[net.med] arginine, etc

stewart@ihldt.UUCP (R. J. Stewart) (09/19/84)

> To quote a recent article in "City Sports" (a SF bay area sports
> magazine):
 
> "Arginine, ornithine and lysine.  These amino acids have recently found their
> way into various anabolic packs that are suppose to help you gain weight by 
> stimulating the release of growth hormone (HGH).  However, other products
> that contain the same amino acids claim they will help you to lose weight
> while you sleep because of increased growth hormone release. [..."]
  
> from " A Matter of Substance", City Sports, Vol 10, No. 9, Sept., 1984.
> by James J Kenney,  PhD in Nutrition from Rutgers University, member
> of the Board of Directors of the National Council on Health Fraud.

The author of this article is either trying to insult his audience or is
trying to discourage the use of amino acids through the same misleading
tactics that he attributes to those promoting amino acids.  He implies
that the people promoting the use of amino acids are contradicting
themselves by saying that you can gain weight and lose weight.

I'm sure Dr. Kenney knows as well as anyone that growth hormone can
stimulate muscle development and also speed up the burning of stored
fat.  Whether one gains or loses weight depends on how much muscle one
adds vs. how much fat one loses.  Whether or not the use of amino acids
is ultimately helpful in either of these areas may be uncertain, but Dr.
Kenneys tactics don't say much for his objectivity.


A question for anyone out there who might know:  Does this "National
Council on Health Fraud" really watch for frauds, or was it set up to
perpetuate the "drugs and surgery" approach of most of modern medicine?

Bob Stewart
ihldt!stewart