vasodilation as assessed by infusion of nitroglycerin was similar in all groups at the beginning and at the end of the study. CONCLUSIONS Dietary supplementation of L-arg. as well as regular physical exercise improved agonist-mediated, endothelium-dependent vasodilation to a similar extent
Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 1 March 2000 (Vol. 35, Issue3)
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