AstraGin Enhances Arginine Levels & Supports Cardiovascular Health
Regular readers and savvy supplement connoisseurs are well-acquainted with AstraGin, the flagship ingredient of NuLiv Science, that improves the absorption of amino acids and promotes gut health by reducing inflammation. I’ve previously discussed the ingredient on various podcasts, and, a few months back, I wrote an in-depth review of the first human clinical trial showing that 50mg of AstraGin significantly increased arginine absorption.[1]
NuLiv recently published the findings of its most recent human clinical trial on AstraGin showing that not only does it increase arginine levels, but it may support cardiovascular health from a lesser-known avenue.
Let’s see what’s cooking!
The Study
30 healthy volunteers (20-80 years of age) participated in the randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover trial.[2] The benefit of a crossover trial is that each subject serves as their own “control.”
Subjects were given 50mg of AstraGin or placebo (maltodextrin) capsule at 9 p.m., and then fasted for 12 hours (water was allowed). At 9 a.m. the following morning, the first blood sample was collected, and immediately, all subjects ingested the AstraGin (50mg) or placebo capsule along with 5g of arginine mixed with 250 mL (8.8-oz) of water.
Additional blood samples were collected at 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, 120, 150, and 180 minutes for the purpose of analyzing the plasma concentration of arginine. After a one-week washout period, the test product was replaced with the placebo (or vice versa) to repeat the experiment.
Results
Six subjects were excluded due to incomplete data or large individual variabilities in the blood sample results. Therefore, the data of 24 subjects were ultimately included in the final results.
Researchers found that (on average) the area under the curve (AUC) of arginine significantly increased by 17.3%, and the maximum concentration rose by 11.1%. Moreover, AstraGin supplementation reduced ADMA levels by 42.5% and increased the Arginine/ADMA ratio by an astounding 167.1%![2]
Why is this important?
Asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), an analogue of L-arginine, is a naturally occurring product of metabolism found in human circulation. Elevated levels of ADMA inhibit NO production by competing with arginine for binding to nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) -- the enzyme that catalyzes NO synthesis in blood vessels. Reduced NO production impairs endothelial function and contributes to the development/progression of atherosclerosis (narrowing of the arteries).
Based on these facts, researchers are beginning to consider the ratio of arginine/ADMA as a better predictor of nitric oxide production (and thus cardiovascular health) compared to focusing solely on levels of arginine or ADMA.[2,3]
Additional cell studies have shown that elevated ADMA levels in skeletal muscle inhibit glucose uptake and may serve as a biomarker for insulin resistance.[4]
Takeaway
This most recent clinical study further adds to the body of evidence that AstraGin is a no-brainer for pre workout supplements and other amino acid supplements (EAA formulas, protein powders, etc.), especially if they include L-arginine (which suffers from poor bioavailability).
It also can’t be overlooked that, despite the number of studies already conducted on AstraGin, NuLiv continues to support on-going research efforts to further establish the credibility of AstraGin (which can't be said of many other popular trademarked/branded ingredients).
From a formulator or brand owner’s perspective, AstraGin is an ideal inclusion in products -- it’s economical, backed by multiple studies, and offers a range of benefits across multiple product categories (pre workouts, pump enhancers, intra workouts, EAA supplements, BCAA supplements, nighttime recovery aids, cardiovascular support supplements, gut health supplements, etc.).
Going forward, I’d personally like to see companies include 50mg as the minimum dose and/or NuLiv make it a part of their license agreement that any brand using AstraGin must use a minimum of 50mg of AstraGin per full serving.
What do you think of the new findings?
References
- Huang, S. H., Hen, Y. S., Ang, I. T., Ang, H. Y., Ao, Y. K., Hang, W. C., & Hang, T. C. (2023). Astragalus membranaceus and Panax notoginseng saponins improves intestinal L-arginine absorption and protects against intestinal disorder in vivo. 29. https://doi.org/10.3136/fstr.FSTR-D-22-00116
- Lin C-P., Lin C-T., Wu I-C., Pan T-Y., Shen Y-C. Pharmacokinetic effect of Astragalus membranaceus and Panax notoginseng saponins on arginine absorption and nitric oxide production in healthy subjects: A randomized, double-blind, cross-over trial. Functional Foods in Health and Disease 2023; 13(6):307-319. DOI: https://www.doi.org/10.31989/ffhd.v13i6.1104
- Sibal L, Agarwal SC, Home PD, Boger RH. The Role of Asymmetric Dimethylarginine (ADMA) in Endothelial Dysfunction and Cardiovascular Disease. Curr Cardiol Rev. 2010 May;6(2):82-90. doi: 10.2174/157340310791162659. PMID: 21532773; PMCID: PMC2892080.
- Lee, W., Lee, H.J., Jang, H.B. et al. Asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) is identified as a potential biomarker of insulin resistance in skeletal muscle. Sci Rep 8, 2133 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-20549-0