title: Effect of L-arginine and selenium added to a hypocaloric diet enriched with legumes on cardiovascular disease risk factors in women with central obesity: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We aimed to discover if L-arginine and selenium alone or together can increase the effect of a hypocaloric diet enriched in legumes (HDEL) on central obesity and cardiovascular risk factors in women with central obesity.
  
  
  METHODS
  This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was undertaken in 84 premenopausal women with central obesity. After a 2-week run-in period on an isocaloric diet, participants were randomly assigned to a control diet (HDEL), L-arginine (5 g/day) and HDEL, selenium (200 μg/day) and HDEL or L-arginine, selenium and HDEL for 6 weeks. Cardiovascular risk factors were assessed before intervention and 3 and 6 weeks afterwards.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After 6 weeks, L-arginine had significantly reduced waist circumference (WC); selenium had significantly lowered fasting concentrations of serum insulin and the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance index; the interaction between L-arginine and selenium significantly reduced the fasting concentration of nitric oxides (NO(x)), and HDEL lowered triglycerides (TG) and WC and significantly increased the fasting concentration of NO(x). HDEL reduced high-sensitivity C-reactive protein levels in the first half of the study and returned them to basal levels in the second half.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data indicate the beneficial effects of L-arginine on central obesity, selenium on insulin resistance and HDEL on serum concentrations of NO(x) and TG.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Nutrition, School of Medicine, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alizadeh
authors.forename: Abdolrasoul
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Safaeiyan
authors.forename: Alireza
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ostadrahimi
authors.forename: Rassul
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Estakhri
authors.forename: Sevana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Daneghian
authors.forename: Aida
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ghaffari
authors.forename: Bahram Pourghassem
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Gargari
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001120:Arginine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004038:Diet, Reducing / Q000208:ethnology; D019587:Dietary Supplements / Q000009:adverse effects; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D007887:Fabaceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015228:Hypertriglyceridemia / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D007492:Iran; D008875:Middle Aged; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000097:blood; D056128:Obesity, Abdominal / Q000097:blood / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012639:Seeds / Q000737:chemistry; D012643:Selenium / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D055105:Waist Circumference; D015431:Weight Loss
chemical_list: D009569:Nitric Oxide; D001120:Arginine; D012643:Selenium