Table 2 Dietary intakes of the participants across tertiles of total L-arginine intakes

Dietary L-arginine (g/d)

 Range

<3.25

3.25–4.42

≥4.42

 Median

2.65

3.75

5.37

L-arginine from animal sources (g/d)

1.09 ± 0.36

1.69 ± 0.44

2.67 ± 1.1

0.001

L-arginine from plant sources (g/d)

1.47 ± 0.39

2.10 ± 0.45

3.0 ± 0.83

0.001

Energy intake (kcal/d)

1587 ± 365

2217 ± 389

2976 ± 558

0.001

Carbohydrate (% energy)

56.3 ± 7.5

58.0 ± 7.2

57.4 ± 6.6

0.001

Protein (% energy)

11.8 ± 1.6

13.5 ± 1.5

15.6 ± 2.1

0.001

Total fats (% energy)

34.3 ± 7.6

30.9 ± 6.7

29.6 ± 5.7

0.001

Saturated fats (% energy)

11.2 ± 3.3

10.8 ± 7.3

10.1 ± 3.1

0.001

Monounsaturated fats (% energy)

12.0 ± 3.1

10.6 ± 2.7

10.2 ± 2.3

0.001

Polyunsaturated fats (% energy)

7.5 ± 2.6

6.3 ± 2.1

5.8 ± 1.8

0.001

Cholesterol (mg/1000 kcal)

85.0 ± 31.5

99.0 ± 41.0

118 ± 63.7

0.001

Total fiber (g/1000 kcal)

15.7 ± 7.3

16.4 ± 6.8

16.4 ± 5.8

0.06