L Arginine (Arg), a semi-essential essential amino acid, has received significant research interest over the last two decades as nitric oxide (NO) precursor. Arg is widely used as a complementary treatment in various NO-disrupted conditions, e.g., hypertension, preeclampsia, and endothelial dysfunction. Here, we provide an overview of the potential efficacy of Arg as a NO precursor and its effects on glucose and insulin homeostasis and diabetes-induced cardiovascular complications.
Keywords: Arginine, Argininosuccinate lyase, Argininosuccinate synthase, Citrulline, Nitric oxide, Nitric oxide synthase, Ornithine aminotransferase, Ornithine transcarbamylase and ornithine decarboxylase, Type 2 diabetes.