Research
Mixed
Dietary supplementation with arginine, glutamine, and cysteine precursors enhances immune function and reduces morbidity/mortality in subjects with malnutrition or infectious disease.
If you are recovering from surgery, dealing with a serious infection, or suffering from malnutrition, ensuring adequate intake of arginine, glutamine, and cysteine precursors may support your immune system and recovery. For generally healthy individuals, the evidence for extra supplementation is less clear, and balance is key to avoid negative interactions.
GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
Increasing evidence shows that dietary supplementation of specific amino acids to animals and humans with malnutrition and infectious disease enhances the immune status, thereby reducing morbidity and mortality. Arginine, glutamine and cysteine precursors are the best prototypes.
Why this rating
Review article citing numerous animal and clinical studies, though noting mixed results in severe sepsis.
Source
Amino acids and immune function
Peng Li et al. · British Journal Of Nutrition · 2007
DOI 10.1017/s000711450769936x
narrative_reviewCited 1,567×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
More from this paper
- Glutamine serves as a major energy substrate for immune cells and is required for lymphocyte proliferation and glutathione synthesis.Strong
- Arginine supplementation can worsen clinical outcomes in critically ill patients with severe systemic inflammatory response syndrome, sepsis, or multiple organ failure due to excessive nitric oxide production.Good
Related findings · Mixed
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