Test your
Arginine/Asymmetric Dimethylarginine (ADMA) Ratio
Looking for an easy way to test and monitor your Arginine/Asymmetric Dimethylarginine (ADMA) Ratio?
It's included in the HealthieOne Complete test.
Arginine/Asymmetric Dimethylarginine (ADMA) Ratio
Explanation: The Arginine/ADMA ratio reflects the body's capacity to produce nitric oxide, a critical molecule that keeps blood vessels relaxed, flexible, and healthy. Arginine is an amino acid that serves as the raw material for nitric oxide synthesis by the enzyme endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS). ADMA (asymmetric dimethylarginine) is a naturally occurring compound that directly blocks this enzyme, inhibiting nitric oxide production. When arginine is abundant relative to ADMA, your blood vessels can produce sufficient nitric oxide to maintain healthy dilation, prevent platelet clumping, and reduce inflammation. When ADMA rises or arginine falls, this ratio drops, signaling impaired nitric oxide availability, a fundamental early step in endothelial dysfunction that precedes atherosclerosis, hypertension, and cardiovascular events by years or even decades.
Test purpose:
- Assess endothelial function and vascular health: Provides a biochemical window into how well your blood vessels can relax and respond to demand, detecting dysfunction before structural damage or clinical symptoms appear.
- Identify cardiovascular risk beyond traditional markers: Elevated ADMA and low arginine/ADMA ratio predict heart attack, stroke, and cardiovascular death independently of cholesterol, blood pressure, and other conventional risk factors.
- Monitor metabolic and inflammatory conditions affecting vessel health: Insulin resistance, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, and systemic inflammation all raise ADMA levels, making this ratio a sensitive indicator of metabolic stress impacting your vasculature.
Other information about this test: Boston University School of Medicine
An aspect of Cardiovascular Health.