Ingredient profile
L-arginine in MemoHoney: what 400 mg per capsule means
L-arginine is an amino acid, and MemoHoney lists it twice: 200 mg of base and 200 mg of AKG 2:1 extract, 400 mg per capsule. The one oral memory pilot we found used 6,400 mg a day, so the label holds about 6% of that dose. No trial tested this capsule, and arginine can interact with several common medicines.
Written by the MemoHoney label deskUpdated
The ingredient
What is L-arginine in MemoHoney?
L-arginine is an amino acid that your body makes and gets from protein foods (NIH ODS, exercise supplements).
MemoHoney prints it on two lines of the Supplement Facts panel: "L-Arginine (base)" at 200 mg and "L-Arginine AKG 2:1 Extract" at 200 mg (MemoHoney label). Together that is 400 mg per capsule, the largest group on the panel.
| Name on the label | L-Arginine (base) and L-Arginine AKG 2:1 Extract |
|---|---|
| What it is | An amino acid the body makes and gets from protein foods; AKG stands for alpha-ketoglutarate, and the label does not say how much arginine the 200 mg of extract holds |
| What it is sold for | Sold as a nitric-oxide building block |
| Amount per capsule (label) | 200 mg + 200 mg |
| Amount used in research | 6.4 g a day by mouth for 30 days in one small pilot in older adults with measured memory problems; 500 mg per kg by vein in a blood-flow study; up to 30 g a day for 90 days in a safety trial |
| What the studies found | A 2026 pilot gave 6.4 g a day of arginine to older adults with memory complaints for 30 days: 16 finished on arginine, 19 on placebo, and the placebo group also improved on memory. A 1997 study that gave arginine by vein (500 mg per kg) raised brain blood flow by 9.5% in 12 people; it ran no memory test and says nothing about a capsule. The label's 400 mg is a small fraction of both. |
| Main caution | Can lower blood pressure too far with nitrates, sildenafil-type medicines and blood pressure medicines; can add to blood thinners and diabetes medicines. Not for people after a recent heart attack: in one trial, 6 of 153 patients on arginine died, against none on placebo. Memory problems that are new or getting worse need a clinician. |
Reading the second row
What is L-arginine AKG 2:1 extract?
L-arginine AKG 2:1 extract is arginine paired with alpha-ketoglutarate, usually written AAKG, in a ratio of two parts arginine to one part AKG.
The label does not say how much arginine the 200 mg holds, so we do not guess. The sports studies of AAKG used far more: 12 g a day for 8 weeks in resistance-trained men (Campbell 2006, AAKG), and 12 g a day for 7 days in active men (Willoughby 2011, AAKG). Both were exercise studies, not memory studies.
Label vs research
How much L-arginine is in one MemoHoney capsule?
One capsule holds 400 mg of arginine across two rows, and a bottle of 30 holds 12,000 mg, or 12 g, in total.
The one oral memory pilot gave 6.4 g a day for 30 days (Teotia 2026, oral arginine pilot). Divide 400 by 6,400 and you get about 6%. Exercise trials mostly used 2 to 10 g a day, and a safety trial went to 30 g a day for 90 days in overweight adults (NIH ODS, exercise supplements) (McNeal 2018, arginine 30 g safety). Food already gives roughly 4 to 5 g a day. Arginine is the first bar below.
- L-Arginine (base + AKG extract)400 mg on the label
Studies: 6.4 g a day in one memory pilot; up to 30 g a day for 90 days in a safety trial. Studies used about 16 to 75 times the label amount. (Teotia 2026, oral arginine pilot) (McNeal 2018, arginine 30 g safety)
- L-Citrulline (HCl + malate)200 mg on the label
Studies: 3 to 9 g a day in exercise and blood pressure trials; no memory trial found. Studies used about 15 to 45 times the label amount. (Chen 2016, BCAA arginine citrulline) (Trexler 2019, citrulline meta)
- Beta Alanine40 mg on the label
Studies: 1.6 to 6.4 g a day; ISSN says 4 to 6 g a day; no cognitive change in the one test found. Studies used about 40 to 160 times the label amount. (Hoffman 2014, beta-alanine soldiers) (ISSN beta-alanine stand)
- Niacin7.5 mg on the label
Reference: 16 mg NE is the Daily Value; 35 mg a day is the upper limit for supplements. The label is 47% of the Daily Value and 21% of the upper limit for supplements. (NIH ODS, Niacin)
- Calcium18 mg on the label
Reference: adults need about 1,000 mg a day from all sources; the cognition trial used 1,000 mg with vitamin D. The label is about 2% of what an adult man needs in a day. (NIH ODS, Calcium) (Rossom 2012, WHI calcium + D)
Log scale: each gridline is ten times the one before. Studied ranges are daily amounts from the trials linked on each row; the arginine row compares the label's 400 mg (200 mg base plus 200 mg of an AKG extract) with arginine studies, and the citrulline row 200 mg (two forms) with citrulline studies. Niacin and calcium rows show reference levels, not study doses. A bar being far away does not mean the capsule is unsafe or useless; it means the study results cannot be borrowed for it.
Every row is compared on the formula page.
The memory question
Is L-arginine good for memory?
We found no evidence that the 400 mg in MemoHoney does anything for memory, and the research on arginine and memory is thin.
The only oral memory trial we found is a small 2026 pilot in people aged 60 or older with memory complaints, at 6.4 g a day for 30 days. Of 35 who finished, 37.5% of the arginine group reached a normal screening score against 5.3% on placebo. But the placebo group improved on memory too, and the authors call it a pilot (Teotia 2026, oral arginine pilot). The dose was about 16 times the label's.
The National Institute on Aging recommends no supplement to prevent cognitive decline (NIA, Cognitive health and older adults).
Memory problems that are new, getting worse or getting in the way of daily life need a clinician, not a supplement (NIA, Memory problems and aging).
Nitric oxide and blood flow
Does L-arginine boost nitric oxide or brain blood flow?
Arginine is a raw material the body uses to make nitric oxide, but no study we found shows that a 200 mg oral dose changes brain blood flow.
Nitric oxide helps regulate circulation in the brain, and arginine is one input (Toda 2009, NO and brain blood flow). The leap to a capsule is the problem. The best-known brain study put arginine into a vein at 500 mg per kg, about 35 g for a 70 kg adult, roughly 90 times the label's 400 mg. Blood flow rose 9.5% on a scan; no memory test was run (Reutens 1997, arginine cerebral flow).
MemoHoney capsules: 30 to a bottleOne capsule a day · 2, 3 or 6 bottles · price and shipping shown at checkout
See the priceSafety
What are the side effects of L-arginine?
The common side effects of oral arginine are nausea, stomach pain, bloating and diarrhea, and the larger risk is a drop in blood pressure when it meets certain medicines (Mayo Clinic, L-arginine) (MSK, Arginine).
In the VINTAGE MI trial, 153 patients took arginine or placebo for 6 months after a heart attack. Six on arginine died, none on placebo (Schulman 2006, VINTAGE MI). The dose was far above the label, but the warning stands for anyone with a recent heart attack.
Before you order
Is L-arginine safe with your medicines?
It depends on what you take, so ask a doctor or pharmacist before you order.
Ask first if you take nitrates, sildenafil-type medicines, blood pressure medicines, blood thinners or diabetes medicines, or if you have had a heart attack: arginine can lower blood pressure too far or add to those medicines. Chest pain, fainting or trouble breathing: call 911. Keep taking prescribed medicine as directed. Report a reaction to the FDA (FDA report a problem).
More on side effects and arginine and blood pressure medicines.
The takeaway
Should L-arginine be the reason you choose MemoHoney?
No, not if the reason is a memory result, because no source ties 400 mg of arginine to one.
Both arginine amounts are printed and there is no proprietary blend. The weak spots are the undefined AKG extract, a dose far below the studied ones, and no trial of the product. See the supplement facts page.
FAQ
L-arginine and MemoHoney: common questions
How much L-arginine is in MemoHoney?
MemoHoney has 400 mg of arginine per capsule, in two rows: 200 mg of L-arginine (base) and 200 mg of L-arginine AKG 2:1 extract. The label does not say how much arginine the extract holds.
What does AKG mean in L-arginine AKG?
AKG stands for alpha-ketoglutarate. Paired with arginine at a 2:1 ratio it is sold as AAKG. The panel prints the extract's weight, 200 mg, but not the arginine inside it.
Is L-arginine good for memory?
We found no evidence for the label amount. One small 2026 pilot used 6.4 g a day for 30 days, and the placebo group improved too. The capsule has about 6% of that dose.
Who should not take L-arginine?
Arginine is not recommended after a recent heart attack. People on nitrates, sildenafil-type medicines, blood pressure medicines, blood thinners or diabetes medicines should ask a doctor first, as should anyone with gout or asthma.
Can L-arginine cause low blood pressure?
Yes. Mayo Clinic says arginine with nitrates or sildenafil might drop blood pressure too low. Dizziness on standing is the sign to watch for: sit down, stop the capsules and call your doctor.
Can L-arginine cause stomach upset?
Yes. Nausea, stomach pain, bloating and diarrhea are the usual effects, mostly at gram-level doses. If they last, stop and ask a clinician.
Who wrote this
Written and reviewed by
Pages built from the label, the seller's brief and linked NIH, FDA, CDC, FTC and peer-reviewed sources.
Last updated . Read our editorial standards and how we check reviews. This website is the information site of a USA Authorized MemoHoney Retailer. It is not the manufacturer, and the label names INSTITUTO EXPERIENCE (Ogden, Utah) as the distributor. We earn money when you buy through our order links.
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