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The Side Effects of Ornithine

Ornithine or L-Ornithine is a non-essential amino acid. It is derived from the breakdown of arginine during the citric acid cycle (or Krebs cycle). In the body, ornithine is used to produce proline, citrulline, and glutamic acid (three amino acids that supply all cell energy), according to VitaminStuff.com. When combined with other amino acids, in particular carnitine and arginine, ornithine also helps reduce body fat and build muscle.

  1. The Facts

    • Ornithine is often marketed to body builders as a muscle-building supplement. Body builders use ornithine (combined with arginine) because it has shown to increase growth hormone and insulin levels, essential to building and maintaining muscles. It is also known to speed up the production of muscle tissue and decrease muscle loss as a result of aging, according to VitaminStuff.com.

    Function

    • Ornithine is both produced by the body and derived from certain foods, including dairy, eggs, fish and meat. It can also be taken as a supplement for extra benefit. Ornithine is known to reduce the effects of cirrhosis of the liver by removing the liver's toxic ammonia. It also useful in healing and tissue repair, which results in shorter hospital stays for individuals recovering from surgery, cancer, trauma, burns and infection.

    Dosage

    • Ornithine may be ingested with the use of a regular diet as well as through capsules and tablets. The typical western diet of fish, meat and dairy consists of about 5 g of ornithine per day, according to the University of Michigan Health System. If an individual opts for ornithine supplementation, between 5 and 10 g per day are recommended.

    Side Effects

    • Ornithine has virtually no side effects except for gastrointestinal distress when more than 10 g are ingested per day. Ornithine is produced by the body as a result of arginine, therefore, higher levels of arginine increases the body's amount of ornithine. Furthermore, according to the University of Michigan Health System, no drugs are known to interact negatively with ornithine. Excessive doses of more than 20 g may induce bone and joint deformities.

    Considerations

    • Ornithine supplementation is not recommended for women who are pregnant, nursing or may become pregnant. It is also not recommended for children and adolescents because unrestricted use of arginine (always found in conjunction with ornithine) can induce gigantism in certain growing individuals. Ornithine and other amino acid supplementation to induce growth in indivduals suffering from dwarfism should be discussed with qualified health professionals, according to herbs2000.com. Furthermore, ornithine (and arginine) should never be used by people with a history of schizophrenia and those with herpes.

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