Arginine Martin Kohlmeier, in Nutrient Metabolism, Regulation Information on regulatory events in Arg homeostasis is still very incomplete. The control of dietary intake as well as differential distribution to liver and other tissues contributes to a steady supply for vital functions and the avoidance of excess. Selection of foods may be influenced by their Arg content as suggested by observations in rats (Yamamoto and Muramatsu, 1987). Subjects with citrullinemia, an inborn error of arginine synthesis, have been reported to crave beans, peas, and peanuts, which are high in arginine (Walser, 1983); this observation could be another indication of some kind of feedback control of Arg intake. Arg potentiates glucose-induced insulin secretion (Thams and Capito, 1999), which in turn shifts Arg away from use for gluconeogenesis and towards use for protein synthesis. The rate of endogenous Arg synthesis appears to be little affected by intake levels (Castillo et al.,). Inflammatory cytokines and endotoxin
