Ingredient 2 of 3
Arginine Alpha-Ketoglutarate (AAKG) in Melonex: What the Second Name on the Label Allows
Arginine alpha-ketoglutarate, or AAKG, is the second name in the Melonex proprietary blend. Label order caps it at 250 mg per capsule, as a salt, so the arginine itself is less. The one trial we found used 4 g per dose and 12 g a day. No amount is printed, and no study has tested Melonex.
Written by the Melonex label deskUpdated
The second name01
What is arginine alpha-ketoglutarate in a supplement?
Arginine alpha-ketoglutarate is the amino acid arginine joined to alpha-ketoglutarate, a compound. Sellers shorten it to AAKG or AKG. It is the second name in the Melonex blend.
The label prints it as "L-Arginine (Alpha-Ketoglutarate dihydrate)". Dihydrate means the salt holds water in its crystal. The water and the second half of the salt add weight that is not arginine.
AAKG is mostly sold for workouts and blood flow. The idea behind it is that the body uses arginine in related pathways, which is not a result. Melonex arginine comes in two forms, and the arginine HCl page covers the other one.
Quick profile02
What does the Melonex label say about L-arginine AKG?
The label lists L-arginine AKG in the middle of one 500 mg proprietary blend and prints no amount for it.
Federal rules let a company show one blend weight and leave out the parts (21 CFR 101.36, Supplement Facts). Melonex does that.
| Name on the label | L-Arginine (Alpha-Ketoglutarate dihydrate) |
|---|---|
| What it is | Amino acid arginine joined to alpha-ketoglutarate (a salt) |
| Place in the blend list | 2 of 3, most to least by weight |
| Amount per capsule | not printed; the label order caps it at 250 mg of the 500 mg blend |
| Amount used in research | 4 g per dose, 12 g a day, in one sports trial of 35 men |
| Strength of evidence | Little human evidence; one review says clinical evidence is lacking |
| Marketed or traditional use | Sold for exercise and blood flow |
| Main caution | No authoritative safety page for alpha-ketoglutarate was found. Arginine cautions apply: blood-pressure medicines, nitrates, recent heart attack. |
The panel is typed out on the supplement facts page.
Label math03
What amount of arginine AKG is in one Melonex capsule?
The label does not say, but label order sets a ceiling. L-arginine AKG is at most 250 mg per capsule.
Worked example: the parts of a blend are listed from heaviest to lightest (21 CFR 101.36, Supplement Facts). The second name cannot outweigh the first, and the two cannot exceed 500 mg together. So if the first and second were equal, each would be 250 mg and the third would be nothing.
500 mgone Proprietary Blend per capsule, amounts of the three names not printed
Proprietary Blend 500 mg- L-Citrulline DL-Malate167 to 500 mg
- L-Arginine alpha-ketoglutarateup to 250 mg
- L-Arginine HClup to 167 mg
Bars show the widest range the label order allows for each name (21 CFR 101.36, Supplement Facts). The real split is not printed.
The 250 mg is salt weight. The alpha-ketoglutarate and the water are part of it, so the arginine alone is lower. These are limits from label order, not measurements.
Amounts vs research04
Is the AAKG in Melonex close to the amounts studied?
No. The AAKG trial we found used 4 g per dose and 12 g a day. The most Melonex can hold at two capsules is 500 mg a day.
The study was a randomized, double-blind trial in 35 resistance-trained men aged 30 to 50 (Campbell 2006, L-arginine AKG trial). They took 4 g three times a day, or placebo. We could read only its design, so we report no outcome. It was a sports trial, not a blood pressure study.
The math: 4 g is 4,000 mg, which is 16 times the 250 mg ceiling of one capsule. 12 g is 24 times the two-capsule ceiling of 500 mg.
Evidence05
What does research say about arginine alpha-ketoglutarate?
Little human evidence exists for AAKG. A 2026 review found a lack of human clinical evidence and says dosage and long-term safety still need research (Devulapalli 2026, AKG review).
Most of the work on alpha-ketoglutarate that review discusses comes from model organisms, not people. We read only its abstract, and found no source testing AAKG for blood pressure.
| Part | Source | What it says |
|---|---|---|
| AAKG, as sold | Campbell 2006 trial (Campbell 2006, L-arginine AKG trial) | 4 g doses; 35 men in the placebo-controlled study; no outcome claimed here. |
| Alpha-ketoglutarate | 2026 review (Devulapalli 2026, AKG review) | Human clinical evidence is lacking; most findings come from model organisms. |
| Arginine alone | 22-trial analysis (Shiraseb 2022, arginine and BP) | Small average drops, systolic about 6.40 and diastolic about 2.64 mm Hg, at grams a day. |
| Arginine alone | Mayo Clinic and MSK (Mayo Clinic, L-arginine) (MSK, Arginine) | Mayo says it might help; MSK calls the evidence mixed and limited. |
The arginine results do not carry over to AAKG by default. NCCIH says no dietary supplement has been shown to work like blood pressure drugs (NCCIH, Hypertension).
Melonex: from $49 a bottle60 capsules · 2, 3 or 6 bottles · free US shipping on 3 and 6 · 60-day money-back guarantee
See packsSafety06
What are the cautions with arginine AKG?
The arginine cautions apply to this ingredient. We found no authoritative safety page for alpha-ketoglutarate itself, so we make no claim about that half.
Mayo Clinic lists nausea, abdominal pain, diarrhea, bloating, gout, headache and worse asthma as possible effects of arginine (Mayo Clinic, L-arginine). Cleveland Clinic adds dizziness (Cleveland Clinic, L-arginine).
- Mayo Clinic, MSK and Cleveland Clinic advise against arginine after a recent heart attack (Mayo Clinic, L-arginine) (MSK, Arginine) (Cleveland Clinic, L-arginine). In the VINTAGE MI trial, 6 of about 70 patients on arginine died, against none on placebo, and enrollment stopped (JAMA 2006, VINTAGE MI trial). That dose was about 9 g a day, far above this blend.
- Arginine can add to blood pressure medicines, so ask a doctor or pharmacist first (Mayo Clinic, L-arginine).
- Never stop or change a prescribed medicine for a supplement (AHA, Managing BP Medications). Chest pain, trouble breathing or fainting means call 911 (AHA, Warning Signs of a Heart Attack).
See also supplements and blood pressure medicines.
Weighing it up07
Is Melonex a good way to get arginine AKG?
Not if you want a known, studied amount. The AAKG in Melonex is capped at 250 mg and the true figure is not printed.
Fair points
- The capsule is a simple one-a-day routine.
- A 60-day money-back guarantee is described; confirm it at checkout (Melonex sales page).
Weak points
- The amount is hidden and capped at 250 mg.
- Study doses are 16 to 24 times higher.
Six bottles are $294, about $0.82 a day. See the pricing page.
Keep reading08
Where do I read about the other Melonex ingredients?
The first name is citrulline malate, and the third is arginine HCl. The proprietary blend page shows how all three share 500 mg.
FAQ09
Arginine AKG in Melonex: questions
What does AAKG stand for?
AAKG stands for arginine alpha-ketoglutarate, the amino acid arginine joined to alpha-ketoglutarate. Melonex prints it as L-Arginine (Alpha-Ketoglutarate dihydrate), second in its proprietary blend.
How many mg of arginine AKG are in Melonex?
The label does not print it. By label order, arginine AKG is at most 250 mg of the 500 mg blend per capsule. That is salt weight, so the arginine in it is lower, and the real amount may be well under the cap.
Is arginine AKG the same as L-arginine HCl?
No. Both supply arginine, but they are different salts. AAKG pairs arginine with alpha-ketoglutarate, and HCl pairs it with hydrochloride. Melonex lists both, so its arginine comes from two different forms.
What dose of AAKG do studies use?
The trial we found gave 4 g three times a day, 12 g a day, to 35 men. One Melonex capsule holds at most 250 mg of AAKG, so the label cannot reach that range even at two capsules.
Does AAKG lower blood pressure?
We found no source that tested it. Studies of arginine alone show small average drops at grams a day, and a 2026 review found little human evidence for alpha-ketoglutarate. Melonex is not a blood pressure medicine.
Should arginine AKG be used after a heart attack?
Three major health sites say no. Mayo Clinic, MSK and Cleveland Clinic advise against arginine after a recent heart attack. In one trial, 6 of about 70 patients on arginine died. Ask your cardiologist before using Melonex.
Can I take Melonex AAKG with nitrates or sildenafil?
Ask your doctor first. Mayo Clinic says arginine may drop blood pressure too low with nitrates and sildenafil-type medicines. Cleveland Clinic names nitrates but not sildenafil.
Who wrote this10
Written and reviewed by
Pages built from the label, the sales page and linked NIH, FDA, CDC, FTC and peer-reviewed sources.
Last updated . See our editorial standards and how we check reviews. This website is the information site for the Official U.S. Melonex shop. It is not the manufacturer or the distributor named on the label. We make money when you buy through our order links.
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