Ingredient profile
L-Arginine and L-Arginine AKG in MemoHoney: Benefits, Doses and Side Effects
MemoHoney lists two arginine lines per capsule: L-arginine (base) 200 mg and L-arginine AKG 2:1 200 mg. Arginine is the amino acid the body uses to make nitric oxide. Mayo Clinic lists heart and blood-flow uses, not memory (Mayo Clinic, L-arginine). Exercise studies used 2-20 g a day, and arginine interacts with several heart and blood pressure medicines.
Written by the MemoHoney editorial teamUpdated
On the label
What is L-arginine, and how much is in MemoHoney?
L-arginine is an amino acid found in protein foods, and the body can also make its own. MemoHoney lists it twice: 200 mg of the base form and 200 mg of an AKG form, for 400 mg of arginine ingredients per capsule.
| Label name | L-Arginine (base) |
|---|---|
| Scientific name | Amino acid |
| What it is | Amino acid |
| Position in the list | 3 of 7 (every amount is printed per capsule) |
| Per capsule | 200 mg |
| Amount used in research | 2-20 g a day in exercise studies; no memory use listed |
| Strength of evidence | No memory evidence |
| Traditional or marketed use | Amino acid the body uses to make nitric oxide |
| Main caution | Not for people after a recent heart attack; can lower blood pressure; check blood pressure, chest pain and ED medicines. |
Both lines sit high on the panel, right after niacin and calcium. Together they are the largest amounts on the panel. For the other six lines, see all MemoHoney ingredients.
How it works in the body
How does L-arginine relate to nitric oxide?
The body turns arginine into nitric oxide, a gas that tells the walls of blood vessels to relax. Wider vessels let blood flow more easily. That link is why arginine is sold in "nitric oxide boosters" for workouts.
The catch is that swallowing more arginine does not reliably raise nitric oxide. The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements reviewed exercise studies that used 2-20 g a day. Arginine typically had no effect on nitric oxide levels or on blood flow, and little to no effect on performance (NIH ODS, Exercise supplements).
So the step from "arginine makes nitric oxide" to "an arginine pill raises blood flow" is not backed by that research.
The second form
What is L-arginine AKG 2:1?
It is arginine bound to alpha-ketoglutarate (AKG), a compound the body makes while turning food into energy. The label calls it "L-Arginine AKG 2:1 Extract" but does not define the 2:1.
In the supplement trade, 2:1 commonly describes the ratio of arginine to AKG in the salt. What matters for you is simpler. Part of those 200 mg is AKG, not arginine, so the real arginine in a capsule is somewhat less than 400 mg. The label gives no exact figure, and neither do we.
The label does not explain why the formula uses both a base form and an AKG form. Whichever form it comes from, arginine carries the warnings listed further down.
Evidence
What are the benefits of L-arginine, according to Mayo Clinic?
Mayo Clinic lists evidence for heart, blood pressure and circulation problems. Memory is not on the list.
| Condition | Listed by Mayo Clinic? | What it means for MemoHoney |
|---|---|---|
| Chest pain (angina) | Yes | A medical use, handled with a doctor |
| High blood pressure | Yes | Also a reason for caution if you take blood pressure medicine |
| Preeclampsia | Yes | A pregnancy condition; the label says ask a physician if pregnant |
| Erectile dysfunction with a physical cause | Yes | Not a MemoHoney claim |
| Peripheral artery disease | Yes | A circulation problem in the legs, treated by a doctor |
| Memory or thinking | Not listed | No cognitive use appears |
Those listings come from studies at medical doses, usually grams. They do not describe what 400 mg in a capsule does.
The memory question
Does L-arginine improve memory?
None of the sources we cite shows that it does. Mayo Clinic lists no cognitive use, and the NIH exercise fact sheet does not mention memory at all.
The sales page says MemoHoney can "increase cerebral blood flow". That is the seller's wording, not a tested result. Research on arginine and memory is mostly in animals or early, and none of it tested this formula.
If your memory is changing in ways that worry you, a doctor's visit comes before any supplement. The memory health guide explains what is typical and what is not.
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How does 400 mg of arginine compare with the doses in studies?
One capsule has about one-fifth of the lowest arginine dose studied.
| Amount | Where it comes from | What was seen |
|---|---|---|
| 400 mg | One MemoHoney capsule (both forms) | No study of this amount or formula |
| 2-20 g a day | Exercise studies | Little to no performance effect; typically no change in nitric oxide or blood flow |
| Up to 9 g a day | Days or weeks of use | Safe and well tolerated |
| 9-30 g a day | High doses | Diarrhea, nausea and slightly lower blood pressure |
Small dose
400 mg is far under the range where stomach upset showed up.
Small effect expected
If grams did not move nitric oxide, milligrams are unlikely to.
Same cautions
Medicine interactions are listed for arginine itself, so a small dose does not remove them.
Side effects
What are the side effects of L-arginine?
Mayo Clinic calls arginine generally safe when taken by mouth. The side effects it lists are mostly in the gut (Mayo Clinic, L-arginine).
- Nausea, stomach pain, diarrhea and bloating
- Gout
- Allergic reactions
- Airway inflammation or worse asthma symptoms
If you have asthma, mention it before you start. Stop taking MemoHoney and call your doctor if breathing gets harder.
Who should ask first
Who should not take L-arginine?
Anyone who has had a recent heart attack, and anyone taking the medicines below, should ask a doctor first.
| Situation or medicine | Possible problem |
|---|---|
| Recent heart attack | Not recommended; it might increase the risk of death |
| Blood pressure medicine | Blood pressure may drop too low |
| Nitrates for chest pain | Blood pressure may drop too low |
| Sildenafil (Viagra) | Blood pressure may drop too low |
| Blood thinners and antiplatelet drugs | Higher bleeding risk |
| Diabetes medicine | Blood sugar may drop too low |
| Potassium-sparing water pills | Potassium may climb too high |
| Isoproterenol | Blood pressure may drop too low |
It only says people with a known medical condition should consult a physician. Bring the bottle to your pharmacist. Never stop or change a dose on your own.
Keep exploring
Where does L-arginine fit among MemoHoney's ingredients?
Arginine is the biggest of MemoHoney's ingredient groups. L-citrulline is the body's other route to arginine, and the full safety picture is on the side effects page.
FAQ
L-arginine FAQ
Is L-arginine good for the brain?
There is no good human evidence that it helps memory or thinking. Mayo Clinic lists no cognitive use (Mayo Clinic, L-arginine), and the NIH exercise review covers only workouts (NIH ODS, Exercise supplements). Brain claims for arginine come from marketing and from early or animal research, not from trials of a capsule like this one.
Does L-arginine increase nitric oxide?
Not reliably when taken as a supplement. The body does use arginine to make nitric oxide, but exercise studies at 2-20 g a day typically found no change in nitric oxide levels or blood flow (NIH ODS, Exercise supplements). A 400 mg capsule is far below those amounts.
Can L-arginine lower blood pressure?
Yes, it can. Mayo Clinic lists high blood pressure among its studied uses and warns that it may push pressure too low with blood pressure drugs (Mayo Clinic, L-arginine). High doses of 9-30 g a day slightly lowered blood pressure in exercise research (NIH ODS, Exercise supplements). Check with your doctor if you take pressure medicine.
Can I take L-arginine with sildenafil (Viagra)?
Ask your doctor first. Mayo Clinic says arginine taken with sildenafil may lower blood pressure too much (Mayo Clinic, L-arginine). The same warning applies to nitrates for chest pain. The MemoHoney label does not name either drug, so bring the bottle to your appointment or pharmacy.
What is the difference between L-arginine and L-arginine AKG?
L-arginine is the plain amino acid. L-arginine AKG is arginine bound to alpha-ketoglutarate, so part of its weight is not arginine. MemoHoney has 200 mg of each. Both supply arginine, so the same cautions and interactions apply to both forms.
Is it safe to take L-arginine every day?
Short-term daily use appears safe for most healthy adults. The NIH review says up to 9 g a day for days or weeks is safe and well tolerated (NIH ODS, Exercise supplements). Daily use is still a question for your doctor if you had a recent heart attack or take heart, diabetes or blood-thinning medicine.
How much L-arginine is in one MemoHoney capsule?
The label lists 200 mg of L-arginine (base) and 200 mg of L-arginine AKG 2:1 extract, so 400 mg of arginine ingredients. Because the AKG form is part alpha-ketoglutarate, the actual arginine is somewhat lower. The label does not give an exact figure.
Who wrote this
Written and reviewed by
Plain-language pages built from the label, the sales page and linked public health sources.
Last updated . Read our editorial standards and how we check reviews. This website is run by a U.S. retail desk that sells MemoHoney, not by the maker (the label says distributed by Instituto Experience, Ogden, UT). We earn money when you buy through our order links.
Keep reading
More about MemoHoney
L-citrulline
Both citrulline lines in MemoHoney: how citrulline becomes arginine, the two exercise studies, and how 200 mg compares.
Read more
Side effects
Side effects for each MemoHoney ingredient, the drug interactions table, and the signs that mean stop and call a doctor.
Read more
Who it's for
Who might consider MemoHoney, who should ask a doctor first, and when memory changes need a visit instead.
Read moreLicensed U.S. retail desk for MemoHoney
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