Ingredients review
Memo Honey Ingredients Review: One Verdict per Label Line
The MemoHoney panel has seven lines: niacin 7.5 mg NE, calcium 18 mg, two forms of arginine at 200 mg each, two forms of citrulline at 100 mg each and beta-alanine 40 mg. Every amount is printed, and none is honey. Niacin is the one line near a nutrition target; the amino acids sit far below studied doses.
Written by the MemoHoney editorial teamMedically reviewed by Dr. Mary Cunningham, NeuropsychologistPublished Last updated · 9 min read
How we grade
What is in Memo Honey, and how do we grade each label line?
We ask three plain questions of every line. Is the amount printed? What was it studied for? Is the capsule close to the studied dose?
- Seven active lines, each with its own amount. There is no proprietary blend.
- Other ingredients: hypromellose (vegetable capsule), vegetable stearate and silicon dioxide.
- No honey, no caffeine and no gelatin appear on the label.
- The amino acids were studied mainly for exercise and blood flow, at grams a day (NIH ODS, Exercise supplements).
| Label line | Amount | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| Niacin | 7.5 mg NE (47% DV) | Near a daily target; a needed nutrient |
| Calcium (as calcium carbonate) | 18 mg (1.5% DV) | A trace; adds almost nothing |
| L-Arginine (base) | 200 mg | Far below studied doses; the most cautions |
| L-Arginine AKG 2:1 Extract | 200 mg | Part arginine, part alpha-ketoglutarate |
| L-Citrulline HCl | 100 mg | Far below studied doses |
| L-Citrulline Malate | 100 mg | Far below studied doses |
| Beta Alanine | 40 mg | Far below studied doses |
Niacin and calcium
Do niacin and calcium make a difference at these amounts?
Niacin is vitamin B3, and the label gives 7.5 mg NE per capsule. That is 47% of the Daily Value. Adults need about 14 to 16 mg NE a day, and the upper limit from supplements and fortified foods is 35 mg (NIH ODS, Niacin). So one capsule covers about half a day's need.
Two cautions follow. The label does not say which form of niacin it uses, and the forms behave differently at high doses. Flushing, meaning warm, red, itchy skin, starts around 30 to 50 mg of nicotinic acid. One capsule is well below that. Count the niacin in a multivitamin or B-complex too, because totals stack.
Does niacin help memory? Only when someone is badly short of it. A severe shortage, called pellagra, brings memory loss, depression and fatigue (NIH ODS, Niacin). Extra niacin does not help people who already get enough.
Calcium is a different story. At 18 mg, it is 1.5% of a 1,300 mg Daily Value. That is a trace. The label gives it no stated role, and it will not change most people's calcium intake.
Read the panel next to the verdicts below. The sales page shows the same bottle, the packs and the guarantee.Disclosure: this site is paid when an order goes through its links. Price and terms are set on the sales page.
See today's price and guaranteeArginine, twice
Is 400 mg of arginine, in two forms, a meaningful dose?
The label lists L-arginine (base) at 200 mg and L-arginine AKG 2:1 at 200 mg. Together that is 400 mg of arginine ingredients. The AKG form is bound to alpha-ketoglutarate, so the real arginine is somewhat less than 400 mg. The label gives no exact figure, and neither do we.
The body makes nitric oxide from arginine, and nitric oxide relaxes blood vessels. That is the link the sales page leans on. But in exercise studies, 2 to 20 g a day of arginine typically did not change nitric oxide or blood flow, and had little to no effect on performance (NIH ODS, Exercise supplements). One capsule holds about one-fifth of the lowest dose studied.
Mayo Clinic lists heart, blood pressure and circulation uses for L-arginine. Memory is not on the list (Mayo Clinic, L-arginine). So the verdict is simple: the amount is printed, the dose is small, and the memory use is not supported by these sources.
Arginine is not recommended after a recent heart attack. It can interact with blood pressure medicine, nitrates for chest pain, sildenafil, blood thinners, diabetes medicine and potassium-sparing water pills (Mayo Clinic, L-arginine). The label names none of these drugs. Show the panel to a pharmacist.
Citrulline, twice
What does the citrulline in Memo Honey add?
The label lists L-citrulline HCl at 100 mg and L-citrulline malate at 100 mg. That is 200 mg in all. The body turns citrulline into arginine, which is why the two are sold together for the nitric oxide idea.
In exercise research, citrulline was studied at 3 to 8 g, and the support was described as weak (NIH ODS, Exercise supplements). Citrulline malate was used at 8 g in one weightlifting study. Stomach discomfort showed up in 6 of 41 weightlifters, and long-term safety over months has not been well studied.
One capsule holds about one-fifteenth of the lowest citrulline dose in that research. The label does not say why the formula uses two forms, and we have not seen a reason from the maker. Verdict: far below studied amounts, and no memory use listed in our sources.
Beta-alanine
What is 40 mg of beta-alanine doing in a memory capsule?
The label does not say. Beta-alanine is best known from sports products. It was studied at 1.6 to 6.4 g a day for up to 8 weeks in high-intensity exercise research, with mixed results (NIH ODS, Exercise supplements).
The tingling that people associate with beta-alanine starts around 800 mg in one dose, and it is harmless. At 40 mg, one capsule is far below that. It is also about one-fortieth of the lowest studied daily dose.
Verdict: a small, safe-looking amount with no stated purpose and no memory use in our sources. If you also take a pre-workout powder, add up its beta-alanine, arginine and citrulline too.
The rest
What else is in the capsule, and does it matter if you have allergies?
The other ingredients are three: hypromellose, which forms the vegetable capsule, vegetable stearate and silicon dioxide. None is honey or gelatin.
The label prints no allergen statement. Brand artwork shows badges for gluten free, dairy free and non-GMO, but no test, program or certifier is named for any of them. If you have celiac disease or a serious allergy, call +1 (302) 200-3480 and ask for written details before you order.
The same goes for a strict vegetarian diet. The vegetable capsule is on the label. A vegetarian badge is not backed by a named certifier.
The big question
Why would workout ingredients appear in a memory product?
The label does not explain it. The sales page ties the formula to more blood flow to the brain, through nitric oxide. That is a theory, and no published trial has tested the finished capsule.
Read that way, the verdicts add up. The label is honest about what is inside. The ingredients come from exercise and nutrition research. The doses are small next to that research. The memory claim is the seller's wording, marked with an asterisk that leads to the FDA statement.
MemoHoney is a dietary supplement. It is not FDA approved, because no supplement is (FDA, Supplement Q&A). It does not treat memory loss or dementia. If your memory is changing, see a doctor before you try any capsule.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What are the ingredients in Memo Honey?
Per capsule: niacin 7.5 mg NE, calcium 18 mg, L-arginine 200 mg, L-arginine AKG 200 mg, L-citrulline HCl 100 mg, L-citrulline malate 100 mg and beta-alanine 40 mg. A vegetable capsule shell, vegetable stearate and silicon dioxide complete the list.
Does Memo Honey have a proprietary blend?
No. Each of the seven lines has its own printed amount per capsule. A proprietary blend shows only one total weight for a group, so you cannot compare single ingredients with research. Here you can.
Why does Memo Honey list two forms of arginine and citrulline?
The label does not say. It lists plain L-arginine and an AKG form, and an HCl form and a malate form of citrulline. Together that is 400 mg of arginine ingredients and 200 mg of citrulline ingredients.
Do Memo Honey amounts match the studies?
No. The exercise studies worked in grams a day: 2-20 g of arginine, 3-8 g of citrulline and 1.6-6.4 g of beta-alanine. A capsule holds milligrams. Niacin, at about half the daily need, is the only line near a nutrition target.
Does Memo Honey have caffeine or other stimulants?
None is listed. The seven active lines are amino acids, niacin and calcium. The Energy icon on the bottle is a brand claim and not a stimulant.
Is Memo Honey safe with my medicines?
Ask a doctor or pharmacist first. Arginine can interact with blood pressure, nitrate, erectile dysfunction, blood thinner, diabetes and potassium-sparing water pill medicines. Keep taking your prescribed medicine while you ask.
Verdict
Our view
The good news first: this is a readable label. Seven lines, seven amounts and no blend. A pharmacist can check it in minutes, and you can compare every line with a source. Many products in this aisle do not give you that.
The hard news is the dose and the purpose. Three amino acids sit at one-fifth or less of the lowest studied amounts, they were studied for exercise, and the label never says why they are here. Niacin is the one line that does something clear, and only for people whose diet falls short.
Our verdict is mixed and we think it is fair: honest label, weak evidence. Judge it with your own notes, and speak to a doctor if memory worries you.
If the verdicts leave you comfortable, the 60-day window on the sales page lets you test the capsule against your own notes.Disclosure: this site is paid when an order goes through its links. Price and terms are set on the sales page.
See today's price and guarantee