Arginine does more than help build proteins — your cells also need this amino acid to produce immune-alert proteins that help T cells recognize infected or abnormal cells.
When arginine became scarce, the cellular machinery responsible for building these immune-alert proteins stalled, leaving fewer warning signals available to help the immune system detect threats.
In mice, increasing dietary arginine reduced colon tumor formation and improved outcomes in influenza and SARS-CoV-2 infections, benefits that disappeared when researchers disabled the immune pathway arginine supports, confirming the effect wasn’t coincidental.
Whole foods are the preferred starting point for maintaining healthy arginine intake, with grass fed beef, lamb and watermelon providing options without relying automatically on supplements.
Adequate protein, sufficient carbohydrates and lower linoleic acid intake support the broader cellular environment your immune system needs to produce energy, build proteins and respond effectively to threats.
(Tom: Some of the reasons I include L-Arginine in several of my nutrition powders.)
Finish reading: https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2026/10/13/arginine-immune-function.aspx
