Meat and seafood may enhance the quality of life for people with intermittent claudication

This study was published in Vascular Medicine February 2000 vol. 5 no. 1 11-19

Study title and authors:
Nutritional therapy for peripheral arterial disease: a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized trial of Heart Bar
Andrew J Maxwell, Barbara E Anderson, John P Cooke
Division of Research and Development, Cooke Pharma, Inc., Belmont, CA, USA

This study can be accessed at: http://vmj.sagepub.com/content/5/1/11.short

The study investigated the clinical effects of bars of food enriched in l-arginine in individuals with claudication from atherosclerotic peripheral arterial disease.

41 subjects with intermittent claudication were randomized to three groups: 

(i) two active bars

(ii) one active and one placebo bar

(iii) two placebo bars per day

The study found:

(a) After 2 weeks of treatment, the pain-free walking distance increased 66% while the total walking distance increased 23% in the group taking two active bars/day. The general and emotional/social functioning of the two active bar group also improved. 

(b) After 2 weeks of treatment, beneficial effects were not observed in the one active bar/day and placebo groups.

(c) The beneficial effects of the two active bars/day group were maintained after 10 weeks and, in addition, an improvement in walking distance was observed in the group taking one active bar.

This study shows that l-arginine improves pain-free and total walking distance as well as quality of life in individuals with intermittent claudication.

Rich dietary sources of L-Arginine are turkey, beef, pork, gelatin, wild game, seafood and dairy products.