Does Arginine Do Anything Good, and If So, What?

Admittedly, Geezer's notion of the perfect dietary supplement is a glass of dry white wine, slightly chilled and not too oaky. So when an old friend began recently to sing the praises of the amino acid arginine, Geezer was skeptical. Now, after doing a bit of research about the broadly marketed dietary supplement, which is known to increase the availability of nitric oxide (generally a good thing) and is alleged to treat heart disease, prevent cancer and improve erections, he is still skeptical. When the makers of Heartbar, a soy-based health bar with arginine added, claimed that their product could could reduce the risk of heart disease, they were called on the claim by the Federal Trade Commission. And the reliable UC Berkeley Guide to Dietary Wellness, for one, warns that "arginine can have serious side effects, especially when taken with certain other drugs. Long-term safety of arginine supplements is unknown. Increased nitric oxide might be dangerous for people with certain medical conditions, such as kidney failure or cancer. And no one knows what’s the right dose or when it should be taken."
Read more about arginine in the UC Berkeley Wellness Guide to Dietary Supplements.