|  | Conditions Treatments | Cardiovascular Disease

What Does L-Lysine Do to Cardiovascular Health?

Of all the over-the-counter dietary supplements that are on the market today, some people are having a hard time learning which supplements they should consider taking. The supplement L-Lysine is no different from the rest in creating confusion with consumers. However, L-Lysine has some health benefits to the cardiovascular system that the public needs to be made aware of. Interestingly enough, this supplement is usually available in a normal healthy diet, but not all diets will provide it.

  1. What Is It?

    • L-Lysine is an essential amino acid that is not naturally produced by the human body and must be procured from dietary sources. The proteins or amino acids are needed for a variety of health-related issues, including the rebuilding of muscle and connective tissue that is important to cardiovascular health, especially in the heart. In the case of lysine deficiencies, it usually because of a low protein diet or an eating disorder.

    What Does It Do?

    • Among other benefits found from using L-Lysine, it helps with the absorption and retention of calcium, which in important for proper lean muscle growth and sustainment. Healthy strong arterial walls is but one of the many great reasons for taking L-Lysine. Athletes or other people involved in strenuous exercise have a greater need for lysine amino acids for its ability to retain nitrogen, which is a key chemical component in the bloodstream. L-Lysine has also been shown to improve the immune system's ability to fight off infection, particularly when it comes to viruses.

    Why Take It?

    • Normally lysine will be readily found in a healthy, balanced diet. Those who eat a low protein diet may not get enough of the amino acid, especially vegetarians who refrain from consuming eggs or cow's milk or don't eat enough beans. People with a lysine deficient diet will not recover as quickly from exercise and tend to have a lower bone density as they get older. Burn victims also will need to have more lysine in their diet to recover quicker due to the acid's ability to help build collagen. As far as the cardiovascular benefits; lysine is a building block of the amino acid carnitine, which has been shown to help heal and strengthen arterial walls.

    Dosage

    • A typical dosage for a healthy adult will usually start out at 500 milligrams and can be as much as 3,000 milligrams daily, depending on the diet requirements. There are no known contraindications for lysine, but it should be taken with a meal as directed by a health care professional.

Cardiovascular Disease - Related Articles