Arginine

Arginine is an amino acid, one of the 20 amino acids that serve as the building blocks in protein. In mammals, arginine is classified as a semiessential or conditionally essential amino acid, depending on the developmental stage and health status of the individual. Infants are unable to meet their requirements and thus arginine is nutritionally essential for infants. Lack of arginine in the diet impairs growth and in adult males it decreases the sperm count.

Arginine is a conditionally essential amino acid, meaning most of the time it can be manufactured by the human body, and does not need to be obtained directly through the diet. The biosynthetic pathway however does not produce sufficient arginine, and some must still be consumed through diet. Individuals who have poor nutrition or certain physical conditions may be advised to increase their intake of foods containing arginine. Arginine is found in a wide variety of foods, including: dairy products (e.g. cottage cheese, milk, yogurt, whey protein drinks), beef, pork (e.g. bacon, ham), poultry (e.g. chicken and turkey light meat), seafood (e.g. lobster, salmon, shrimp, snails, tuna in water), wheat germ and flour, oatmeal, nuts (coconut, pecans, cashews, walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts, pinenuts, peanuts), seeds (pumpkin, sesame, sunflower), chick peas, cooked soybeans, etc.