Arginine and Health is a series of popular scientific publications about the amino acid arginine and its health effects. Arginine - The Basics is the first part in this series, and it focuses on the basic facts about arginine, such as arginine as a chemical substance and the dietary sources of arginine. The authors also introduce some more advanced topics, such as the symptoms that should be regarded as warning signs of arginine deficiency, and the metabolic processes behind these symptoms. The publication series is based on original research as well as thousands of peer-reviewed scientific articles. Over the course of the series, the reader gains an understanding of the processes that keep us functional in our everyday lives, and how arginine is involved in them. The authors have included also a few real-life cases, which give examples of the effects of arginine on different target groups. Moreover, in each publication, the authors discuss common misconceptions about arginine. Jyrki Penttinen, MD, has been doing research on arginine for over 25 years. In addition to scientific research publications, he has written several best-selling popular science books on arginine and its positive health effects. The second author Hannele Penttinen, MA, brings a pedagogical and sociological perspective to the research, and has also co-authored several of the books on arginine. The Arginine and Health series does not endorse any specific arginine products. It is not permitted to use the publications to market any arginine products.