The effects of supplementation with L-arginine on anthropometric indices and body composition in overweight or obese subjects: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract Background Animal studies have shown that L-Arginine can affect anthropometric and body composition indices favorably, while results of human studies are contradictory. Objective This is a meta-analysis of human studies in which L-arginine was provided as a dietary supplement to test its effects on anthropometric indices. Design We searched the Cochrane library, PubMed, Embase and Scopus databases to identify studies in which L-arginine was provided to humans in randomized clinical trials. Results Of 4784 publications, 12 trials were included for the meta-analysis. Pooled effect sizes indicated that L-arginine significantly reduced body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), and fat mass (FM), and also increased fat-free mass (FFM) compared to the placebo group. However, the effects of L-arginine on body weight (BW) was not significant. Subgroup analysis could not identify factors significantly influencing BW. Conclusion We found a beneficial effect of L-arginine supplementation on anthropometric indices in overweight and obese subjects.