Arginine - an Immunity-Stimulating Cancer Treatment

During the past 15 years numerous studies utilising both animal and human subjects have shown that dietary supplementation with arginine can stimulate immune functions and host defences. L-arginine has also demonstrated the ability to inhibit the growth of tumours in transplanted and chemically-induced animal tumours. Enhancement of host defence mechanisms is believed to play a significant role in L-arginine's anticancer properties.

A study examining the effect of L-arginine supplementation on immune function in patients with breast cancer was recently published. This study examined the effect of dietary supplementation with 10 grams of L-arginine, three times daily (a total of 30 grams per day), for three days on host defences in women with breast cancer. The authors of this study had previously demonstrated that L-arginine significantly increases natural killer (NK) and lymphokine- activated killer cell cytotoxicity (LAK) in health volunteers after L-arginine administration, and this newer study was the first to examine the effect of L-arginine in patients with previously untreated cancer.

A Stronger Immune System Helps to Suppress Tumours

L-arginine was found to significantly enhance several measures of immune function. The mitogenic responses of peripheral blood lymphocytes were increased approximately 60 percent, while NK and LAK cytotoxicity were increased by 81 and 107 percent respectively. Interestingly, this enhancement of host defenses was not accompanied by increases in serum levels of cytokines, including interleukin-1 and 2, gamma-interferon, and tumour necrosis factor. Immune biologic modifiers in current clinical use, in particular gamma-interferon and interleukin-2, have achieved limited clinical success due to their considerable expense and treatment-related toxicity. L-arginine was able to significantly enhance natural cytotoxicity without side effects and at low cost. Arginine's Mechanism of Action against Cancer is Unclear

Unfortunately, how L-arginine is able to enhance immune functions is unclear. Because L-arginine is able to stimulate host defences in well nourished and healthy individuals, it is unlikely that supplementation overcomes an L-arginine deficiency. L-arginine has been shown to stimulate hormone secretion, particularly human growth hormone. Human growth hormone has demonstrated numerous biological effects that may account for the properties of L-arginine, including wound healing and immunostimulation. L-arginine has resulted in similar immune activation when added to cell cultures in vitro, thus negating the possible role of human growth hormone as the basis for its effects. Based on the recent discoveries of the wide biological functions of nitric oxide, for which L-arginine is a precursor in the body, it appears plausible that enhanced nitric oxide production may represent part of L-arginine's mechanism of action.

Arginine is Ready - the Medical Profession isn't! Taken as a whole, the growing amount of research into L-arginine's possible roles in clinical medicine has not translated into clinical practice. L-arginine is inexpensive, readily available, and apparently effective. It has been used successfully to stimulate wound healing and immune function by a small group of dedicated researchers and clinicians. It appears, however, that as a natural and unpatentable amino acid L-arginine faces an almost insurmountable barrier to gaining clinical acceptance. While the work of researchers will hopefully elucidate L-arginine's mechanism of action as an immunomodulator in the coming years, it is doubtful that L-arginine will join the arsenal of accepted cancer chemotherapies in the near future. That doesn't mean that you can't put it into effect for yourself now. Thexton.com.au stocks a range of L-arginine products (including L-Arginine powder suitable for cancer patients).