Ornithine

Ornithine Supplements

What is Ornithine?

Often touted as one of the more potent rejuvenators of all the amino acids, ornithine supplementation is a wonderful way to naturally enhance athletic performance and muscle recovery, as well as to improve muscle strength. It’s also quite effective to stimulate weight loss, accelerate wound healing, and enhance sleep quality.

In a nutshell, ornithine is a “non-essential” amino acid that can be made inside the body from arginine (another amino acid). Despite this, supplementing with this amino offers a wide range of health benefits. It plays a unique role in protein metabolism, so naturally enhances muscle protein synthesis. It also stimulates the synthesis of growth hormone, as well as other compounds that promote the growth of body tissues. For this reason, ornithine supplementation is ideal to accelerate wound and tissue healing for post workout recovery, as well as to speed up fat metabolism, hence its reputation as a weight loss aid. Given its implication in the stimulation of growth hormone, it should come as no surprise that this amino is considered a staple of sports nutrition, commonly used by bodybuilders and hard trainers to improve body composition, lose fat, build muscle, and increase performance.

In addition, ornithine enhances energy consumption in the body, helps convert excess ammonia into urea to be filtered by the kidneys and excreted out of the body, which naturally reduces symptoms of physical fatigue and stress.

Benefits of Ornithine

• Enhances Muscle & Exercise Recovery
• Stimulates production of Growth Hormone

Who Needs Ornithine?

Practitioners will recommend this amino first and foremost to enhance exercise performance. However, it’s also often recommended post convalescence, injury, or illness, or after any long period of inactivity to help rebuild lost muscle mass muscle, as well as an anti-aging supplement.

Ornithine Supplements

Potencies

Generally recommended in a dose of 1.5g 1-3 times daily. It’s best to start with a small dosage and increase slowly until you reach the desired effects.

L-Ornithine Alpha-Ketoglutarate (OAKG), is typically recommended at 3mg daily.

Forms

Primarily found as L-Ornithine hydrochloride (or L-Ornithine HCL), which may be added to water, juice, or your favourite beverage. It can also be found in blends, along with a variety of other nutrients.

It can also come as L-Ornithine Alpha-Ketoglutarate (OAKG), which is a salt that is made up of two molecules: L-Ornithine, and alpha-ketoglutarate.

Another less commonly available form of this amino is L-ornithine-L-aspartate which has been studied to support brain disorders associated with impaired liver function.

Formats

Ornithine supplements are available principally in capsule and powder form as standalone supplements, or in multi-ingredient sports nutrition blends.

Final Thoughts

Ornithine is often combined with Arginine in supplement form. Research shows that supplementing with both amino's helps the body make more creatine, which helps further enhance endurance and optimize muscle protein synthesis, so may be of particular benefit for bodybuilders and hard training athletes.

While Ornithine is safe to use for most, some side effects are that it may affect blood sugar metabolism. Speak to your health care provider before taking this supplement if you have diabetes or are taking insulin.