What is L-Ornithine?
L-Ornithine is an amino acid that is primarily used in the urea cycle, which removes excess ammonia from the body. It is not an essential amino acid in humans, which means it can be synthesized in the body.
| Amino Acid: Joined together as a chain in a specific order, amino acids form proteins. |
In the amino acid world, ornithine isn't directly involved in making protein, and you don't need to get it in your diet, but it is absolutely necessary for you to stay alive. How is it possible ?
Well, you don't have to eat it because you can make it yourself. It is important for life because it helps detoxify excess ammonia.
Be careful , high levels of ammonia in the blood can cause all kinds of health problems such as aggression, slurred speech, psychiatric disorders, encephalopathy etc.
But where does this ammonia come from?
It is a waste product of cellular metabolism , which becomes toxic if allowed to accumulate. L-Ornithine acts as a catalyst in the process that converts ammonia to urea. This can thus be eliminated through the urine.
The urea cycle
The urea cycle is a biochemical pathway responsible for the breakdown of ammonia, which is a byproduct of protein metabolism.
The urea cycle is a series of chemical reactions that convert ammonia to urea, which is then released from the body as urine. This process is important because it keeps ammonia levels in the blood low.
The liver and the kidneys are the two main organs responsible for the urea cycle. The liver helps convert excess ammonia into urea, while the kidneys help with fluid balance and the removal of waste from our body.
Simplified urea cycle (source Wikipedia)
What are the benefits of Ornithine?
Ornithine is primarily used in dietary supplements to support athletic performance. But also, from:
Improve sleep
The elimination of excess ammonia from our brain helps to fight against insomnia and improve the quality of sleep.
Promote good liver health, waste management
Eliminates toxins produced by our body from the consumption of protein-rich foods or alcohol. And it is thanks to its detoxification capacity, that ornithine will support and help our liver.
Stimulate growth hormone (GH) secretion
Growth hormone allows in particular to:
- Boost the immune system
- Increase physical performance
- Promote the development of muscle strength
- Accelerate the healing and healing of wounds
What are the sources of L-Ornithine?
Synthesized by our body, it can also be found in our food.
Animal protein is the best dietary source of L-Ornithine, like other amino acids. These are mainly meat, eggs and dairy products. L-Ornithine is also present in nuts such as coconut, peanuts and walnuts. Grains like oats and wheat also contain it, as do carob and soy.
L-Ornithine is often prepared for use in dietary supplements as L-Ornithine HCl, which is the hydrochloric salt of L-Ornithine. In this form, it has better stabilization and allows better assimilation by our body.
This is the choice made by ABBGen Laboratories in creating Heparyl . They combined L-Ornithine HCl with Magnesium Malate to create the perfect supplement when you want to cleanse your body of heavy metals and harmful ammonia . It also helps reduce insomnia and improve sleep quality.
