Arginine supplementation improves insulin resistance in obese adolescents

Arginine through a NO mediated mechanism improves insulin resistance in type 2 diabetes. To asses the effect of a short‐term (1 week) dietary arginine supplementation on insulin resistance in glucose intolerant obese adolescents, we conducted a randomized, cross‐over study in 12 subjects (16±1 yr.;BMI 36±5 kg/m 2 ) receiving a one week diet period of a weight maintaining protein and energy intake, or an isocaloric arginine supplemented (21 gram/day) isonitrogenous diet. At the end of each diet period they received a primed, constant, 7 hr. tracer infusion of [1‐ 13 C]Glucose, L‐[ 2 H 3 ]Leucine and [ 2 H 5 ]Glycerol. During the last 3 hours a hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp (HEC; 40 mU·m −2 ·min −1 insulin) was conducted. Arginine supplementation improved (p<0.05) insulin sensitivity from 0.3±0.2 to. 0.4±0.2 μmol ·kg −1 ·min −1 /μU/mL. There was a trend towards improvement of non‐oxidative glucose disposal (3.5±3 vs. 4.5±2 mg.kg −1 .min −1 ; p=0.06). However, there was no effect on endogenous glucose production (‐1.0±1 vs. ‐1.0±2 mg.kg −1 .min −1 ; p=0.99). Arginine had no effect on protein breakdown or lipolysis. A one week oral arginine supplementation (21 gr/day) in obese adolescents improves insulin resistance. NIH DK‐62363, T32 HD‐007445, Ajinomoto 3‐ARP; USDA/ARS 25337387; Sophia Foundation for Scientific Research (SSWO).