title: Pros and cons of L-arginine supplementation in disease.
abstract: The amino acid arginine and one of its metabolites NO have gathered broad attention in the last decade. Although arginine is regarded as a conditionally essential amino acid in disease, L-arginine supplementation in severe illness has not found its way into clinical practice. This might be due to the invalid interpretation of results from studies with immune-enhancing diets containing L-arginine amongst other pharmaconutrients. However, not much attention is given to research using L-arginine as a monotherapy and the possibility of the alternative hypothesis: that L-arginine supplementation is beneficial in disease. The present review will discuss data from studies in healthy and diseased animals and patients with monotherapy of L-arginine to come to an objective overview of positive and negative aspects of L-arginine supplementation in disease with special emphasis on sepsis, cancer, liver failure and wound healing.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Maastricht University, PO Box 616, NL-6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Yvonne L J
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Vissers
authors.forename: Iris B J G
authors.initials: IB
authors.lastname: Debats
authors.forename: Yvette C
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Luiking
authors.forename: Rajiv
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jalan
authors.forename: René R W J
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: van der Hulst
authors.forename: Cornelis H C
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Dejong
authors.forename: Nicolaas E P
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Deutz