Tier 2 — strong

L-arginine therapy in acute myocardial infarction: the Vascular Interaction With Age in Myocardial Infarction (VINTAGE MI) randomized clinical trial

Steven P Schulman, Lewis C Becker, David A Kass, Hunter C Champion, Michael L Terrin, Sandra Forman, Kavita V Ernst, Mark D Kelemen, Susan N Townsend, Anne Capriotti, Joshua M Hare, Gary Gerstenblith
JAMA 2006 295(1):58–64

Bibliography

PubMed
PMID 16391217
DOI
10.1001/jama.295.1.58
Funding
Not yet independently verified in full text
Competing interests
Not yet independently verified in full text

Study snapshot

DesignRandomized double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial
ModelAdults after first acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction
Sample153 enrolled
InterventionL-arginine target 3 g three times daily versus matched placebo alongside post-MI treatment
DurationPlanned six-month follow-up
EndpointsArterial stiffness; Left ventricular ejection fraction; Mortality and adverse outcomes

What the study showed, in plain terms

In a randomized trial after acute myocardial infarction, L-arginine failed to improve the main cardiovascular measures and was associated with excess deaths, prompting concern about post-infarction use.

Key findings

The trial was terminated early after six deaths in the arginine group and none in placebo. This high-risk finding cannot be generalized to all healthy supplement users, but must appear in safety coverage.

What this study can and cannot tell us

Single-center, post-MI population, early termination and limited sample; directly applicable to acute post-infarction caution, not a general population hazard estimate.

Citation network

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Editorial review

Reviewed by the Biohack Blueprint research team

Last verified

Dr. Khaled Mahmoud, MBBChCritical Care Medicine, Longevity Science & Editorial Direction