Lose weight. Heal wounds. How valid are health claims for amino acids?
1987
Webb, D.
A brief technical commentary compares the health claims with research findings for 4 amino acids proported to be beneficial in weight reduction and wound healing, viz.: tryptophan, arginine, lysine, and phenylalanine. Research findings indicate that: tryptophan fails to suppress appetites of grossly obese subjects and its excess causes liver damage in rats; that no evidence supports the claim that arginine supplements produce weight loss, but they do appear to aid wound healing by improving body protein retention; that evidence for lysine effectively treating cold sores or fever blisters caused by herpes virus is inconclusive; and that phenylalanine may reduce depression when used as an adjunct to medical therapy, but its excess may have toxic effects. It is pointed out that no amino acid acts alone and that further studies are needed.(wz)
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