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Agmatine

Also known as: Clonidine-displacing substance, 4-(aminobutyl)guanidine, Decarboxylated arginine

Overview

Agmatine is derived from L-arginine and is considered a neurotransmitter and neuromodulator. Animal studies suggest it can be potentially used to treat neuropathic pain and drug addiction. Agmatine can be found in certain fermented foods, including wine.

Benefits

Agmatine is an endogenous neuromodulator derived from L-arginine with an affinity for various transmembrane receptors, including alpha-2 adrenergic, imidazoline I1, and NMDA receptors.

How it works

Agmatine plays a role in influencing receptors associated with pain perception, but studies show it has weak general analgesic properties. However, in vitro studies have suggested the neurotransmitter does show dose-dependent pain-relieving effects in the context of treating neuropathic pain. Agmatine’s effectiveness for drug addiction requires further research, but preliminary animal studies show promise in the treatment of alcohol withdrawal. These studies showed a decrease in alcohol withdrawal symptoms such as tremors and anxiety after supplementation. Agmatine has also been studied for its potential benefits for treating cocaine addiction, but animal studies have not shown promising results. Limited human evidence suggests agmatine may show efficacy for treating depression and nerve-related pain.

Side effects

There are no standard dosages for agmatine because of the lack of human evidence for its effects. However, a single human study used 1,300-2,670mg of agmatine, daily for the treatment of neuropathic pain. The estimated human dose for improving cognition is 1.6-6.4mg/kg of agmatine, taken orally. This is based off of the 10-40mg/kg dosage range for rats, and is equivalent to 109-435mg for a 150lb person. Supplementation should not exceed 6.4mg/kg of bodyweight. Studies on agmatine use a daily dosing protocol. Agmatine is not absorbed well when taken with dietary protein, because it uses the same transporters as arginine. Further research is needed to determine if oral agmatine supplementation provides the same benefits as were observed in animal studies.

Dosage

Limited human evidence suggests that agmatine may have mild to moderate side effects like diarrhea and mild nausea, but these resolve with time or treatment secession. Further research is needed to determine whether agmatine is safe to use.

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Agmatine is an endogenous neuromodulator derived from L-arginine with an affinity for various transmembrane receptors, including alpha-2 adrenergic, imidazoline I1, and NMDA receptors.