Role of L-Arginine in the Gut–Liver Axis of Female Mice: Mediating Ethanol’s Alterations in Hepatic Steatosis and Oxidative Stress

Ethanol exposure causes microbial imbalance, damages the gut barrier, and increases oxidative stress along the gut–liver axis, leading to the development and progression of alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD). Arginine is a conditionally essential amino acid that may play a key role in maintaining redox homeostasis and mediating host–microbiota crosstalk. We hypothesized that supplemental arginine provided during chronic ethanol exposure in mice would mitigate oxidative damage via the gut–liver axis. Our findings suggest that arginine supplementation mediated hepatic steatosis, preserved body weight and fat, and reduced oxidative stress in the gut–liver axis. These changes were associated with alterations in gut microbiota composition and function. These data support a potential role for arginine supplementation in mitigating ethanol-induced oxidative damage via the gut–liver axis.