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Pharmacokinetics, safety, and effects on exercise performance of L-arginine alpha-ketoglutarate in trained adult men

Campbell B, Roberts M, Kerksick C, Wilborn C, Marcello B, Taylor L, Nassar E, Leutholtz B, Bowden R, Rasmussen C, Greenwood M, Kreider R
Nutrition 2006 22(9):872-881

Bibliography

PubMed
PMID 16928472
DOI
10.1016/j.nut.2006.06.003
Funding
Study support and supplement sourcing are described in the full Nutrition article.
Competing interests
This related-form study should be interpreted independently from Ca-AKG supplement claims.

Study snapshot

DesignTwo randomized double-blind controlled human studies: acute pharmacokinetics and 8-week training trial.
ModelHealthy resistance-trained adult men aged 30-50.
Sample10 men in the pharmacokinetic crossover study; 35 men in the 8-week trial.
Intervention4 g AAKG acute time-release comparison; 12 g/day AAKG for 8 weeks versus placebo in the training study.
DurationAcute PK study and 8 weeks chronic supplementation.
EndpointsPlasma arginine pharmacokinetics; Bench-press 1RM; Wingate peak power; Body composition; Aerobic capacity; Clinical safety markers

What the study showed, in plain terms

This is the most useful positive primary AAKG trial for the Ca-AKG-vs-AAKG page.

Twelve grams per day of AAKG for eight weeks improved bench-press 1RM and Wingate peak power in the reported trial, while body composition, aerobic capacity and isokinetic endurance did not improve.

Because AAKG contains arginine, the performance effects cannot be assigned to AKG alone and should never be presented as evidence for Ca-AKG.

Key findings

  • AAKG altered plasma arginine pharmacokinetics.
  • Eight-week AAKG supplementation improved bench-press 1RM and Wingate peak power versus placebo.
  • No significant benefit was found for body composition, aerobic capacity or isokinetic quadriceps endurance.

What this study can and cannot tell us

  • AAKG is pharmacologically different from Ca-AKG because of the arginine component.
  • Relatively small male-only training trial.
  • The study does not test aging or Ca-AKG.

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Dr. Khaled Mahmoud, MBBChCritical Care Medicine, Longevity Science & Editorial Direction Dr. Amr Yasser, PhDCardiometabolic, Musculoskeletal, Gut & Bioavailability Dr. Abdulla Mostafa, PhDCellular Senescence, Neurological, Mitochondrial & Brain-Ageing Biology