Arginine Alpha-Ketoglutarate (AAKG)

Also called AAKG, A-AKG, L-arginine alpha-ketoglutarate, arginine AKG, arginine alpha ketoglutarate, NO2 supplement.

Best grade D across 7 graded outcomes Amino acid Last checked

The short answer

From 9 sources

AAKG raises blood arginine, but trials have not shown the promised blood-flow boost. One 8-week trial in 35 men found better bench press and sprint power with 12 g a day, while single doses did nothing for strength and slightly lowered chin-up endurance. Other positive results come from multi-ingredient blends.

Quick pick

NOW Foods AAKG 2200, 180 Veggie Capsules

from HerbsPro

Its name matches AAKG capsules or powder, one of the forms compared in our Forms table.

Label: 4 capsules: 2,200 mg AAKG (from L-arginine alpha-ketoglutarate dihydrate).

Best for trying one bottle: $24.98 one-time (checked Oct 15, 2026).

Shop at HerbsPro (paid link, opens in new tab)

Partner links may earn us a commission. How partner links work

How we chose: Momentous is the partner brand we list first, so its product leads whenever the Where to buy list has one for this compound or a form in our Forms table. Otherwise, among partner brands that passed our vetting without conditions (others only when none sells it), the first product in that list whose name matches a form in our Forms table, else the first one listed. Not a claim that it works: check the amount per serving against the studied doses and limits.

Every graded outcome on this page

7 rows · line = participants
  1. Grade DPain and repair integrity after rotator cuff surgeryTendon repairn 90
  2. Grade DJump performance in adolescent middle-distance runnersPowern 40
  3. Grade DStrength, power and body composition during resistance trainingStrengthn 35
  4. Grade DBench-press endurance and sprint power with a creatine blendStrengthn 35
  5. Grade DUpper-body muscular endurance and blood pressureEndurancen 12
  6. No effectBlood flow and nitric oxide markers after resistance exerciseBlood flown 24
  7. No effectMaximal strength and muscular enduranceStrengthn 16
  8. 4 more graded outcomes, in the evidence chapter

Key facts

What it is
L-arginine bound to alpha-ketoglutarate; Health Canada lists it as a source of L-arginine12
Nitric oxide and blood flow
Blood arginine rose, but arm blood flow and nitric oxide markers after exercise did not differ from placebo3
Strength (8 weeks, 35 men)
12 g a day improved 1RM bench press and Wingate peak power; body composition and aerobic capacity did not change2
Single pre-workout doses
No strength benefit at 3 g; fewer chin-ups than placebo in another crossover45
Doses tested
A single 3 g dose up to 12 g a day for 8 weeks24

What it is

Arginine alpha-ketoglutarate (AAKG) is a salt of the amino acid L-arginine with alpha-ketoglutarate, sold mainly in pre-workout "nitric oxide" products.

How it works

Proposed

AAKG is marketed to raise nitric oxide and widen blood vessels. In trials it raised blood arginine and the arginine-to-ADMA ratio, but nitric oxide metabolites, blood flow and blood pressure after exercise matched placebo.23

Forms

Form

The form on this page
FormElemental %Absorption (human data)GI toleranceStudied for
AAKG capsules or powderVaries1Not stated on the cited labels; part of each gram is arginine and part alpha-ketoglutarateBlood arginine rose after 4 g doses, with timed-release and regular forms giving different profiles.2Appeared safe and well tolerated at 12 g a day for 8 weeks; Health Canada notes possible stomach discomfort above 9 g of arginine a day.21Strength, power, blood flow

What the human research says

Human trials only, one row per outcome. The form line shows what each trial actually tested. Grades follow our evidence-grading policy.

Trial map

7 graded outcomes, largest study first

7 graded outcomes: 2 improved, 2 mixed, 2 no effect, 1 worsened. The largest, a 2012 randomized trial of 90 people on pain and repair integrity after rotator cuff surgery, found mixed results. One outcome found a worsening: Upper-body muscular endurance and blood pressure (12 people).

3. Bench-press endurance and sprint power with a creatine blend: improved, 35 people34. Strength, power and body composition during resistance training: improved, 35 people4
1. Pain and repair integrity after rotator cuff surgery: mixed, 90 people12. Jump performance in adolescent middle-distance runners: mixed, 40 people2
5. Blood flow and nitric oxide markers after resistance exercise: no effect, 24 people56. Maximal strength and muscular endurance: no effect, 16 people6
7. Upper-body muscular endurance and blood pressure: worsened, 12 people7

1Pain and repair integrity after rotator cuff surgery

Mixed · Grade D · RCT, 90 people, 2012

Patients with large rotator cuff tears repaired arthroscopically

Dose, result and source
Every graded outcome on this page, largest study first
OutcomeFoundPeopleStudyWho was studied
Pain and repair integrity after rotator cuff surgeryMixed90Grade D · RCT, 2012Patients with large rotator cuff tears repaired arthroscopically
Jump performance in adolescent middle-distance runnersMixed40Grade D · RCT, 2021Runners aged 14 to 17
Bench-press endurance and sprint power with a creatine blendImproved35Grade D · RCT, 2008Young men (about 23 years)
Strength, power and body composition during resistance trainingImproved35Grade D · RCT, 2006Resistance-trained men aged 30 to 50 (20 AAKG, 15 placebo)
Blood flow and nitric oxide markers after resistance exerciseNo effect24No-effect grade · RCT, 2011Physically active men
Maximal strength and muscular enduranceNo effect16No-effect grade · Crossover RCT, 2012Eight resistance-trained and eight untrained men
Upper-body muscular endurance and blood pressureWorsened12Grade D · Crossover RCT, 2011Trained college-aged men
Each circle is one graded outcome on this page, numbered from the largest study down, and placed by how many people it studied (log scale). It shows who was studied and what was found, not advice about your dose.

Every graded row

7 rows

Showing 7 of 7 outcomes. Human trials only.

Grade DPain and repair integrity after rotator cuff surgeryTendon repairLess pain, function unchangedRCT
n 90 · 2012

Mixed Shoulder pain at 6 months was lower (p < 0.001) and more repairs were intact at final follow-up, but Constant and Simple Shoulder Test scores did not differ.

Design
RCT, n = 90, 2012
Population
Patients with large rotator cuff tears repaired arthroscopically
Form
Tenosan blend: AAKG, MSM, hydrolyzed type I collagen and bromelain (vs no supplement)
Dose
Daily supplement (amount not stated in the abstract)
Duration
3 months after surgery
Source
Reference 8 · PubMed 23043451 (opens PubMed)
Grade DJump performance in adolescent middle-distance runnersPowerJump height maintainedRCT
n 40 · 2021

Mixed Countermovement jump height fell in the placebo group (p = 0.002) but not with HMB plus AAKG; muscle-damage enzymes and mood did not differ between groups.

Design
RCT, n = 40, 2021
Population
Runners aged 14 to 17
Form
HMB (calcium salt) plus AAKG
Dose
7.5 g HMB and 10 g AAKG a day
Duration
12 days of training
Source
Reference 7 · PubMed 33805883 (opens PubMed)
Grade DStrength, power and body composition during resistance trainingStrengthBetter bench press and peak powerRCT
n 35 · 2006

Improved The AAKG group improved 1RM bench press and Wingate peak power (P < 0.05); body composition, total body water, quadriceps endurance and aerobic capacity did not differ between groups.

Design
RCT, n = 35, 2006
Population
Resistance-trained men aged 30 to 50 (20 AAKG, 15 placebo)
Form
AAKG
Dose
4 g three times a day (12 g a day)
Duration
8 weeks
Source
Reference 2 · PubMed 16928472 (opens PubMed)
Grade DBench-press endurance and sprint power with a creatine blendStrengthHigher peak power with the blendRCT
n 35 · 2008

Improved Bench-press repetitions rose with the blend and with creatine alone; only the blend raised Wingate peak power (741 to 794 W). Average power did not differ.

Design
RCT, n = 35, 2008
Population
Young men (about 23 years)
Form
Commercial blend: creatine, AAKG, glutamine, taurine, BCAAs and MCT (vs creatine alone or placebo)
Dose
0.075 g AAKG per kg a day with 0.1 g creatine per kg
Duration
10 days
Source
Reference 6 · PubMed 19033611 (opens PubMed)
Grade DUpper-body muscular endurance and blood pressureEnduranceSlightly fewer repetitionsCrossover RCT
n 12 · 2011

Worsened Total chin-ups (23.75 vs 25.58) and total repetitions (137.92 vs 141.08) were lower after AAKG than placebo; the blood pressure response did not differ.

Design
Crossover RCT, n = 12, 2011
Population
Trained college-aged men
Form
AAKG supplement
Dose
3,700 mg AAKG 4 hours and again 30 minutes before exercise
Duration
Single session
Source
Reference 5 · PubMed 21399536 (opens PubMed)
No effectBlood flow and nitric oxide markers after resistance exerciseBlood flowNo extra blood flowRCT
n 24 · 2011

No effect Plasma arginine rose, but heart rate, blood pressure, arm blood flow and nitric oxide metabolites after exercise did not differ from placebo; changes were attributed to exercise.

Design
RCT, n = 24, 2011
Population
Physically active men
Form
NO2 Platinum (AAKG product)
Dose
12 g a day
Duration
7 days
Source
Reference 3 · PubMed 21813912 (opens PubMed)
No effectMaximal strength and muscular enduranceStrengthNo changeCrossover RCT
n 16 · 2012

No effect 1RM and total load volume on bench press and leg press did not differ from placebo in either trained or untrained men.

Design
Crossover RCT, n = 16, 2012
Population
Eight resistance-trained and eight untrained men
Form
AAKG
Dose
3,000 mg 45 minutes before exercise
Duration
Single dose
Source
Reference 4 · PubMed 22510253 (opens PubMed)

What the numbers add up to

Each point is worked out from the data and the sources numbered on this page, with the arithmetic shown under it. It adds no new data and is not medical advice.

The nitric-oxide claim did not show up

In a 7-day trial at 12 g a day, AAKG raised blood arginine but not nitric oxide markers or arm blood flow compared with placebo.3

How we got this: Primary outcomes of the 2011 blood-flow trial

Pre-workout doses: no help

Two crossovers giving about 3 to 3.7 g before training found no strength gain and slightly fewer chin-ups.45

How we got this: Comparison of the 2011 and 2012 acute trials

Studied doses

Doses used in research, shown against the official limits. They describe the studies, not a recommendation for you.

Studied doses in research, not advice. These are amounts used in research, not personal advice. Your clinician or pharmacist can say what fits you.

Doses studied in human trials

Doses studied in human trials ranged from a single 3,000 mg dose before lifting to 12 g a day (4 g three times daily) for 8 weeks.42

Interactions and safety

Published interactions only: each row cites a source. No row means none was found in our sources, not that a combination is safe.

What Arginine Alpha-Ketoglutarate meets

3 cited rows 9 tested together

Medicines 3

Arginine Alpha-Ketoglutarate3 medicines · 9 supplements

Supplements and foods 9

  • Drug label or FDA notice
  • Tested together in a graded trial
Also cited: 9 tested together

  1. Blood thinners

    • Drug labelDrug label or FDA notice

      Blood thinners: Listed in the same Health Canada caution (more than 0.42 g of arginine a day): ask a health care practitioner first.

      Source 1, Health Canada, Natural and Non-prescription Health Products Directorate (2025)

  2. Erectile dysfunction medicines

    • Drug labelDrug label or FDA notice

      Erectile dysfunction medicines: Listed in the same Health Canada caution (more than 0.42 g of arginine a day): ask a health care practitioner first.

      Source 1, Health Canada, Natural and Non-prescription Health Products Directorate (2025)

  3. Medicines for cardiovascular disease

    • Drug labelDrug label or FDA notice

      Medicines for cardiovascular disease: Health Canada's L-arginine monograph, which lists AAKG as an arginine source, advises asking a health care practitioner before using products giving more than 0.42 g of arginine a day with medicines for cardiovascular disease.

      Source 1, Health Canada, Natural and Non-prescription Health Products Directorate (2025)

  4. BCAAsBCAAs page

  5. BromelainBromelain page

  6. Collagen peptidesCollagen peptides page

  7. Creatine monohydrateCreatine monohydrate page

  8. HMBHMB page

  9. L-glutamineL-glutamine page

  10. MCT oilMCT oil page

  11. MSMMSM page

  12. TaurineTaurine page

Rows as our evidence profiles cite them; links stay on this site. Line weight shows what backs a row, not how serious an interaction is. No line means none was found in our sources, not that a combination is safe. Not medical advice: ask your pharmacist.

Interactions

3 agents
Published interactions, grouped by kind
AgentWhat the source saysEvidence
Medicines3
Medicines for cardiovascular diseaseHealth Canada's L-arginine monograph, which lists AAKG as an arginine source, advises asking a health care practitioner before using products giving more than 0.42 g of arginine a day with medicines for cardiovascular disease.1Drug label
Erectile dysfunction medicinesListed in the same Health Canada caution (more than 0.42 g of arginine a day): ask a health care practitioner first.1Drug label
Blood thinnersListed in the same Health Canada caution (more than 0.42 g of arginine a day): ask a health care practitioner first.1Drug label

Check with what you take

Kept on this device only

Add what you take. We list every interaction our evidence profiles cite between Arginine Alpha-Ketoglutarate and your picks, and between your picks.

Most cited:

Add a supplement or medicine you take to check it against Arginine Alpha-Ketoglutarate.

Starting from one medicine? The interaction checker rates how serious each pair is, on a curated list of 19 entries for 11 medicines. This cabinet has no severity rating: it lists every interaction row our supplement pages cite.

Not medical advice, and no dosing advice. An empty result means no row we cite names that pair, by name or through a drug class we can link the medicine to, not that a combination is safe. Where our sources name only a group of medicines we cannot match, the cabinet says so. Ask your pharmacist before you combine supplements and medicines.

Who should be careful

5 groups
Heart attack history
Health Canada's L-arginine monograph (which lists AAKG as a source) says products giving more than 9 g of arginine a day should not be used after a heart attack.1
Heart disease and medicines
Above 0.42 g of arginine a day, Health Canada advises asking a health care practitioner first if you have cardiovascular disease and are increasing activity, or take medicines for heart disease, erectile dysfunction or blood thinning.1
Pregnancy and breastfeeding
Health Canada advises asking a health care practitioner before use if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.1
Stomach upset
Health Canada lists gastrointestinal discomfort as a known reaction above 9 g of arginine a day.1
Liver
One 2023 case report describes a 48-year-old man hospitalised with severe liver injury and features of autoimmune hepatitis two months after a muscle-building supplement containing AAKG, L-citrulline, L-tyrosine, creatine malate and beet extract; the authors discuss it as possible drug-induced autoimmune hepatitis, and which ingredient was responsible is unknown. LiverTox has no arginine or AAKG entry.9
Talk to your pharmacist or clinician before starting a supplement, especially if you take prescription medicines.

How to read the label

What to check on the Supplement Facts panel.

How to read the label

2 checks
AAKG is not pure arginine

Part of each AAKG gram is alpha-ketoglutarate, and many pre-workouts list it only inside a proprietary blend. Trials used 3 to 12 g of AAKG.24

Blends are different products

Positive results with creatine or HMB combinations cannot be credited to AAKG alone.67

Have the bottle? Photograph its Supplement Facts panel and see each line, arginine alpha-ketoglutarate (aakg) included, beside the doses and forms the trials used in Label X-Ray.

Where to buy Arginine Alpha-Ketoglutarate (AAKG)

Products from brands we partner with that contain Arginine Alpha-Ketoglutarate (AAKG). Check the amount per serving against the doses studied above, and the label for other ingredients.

Arginine Alpha-Ketoglutarate (AAKG) products from partner brands

1 product
  • Quick pickHerbsProNOW Foods AAKG 2200, 180 Veggie Capsules

    4 capsules: 2,200 mg AAKG (from L-arginine alpha-ketoglutarate dihydrate); trials used 3 to 12 g a day

    $24.98one-timeChecked Oct 15, 2026
    Shop at HerbsPro (paid link, opens in new tab)

Listing a product is not a claim that it works; check the amount per serving against the doses studied, and the label for other ingredients.Prices and labels are from each brand’s own site on the date shown; confirm before you buy.

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Frequently asked questions

Short answers to common questions; the numbers link to the sources below.

Common questions

6 answers
Does AAKG boost nitric oxide and pumps?

Not in the trial that measured it: 12 g a day for 7 days raised blood arginine, but nitric oxide markers and arm blood flow after lifting matched placebo.3

Does AAKG increase strength?

One 8-week trial in 35 men found better bench press and peak power with 12 g a day; single 3 to 3.7 g doses before lifting gave no benefit and slightly fewer chin-ups.245

Does AAKG build muscle?

Not in the trial that measured it: 12 g a day for 8 weeks of training improved bench press and peak power in 35 men, but body composition and total body water did not differ from placebo.2

What are the side effects of AAKG?

AAKG appeared safe and well tolerated at 12 g a day for 8 weeks. Health Canada lists stomach discomfort as a known reaction above 9 g of arginine a day. One case report linked a multi-ingredient AAKG product to liver injury; the cause was not pinned on AAKG.219

Is AAKG safe to take long term?

The longest trial lasted 8 weeks at 12 g a day, so long-term safety is unknown. Health Canada says high-dose arginine products should not be used after a heart attack and advises checking first if you have heart disease, take heart, erectile dysfunction or blood-thinning medicines, or are pregnant or breastfeeding.21

How is AAKG different from L-arginine?

AAKG pairs arginine with alpha-ketoglutarate, and Health Canada lists it as a source of L-arginine. No cited trial compared AAKG with plain L-arginine.12

Sources

9 sources: trial abstracts, NIH fact sheets and reference databases. Numbers in the text link here.

Sources cited on this page

9 sources
  1. 1L-Arginine: natural health product monograph (risk information; dated July 25, 2025)Guideline Health Canada, Natural and Non-prescription Health Products Directorate, 2025 · webprod.hc-sc.gc.ca
  2. 2Pharmacokinetics, safety, and effects on exercise performance of L-arginine alpha-ketoglutarate in trained adult men.RCT Nutrition, 2006 · PMID 16928472
  3. 3Effects of 7 days of arginine-alpha-ketoglutarate supplementation on blood flow, plasma L-arginine, nitric oxide metabolites, and asymmetric dimethyl arginine after resistance exercise.RCT Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab, 2011 · PMID 21813912
  4. 4Acute L-arginine alpha ketoglutarate supplementation fails to improve muscular performance in resistance trained and untrained men.Crossover RCT J Int Soc Sports Nutr, 2012 · PMID 22510253
  5. 5Acute arginine supplementation fails to improve muscle endurance or affect blood pressure responses to resistance training.Crossover RCT J Strength Cond Res, 2011 · PMID 21399536
  6. 6Creatine, arginine alpha-ketoglutarate, amino acids, and medium-chain triglycerides and endurance and performance.RCT Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab, 2008 · PMID 19033611
  7. 7Effects of Co-Ingestion of β-Hydroxy-β-Methylbutyrate and L-Arginine α-Ketoglutarate on Jump Performance in Young Track and Field Athletes.RCT Nutrients, 2021 · PMID 33805883
  8. 8Arginine L-alpha-ketoglutarate, methylsulfonylmethane, hydrolyzed type I collagen and bromelain in rotator cuff tear repair: a prospective randomized study.RCT Curr Med Res Opin, 2012 · PMID 23043451
  9. 9A Case Report: Idiopathic or Drug-Induced Autoimmune Hepatitis-Can We Draw a Line?Observational Clin Pract, 2023 · PMID 37987426

What changed

Every dated change to this page: what changed, who made it and why.

Change log

2 entries
Dated changes to this page
DateChangeWho and why
interactions, safety, FAQ, questionsAdded the Health Canada arginine cautions (cardiovascular, erectile dysfunction and blood-thinning medicines above 0.42 g of arginine a day) as interaction rows, and a liver note from a 2023 case report of autoimmune-type liver injury after a multi-ingredient AAKG product. Reworked the FAQ (muscle growth, side effects, long-term safety), added three page questions and the performance goal-hub link. PubMed search (AAKG and arginine alpha-ketoglutarate, all study types, to October 2026) found no new trial of AAKG alone after 2021 and no meta-analysis; LiverTox and LactMed have no arginine or AAKG entry, so the pregnancy note stays on Health Canada's caution.Writer: Kymata Health EditorialTrigger: A–Z audit against docs/supplements/AUDIT-STANDARD.md
allInitial editorial evidence review. Every PMID checked against NCBI E-utilities esummary (title, year, journal; none retracted) and each cited abstract read; numbers taken from the abstracts (full text or registry used only where noted). Funding disclosed per study: no competing interests (2012 crossover, full text); the 2021 HMB+AAKG authors declare no conflicts; the other abstracts name no funder (disclosed as not stated; Baylor trials tagged non-government support). Safety rows use only the Health Canada L-arginine monograph (July 25, 2025), which lists L-arginine alpha-ketoglutarate as a source ingredient. Where to buy: NOW Foods AAKG 2200 (label checked 2026-10-15).Writer: Kymata Health EditorialTrigger: new page

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