Sunday Nov 24, 2013 (foodconsumer.org) -- Taking dietary supplements taurine and L-arginine may cure hypertension or high blood pressure and at least help diabetes mellitus, according to a new study in Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology.

Ying Feng and colleagues conducted the study in rats and found co-administration of taurine and L-arginine for four weeks normalized systolic blood pressure, blood glucose, and insulin levels. 

For the study, rats were fed 25% fructose for three months to induce insulin resistance and hypertension.  Rats with systolic blood pressure greater than 150 mmHg were used as model rats.  A total of 42 model rats were then randomized into six groups and fed drinking water with one of the six combinations: 3% taurine, 2.7% taurine plus 0.3% L-arginine, 2.1% taurine plus 0.9% L-arginine, 1.5% taurine plus 1.5% L-arginine and 3% L-arginine.

In addition to the normalization of systolic blood pressure, glucose and insulin levels, the taurine and L-arginine supplementation could also reverse the significantly increased thickness of blood vessels and normalized serum NO, cGMP, and ET levels.

The study concluded “These data indicated that both taurine and l-arginine could ameliorate vascular remodeling and showed obvious antihypertensive effects, and taurine (1.5%) and l-arginine (1.5%) in the drinking water showed a better result in the cure of hypertension.”

Taurine and L-arginine are amino acids but only the latter is used in protein synthesis.  L-arginine has been known to produce NO, which relaxes blood vessels to lower blood pressure.  Studies also show vitamin C provides a similar benefit. (David Liu, PHD)