What does alpha-ketoglutarate do for the body?

Alpha-ketoglutarate (AKG) is a key molecule in the Krebs cycle determining the overall rate of the citric acid cycle of the organism. It is a nitrogen scavenger and a source of glutamate and glutamine that stimulates protein synthesis and inhibits protein degradation in muscles.

What is AKG?

AKG is a molecule involved in a number of metabolic and cellular pathways. It works as an energy donor, a precursor in amino acid production, and a cellular signalling molecule, and it is a regulator of epigenetic processes.

What is glutamine AKG?

L-glutamine alpha-ketoglutarate (AKG), provides the non-essential amino acid, L-glutamine, along with alpha-ketoglutaric acid, a component of the Citric Acid Cycle. L-glutamine is a non-essential amino acid that is a large component protein in skeletal muscle tissue.

What amino acid can be converted to alpha-ketoglutarate?

Alpha-ketoglutarate is produced from arginine, glutamate, glutamine, histidine and proline.

When should I take AKG?

The doses of AKG in athletes vary from 1 to 15 grams a day. As a sports ergogenic aid, AKG should be taken 1000-3000 mg about 30 minutes before exercise. To enhance the effects of AKG, it is better to take 100-150 mg of vitamin B6 along with it. For exercise recovery, a higher dose of AKG (5000-10000 mg) is required.

Does Arginine AKG work?

In a clinical trial on 12 trained men, AAKG did not improve muscle endurance or significantly affect the blood pressure response to anaerobic work [25]. In another trial on 35 resistance-trained men, arginine was safe and well-tolerated and positively influenced muscular strength and peak power performance.

Is AKG anti-aging?

The molecule grabbed attention as a possible antiaging treatment in 2014, when researchers reported AKG could extend life span by more than 50% in tiny Caenorhabditis elegans worms. That’s on par with a low-calorie diet, which has been shown to promote healthy aging, but is hard for most people to stick with.

What produces alpha-ketoglutarate?

α-Ketoglutarate can be produced by: Oxidative decarboxylation of isocitrate by isocitrate dehydrogenase. Oxidative deamination of glutamate by glutamate dehydrogenase. From galacturonic acid by the organism Agrobacterium tumefaciens.

How do you take alpha-ketoglutarate?

Dosing. The following doses have been studied in scientific research: BY MOUTH: For long-term kidney disease (chronic kidney disease or CKD): 1.187 grams of alpha-ketoglutarate plus 0.813 grams of calcium carbonate three times weekly has been used.