L-Arginine: Benefits, Uses And Side Effects
Dr. Shireen Singh, MBBS.
Written by Our Editorial Team
L-Arginine is a term often used in the beauty world, but most people do not know about this amazing ingredient. Arginine is excellent for hair, which is why many hair care brands include in their products.
What Is L-Arginine?
L-Arginine is a non-essential amino acid that helps with a variety of functions in the human body. It is the precursor of nitric oxide and plays a vital role in hair growth. It improves blood supply in the hair follicles thereby stimulating hair growth. It is very useful in developing hair follicles and encourages thicker, longer, hair growth. The deficiency of L-Arginine weakens the hair shaft, making them brittle.
Benefits Of L-Arginine For Hair Growth
Arginine is naturally found in the human body. Red meat, poultry, fish, etc. are sources of this much-needed ingredient. It plays a very important role in metabolic processes, cell division, and immune function. L-Arginine converts into an ingredient called nitric oxide, within the body which causes the veins to open wider for improved blood circulation. Here are some of the benefits of the topical use of L-arginine.
Also Read : Accelerating Hair Growth For Thin And Limp Hair
1. It Stimulates The Hair Follicles
Arginine helps in generating nitric oxide by opening up potassium channels in the body. It helps dilate blood vessels for increased blood supply to the hair follicles. This in turn helps in accelerating hair growth. People with a deficiency of L-Arginine often suffer from hair problems.
2. Protects The Hair’s Natural Color
Those who experiment with a lot of hair color should consider including L-arginine enriched products in their hair care routine. It protects the hair from excessive damage and prevents the harmful effects of hydrogen peroxide which cause the oxidative colouring process. On colouring, the hydrogen peroxide present in the dye attacks the hair’s natural oils and weakens the hair bonds. L-arginine penetrates through the hair fibers to undo the damage caused by hydrogen peroxide.
3. Repairs Each Hair Strand
L-Arginine is attracted to keratin. Hair is made of keratin, and L-arginine sticks to it to revive every hair strand. It also helps in preventing split ends. It protects the structure of the hair, making every strand look smooth and healthy.
4. Arginine Increases Hair Elasticity
Arginine is known to boost elastin in the body, which increases the tensile strength of the hair. This means that the hair won’t break off easily even on being pulled, thereby preventing hair loss. It is a great ingredient to fight hair breakage.
Also Read : Hair Growth And Hair Fall - Stages,Causes And More
5. Arginine Decreases The Porosity Level Of The Hair
Highly porous hair is dry, brittle, and very frizzy. Excessive use of styling tools and products increases hair porosity, which weakens the hair cuticles. L-Arginine is known to repair damaged hair by minimizing electrical charges and friction between the hair while decreasing hair porosity. This strengthens the tresses and rejuvenates damaged hair.
6. It Forms A Protective Coating On The Hair
L-arginine forms a thin protective layer on the hair and keeps environmental damage at bay. It combats free radicals and the damage done by them while locking essential hydration within the hair cuticles, to maintain shine and smoothness.
The Importance Of L-Arginine In Hair Care Products
L-Arginine is a prime ingredient in most of the hair care products. It works as a conditioning and moisturizing agent to nourish and smoothen the hair. Apart from that, it works on the hair roots to stimulate the scalp and enhance hair growth. Those suffering from hair thinning, hair fall, and stunted hair growth must include shampoos, conditioners, and hair serums with L-Arginine in their hair care routine. With regular use, the hair becomes smooth, healthy, and strong without any split ends.
ThriveCo’s Hair Vitalizing Shampoo includes L-Arginine as its prime ingredient. Specially formulated to promote hair growth, it stimulates the hair bulb to extend the anagen phase of hair growth.
ThriveCo Rosemary Hair Vitalizing Shampoo With L- Arginine
This is a mild, everyday shampoo that can be used by both men and women. It contains DHT blockers to combat hair loss. It stops the hair follicles from shrinking and promotes the growth of new hair. The ThriveCo Rosemary Hair Vitalizing shampoo infused with rosemary extracts increases blood circulation in the scalp encouraging healthy hair growth. It contains Jamaican Black Castor Oil, which is popular for its hair strengthening properties. L-Arginine and an Amino Acid Complex present in this shampoo reduce premature ageing of the hair and limit the damage caused by free radicals, thereby nourishing the hair. Biotin present in this shampoo enhances the texture and quality of every strand.
Buy ThriveCo Rosemary Hair Vitalizing Shampoo
How To Use L-Arginine
Topical hair care products containing L-Arginine can be used daily or as directed by the product description. ThriveCo’s Hair Vitalizing Rosemary Shampoo can be used daily because it contains gentle surfactants to cleanse the hair and is useful in maintaining healthy hair.
Ingredients That Work Well With L-Arginine
L-Arginine works well with a variety of ingredients and some of them are listed as follows:
1. Amino Acids
Being a semi-essential amino acid itself, L-Arginine works well with other amino acids as well, because all of them are a form of protein. There are around 20 amino acids required for the synthesis of keratin, and L-Arginine is one of them.
2. Caffeine
Caffeine and L-Arginine work well to improve the metabolic process involved in the growth of healthy and thick hair.
3. Biotin
Biotin and L-Arginine together help in stopping hair loss and thicken the hair shaft for improved hair density.
Side-effects of L-arginine
Generally, L-Arginine is considered to be very safe for topical application. However, some people might be allergic to it, so performing a patch test is mandatory. Besides that, like every other ingredient, L-Arginine must be used in moderation within the prescribed limit to avoid any side-effect. When taken orally, it can cause bloating or abdominal pain, however, the topical application of it is potentially side-effect free.
Also Read : Redensyl - How Does It Help Hair Growth?
About Doctor :
Dr. Shireen Singh, MBBS, MD Dermatology, is a trusted dermatologist with over 8 years of specialized experience. Passionate about empowering individuals to achieve their hair and skin care goals, she combines cutting-edge technologies with personalized treatment plans tailored to each individual's needs. She's dedicated to helping you achieve vibrant hair and glowing skin. Dr. Shireen loves research and is here to share her expertise for your health and happiness.
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