The Add-On That Boosted Arginine Absorption 17% in a Small Trial
A 2023 crossover trial found that pairing 5 g of arginine with Astragalus and Panax notoginseng saponins raised arginine absorption by 17.3% and lifted the arginine-to-ADMA ratio by 167.1%. Urinary nitrate and cGMP, two nitric oxide markers, also rose. But only 24 people were analysed after six were excluded for large individual differences, and nobody measured workout performance. Here's what the data show, what they don't, and who should think twice.
3 g Arginine + 500 mg Vitamin C: Testosterone Up 26% in Lifters
Arginine has long been written off as an overhyped nitric oxide booster, but a new randomized trial adds a twist: pair it with vitamin C. In 50 male bodybuilders, 3 g of arginine (split into three doses) plus 500 mg of vitamin C for 45 days significantly raised testosterone and VO2max versus placebo, and body fat dropped. Growth hormone, cortisol and nitrogen balance did not significantly differ between groups. It's a cheap stack worth watching, but it comes from one small trial, and higher testosterone doesn't guarantee more muscle.