L Ornithine Foods : 5 L Ornithine Food Sources

L ornithine foods and food sources are not so easy to find because of a lack of nutrient density across the food many people eat regularly. Often people who would like to support their levels of the amino acid l ornithine may need to supplement.

Supplements containing l ornithine are becoming increasingly popular in the fitness community for their possible benefits in supporting fatigue reduction and also supporting the health of the gut barrier. L ornithine plays a really important role in the detoxification of ammonia and removal of excess nitrogen from the body. This is thought to be one of the most important drivers of energy fatigue resulting from exercise.

L ornithine could be categorized under new supplement development along with antioxidant compounds such as ursolic acid. This is because of how innovative research is in this field. You can read about our articles on l ornithine supplement benefits and the effects of l ornithine on gut health here.

Research has shown that l ornithine is found in higher amounts in certain fermented foods and food sources. This is because of specific groups of microbes which are also thought to be health promoting within our gut environment. For example lactobacilli are a form of lactic acid bacteria found in the gut with possible probiotic qualities. These are one group of bacteria which may contribute to elevated levels of l ornithine within some foods.

Here some l ornithine rich foods and food sources will be listed to show some food options you could include to support your levels of l ornithine.

5 L Ornithine Rich Foods

L ornithine is not readily found in high amounts in many foods which we regularly eat. L ornithine is not so rich in most meats and fish. This amino acid can be quite elusive in our diet.

L ornithine is not currently considered to be an essential nutrient but seems to be an important factor in the prevention of ammonia toxicity. This is the main role of l ornithine within the body and exercise research has linked levels of this amino acid with fatigue. Our energy producing mitochondria contain ornithine transporters.

Genetic damage to the ammonia detoxification process causes serious issues in the body and highlights the importance of l ornithine in preventing toxic build ups of ammonia. Some studies suggest that l ornithine could support healthy muscle growth and wound healing.

Another important research area for l ornithine is in gut health. Various studies suggest that l ornithine could support more optimal gut health via reinforcing or building up the strength of the gut barrier and suppressing gut inflammation. Lower levels of gut inflammation lead to a reduced risk of inflammatory triggered gut diseases such as IBD.

You may find high levels of l ornithine in certain fermented foods. This is because of a higher count of l ornithine optimised bacteria such as lactobacilli which may release more l ornithine than other groups of bacteria. Some researchers believe that this amino acid could be part of a private microbe communication channel with our own gut.

Here are some foods and food sources which are rich in l ornithine for you to consider.

Corbicula Clams

One of the highest l ornithine foods or food sources seems to be an edible Asian clam known as corbicula. This clam is considered to be a delicacy in some regions in Asia and could contain an astounding 160mg of l ornithine per 100 grams.

Based on current food research knowledge this is one of the most nutrient dense sources of l ornithine available. This is one for the adventurous foodies.

Scallops

Another food source or l ornithine rich food is considered to be the scallop. This is an edible mollusc which is regularly eaten throughout the globe. You are actually able to find scallops in various restaurants. Scallops are available from many fishmongers and are also easily obtained from fresh fish markets.

The l ornithine content of scallops is approximately 4mg per 100 grams. This is not as abundant as the corbicula clam but is a really rich source of l ornithine nonetheless. Scallops are very quick and simple to cook as well.

Kimchi

Kimchi is a fermented Korean vegetable which is now a little more well known throughout the world than 20 years ago or so. This is a fermented food so the kimchi vegetable is allowed to first mature and populate with some probiotic bacteria before consumption. This is actually a core part of the taste of many fermented foods such as kimchi and is a very popular side dish.

Some lactic acid bacteria have been identified from kimchi with a high l ornithine optimisation. This means that relative to other probiotic or other bacteria they have a high ornithine production capacity.

One study actually suggests that under the right conditions these kimchi bacteria produce 27mg an hour of ornithine per litre in some cases as part of regular metabolism. That is a phenomenal amount. This needs to be verified within the gut environment but l ornithine from kimchi could support some of the possible digestive or gut health promoting effects found from eating this fermented food.

Kefir

Kefir is a fermented form of milk or yoghurt which is cultured in a specific way. This includes the addition of probiotic bacteria with kefir grains. Kefir is a very popular fermented food found across the globe and can now be bought in grocery stores.

Because yoghurts and milk contain lactose sugars there is a high count of lactobacilli within the final kefir product. More so than milk or a basic yoghurt because of the microbial culturing process. Lactobacilli like to live on a lactose rich environment.

Lactobacilli are associated with high l ornithine optimisation or l ornithine production. While the exact amounts of l ornithine in kefir need to be characterised you could consider kefir to be an l ornithine rich food or food source because of very high lactobacilli counts. Healthy levels of l ornithine could also contribute to some of the gut health benefits of kefir.

Sauerkraut

Sauerkraut is a pickled cabbage which is enhanced through natural microbial fermentation just like kefir. The cabbage is pickled with added salt and allowed to ferment through lactic acid fermentation. This food is widely eaten throughout areas of China.

Sauerkraut contains probiotic microorganisms, vitamins and minerals which contribute to reported health benefits such as the promotion antioxidant levels. There are various microbial bacteria found within sauerkraut including lactobacillus and lactic acid bacteria. Considering the l ornithine optimisation of these bacteria they could contribute to levels of l ornithine observed with naturally fermented sauerkraut. Sauerkraut is readily available in many different grocery stores across the world.

Overall fermented foods and corbicula clams are some of the most nutrient dense sources of l ornithine found to date. Rich food sources of l ornithine are notoriously hard to find but fermented foods like kefir and scallops are readily available in various stores.

Summary

L ornithine foods and food sources are not easy to find because of a lack of nutrient density in many foods regularly eaten across the globe. Many people who wish to support l ornithine levels need to supplement.

Research with l ornithine has only really started but l ornithine supplements are becoming increasingly popular in the fitness community. This is because of possible benefits of l ornithine on fatigue or muscle growth during and after exercise. L ornithine plays an important role in ammonia detoxification.

L ornithine is also being increasingly understood to play a role in gut health. Some researchers suggest that l ornithine could support the reduction of gut inflammation and could form part of a private communication channel with our gut cells. L ornithine may help to restore the gut barrier and so could support people with IBD.

Some foods or food sources rich in l ornithine are thought to be fermented foods such as kimchi or kefir. This is because of a naturally high amount of lactobacilli or lactic acid bacteria in these products which may be optimised for l ornithine production. Some kimchi bacteria produce staggering amounts of l ornithine. Sauerkraut is a pickled cabbage which is also rich in l ornithine.

Other foods such as edible corbicula clams and scallops may also be considered to be rich in l ornithine. Corbicula clams contain a very high amount of l ornithine per gram and are so far one of the most nutrient dense sources of l ornithine available.

Overall fermented foods and corbicula clams are some of the most well established food sources of l ornithine.

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