L-Ornithine 500 mg by NOW

POSSIBLY EFFECTIVE

• Athletic performance. Taking ornithine orally, as a single dose or daily for 1 week, may improve some measures of athletic performance, although there is no clear pattern to the effects. Details: A small clinical study in healthy volunteers shows that taking ornithine hydrochloride 1 gram twice daily for 7 days followed by 3 grams with breakfast and lunch immediately before a cycling test seems to reduce fatigue when compared with placebo (67395). Also, small clinical studies show that taking a single dose of ornithine hydrochloride 0.1 gram/kg seems to increase peak cycling speed in active young males, without changing exercise duration, maximal oxygen consumption, or maximal heart rate (67400,67404). A small clinical study in young male weightlifters shows that taking a combination of ornithine 1 gram and arginine 1 gram daily for 30-35 days is associated with increased lean body mass, strength, and peak anaerobic power when compared with placebo (32207,67427).

INSUFFICIENT RELIABLE EVIDENCE to RATE

• Dry skin. Oral ornithine has only been evaluated in combination with other ingredients; its effect when used alone is unclear. Details: A small clinical study in healthy adults with low skin moisture shows that ingesting a 30 mL drink containing fish scale-derived collagen peptides 10 grams and ornithine 400 mg (FUJIFILM) daily for 8 weeks does not improve skin moisture. However, it seems to improve skin elasticity and reduce water loss from the skin when compared with placebo (101607). This study was limited by its small size.
• Insomnia. Although there is interest in using oral ornithine for insomnia, there is insufficient reliable information about the clinical effects of ornithine for this condition.
• Periodontitis. It is unclear if oral ornithine is beneficial in patients with periodontitis. Details: Preliminary clinical research in patients with chronic periodontitis shows that using ornithine, 3 grams three times daily orally for 15 days after scaling and root planing, does not improve periodontal pocket depth or bleeding on probing when compared with untreated controls (108926).
• Wound healing. Although there is interest in using oral ornithine for wound healing, there is insufficient reliable information about the clinical effects of ornithine for this purpose. More evidence is needed to rate ornithine for for these uses.

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POSSIBLY SAFE ...when used orally and appropriately, short-term. Ornithine hydrochloride has been used with apparent safety at doses up to 500 mg daily for up to 8 weeks and at doses up to 12 grams daily for up to 4 weeks (95226,110717).

PREGNANCY AND LACTATION:
Insufficient reliable information available; avoid using.

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General ...Orally, ornithine seems to be well-tolerated. However, a thorough evaluation of safety outcomes has not been conducted.
Most Common Adverse Effects:
Orally: Gastrointestinal symptoms (unspecified)

Gastrointestinal ...Orally, ornithine might cause adverse gastrointestinal effects. In a small, uncontrolled trial, gastrointestinal symptoms were reported in around 22% of individuals taking ornithine 3.2-12 grams daily (110717).

Genitourinary ...Orally, ornithine has been associated with one case of hematuria. In a small, uncontrolled trial, hematuria was reported in one individual taking ornithine, which resolved quickly without treatment when ornithine was discontinued. While the researchers suspected the hematuria was not related to ornithine supplementation, no cause could be determined (110717).

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