Take a probiotic with the amino acid arginine to boost the immune system and protect the liver, especially when on antibiotics or after suffering food poisoning. These two supplements have numerous health benefits alone, and when you take them together you’ll rev the immune system into high gear and protect the liver.
Probiotics increase the number of flora in the gut and can enhance intestinal immune and liver function. Taking them is an effective treatment to bowel problems from antibiotic use, and they also help protect against liver injury after food poisoning. Arginine is the most effective amino acid for enhancing immune function, meaning that taking the two together can keep you even healthier.
A new study found that taking a probiotic with arginine resulted in decreased levels of liver damage in rats that were suffering liver injury. Not only did the dual supplementation protect the liver but it also resulted in elevated levels of the amino acids ornithine and methionine.
Ornithine is known to improve growth hormone levels, detoxify the liver, and stimulate tissue remodeling after resistance training. It is made from arginine in the body, but taking extra has been shown to support protein synthesis. Be aware though, that taking too much extra ornithine (exceeding 600 μmol/l in the blood) can lead to retinal lesions and toxicity, meaning more is not better! For best results, stick with the arginine supplement and don’t worry about taking ornithine.
Methionine, the other amino acid that got a bump from probiotic-arginine therapy, supports fat burning, and helps detoxify heavy metals from organs including the liver. It is essential for muscle growth and energy, and it isn’t naturally produced in the body, meaning it needs to be ingested in the diet or supplemented. With the added benefits that come with the appropriately elevated levels of arginine, ornithine, and methionine (detoxification, muscle building, fat burning, energy), adding arginine and a probiotic to your nutrition protocol is a no brainer. Check out my
Arginine 2.0 for all your arginine needs.
References:
Hayasaka, S., Kodama, T., Ohira, A. Retinal Risks of High-Dose Ornithine Supplements: A Review.
British Journal of Nutrition. September 2011. 106(6), 801-811.
Rishi, P., Bharrhan, S., et al. Effect of Lactobacillus Plantarum and L-Arginine Against Endotoxin-Induced Liver Injury in a Rat Model.
Life Sciences. September 2011. Published Ahead of Print.