About the Product
Quamtrax AAKG 3000 is an L-Arginine Alpha-Ketoglutarate (AAKG) supplement in HPMC vegetable capsules, formulated to support muscle pump, vasodilation, and pre-workout performance. With 3000mg of AAKG per dose (5 capsules pre-workout), it provides the most bioavailable L-Arginine salt with alpha-ketoglutaric acid and the fastest oral absorption available — the reference form of arginine for pre-workout use as a nitric oxide (NO) precursor. Formula with minimal composition: AAKG as the sole active ingredient, HPMC vegetable capsule, and anti-caking agents. Training days: 5 capsules before training. Vegan. 120 capsules.
Ingredients: L-Arginine Alpha-Ketoglutarate (AAKG) + Vegetable capsule (HPMC) + Anti-caking agents: magnesium salts of fatty acids + silicon dioxide.
Benefits
AAKG vs. free L-Arginine: why alpha-ketoglutarate salt is superior to the isolated amino acid for pre-workout use:
L-Arginine Alpha-Ketoglutarate (AAKG, Arginine Alpha-Ketoglutarate) is the addition salt formed between L-Arginine and alpha-ketoglutaric acid (AKG, 2-oxoglutarate) — typically in a 2:1 molar ratio (two moles of L-Arginine per one mole of AKG), with ~70% arginine and ~30% alpha-ketoglutarate by weight. The main advantage of AAKG over free L-Arginine (base or hydrochloride) is improved stability and oral bioavailability: AKG forms a stable salt with arginine that reduces premature hydrolysis of arginine by intestinal and hepatic arginases during first-pass metabolism — the main limiting factor of oral bioavailability of free L-Arginine. This reduction in first-pass metabolism results in higher plasma arginine levels per mg of ingested dose compared to arginine base.
L-Arginine as a NO precursor: the vasodilator mechanism and muscle pump:
As already described in the Arginine standalone section of Marvelous Nutrition and in multiple pre-workouts in this session, L-Arginine is the direct and obligate substrate of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) — the enzyme that converts L-Arginine + O₂ into L-Citrulline + NO. The NO produced in the vascular endothelium diffuses into the adjacent vascular smooth muscle, activates soluble guanylate cyclase, increases intracellular cGMP, and causes smooth muscle relaxation — vasodilation. This vasodilation increases blood flow and the delivery of oxygen, glucose, and amino acids to working muscles, and produces the muscle pump (increased turgor pressure in muscle fibers due to greater blood flow). AAKG, by providing arginine with greater oral bioavailability than arginine base, maximizes the availability of substrate for endothelial NOS during the first few hours pre-workout.
The role of Alpha-Ketoglutarate (AKG) in mitochondrial energy metabolism:
Alpha-ketoglutaric acid (AKG, 2-oxoglutarate) is not just an inert excipient or carrier of arginine in AAKG — it is an active and essential intermediate of the Krebs cycle (between isocitrate and succinyl-CoA, catalyzed by isocitrate dehydrogenase and alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase). Supplementation with exogenous AKG can "recharge" the Krebs cycle under conditions of high metabolic demand (intense exercise, catabolic stress) where the availability of cycle intermediates can become limiting for the production of NADH and FADH₂ (and consequently ATP). In addition to its role in the Krebs cycle, AKG is also the carbon skeleton for the synthesis of non-essential amino acids (glutamate, glutamine, proline, arginine) via aminotransferases — contributing to the maintenance of the amino acid pool available for muscle protein synthesis.
AAKG as a precursor to glutamine and a regulator of protein metabolism:
AAKG has an additional role as a precursor to glutamine — the most abundant amino acid in muscle plasma and one of the most mobilized during post-workout muscle catabolism. The metabolic pathway is: AKG → alpha-ketoglutarate → glutamate (via aminotransferase, using amino acids as amino group donors) → glutamine (via glutamine synthetase). Greater availability of exogenous AKG can support endogenous glutamine synthesis, contributing to the maintenance of the muscle glutamine pool and the anti-catabolic effect during and after training. This property is especially relevant in contexts of high-intensity training with high protein degradation (maximum strength cycles, HIIT, training in caloric deficit).
3000mg per dose: the documented effective dose for vasodilation and performance:
The dose of 3000mg of AAKG per dose (5 capsules) is within the range of doses used in clinical studies on AAKG and sports performance. The clinical trial by Campbell et al. (2006), published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition with 35 trained men over 8 weeks of supplementation with 12g/day of AAKG, documented improved maximal strength (1RM in bench press) and body composition markers, without significant adverse effects. The 3g AAKG pre-workout dose is a moderate and safe dose for use by athletes.
Vegan HPMC capsules: L-Arginine without animal gelatine:
As in L-Carnitine Lonza Quality, the use of HPMC vegetable capsules instead of bovine or porcine gelatine makes Quamtrax AAKG 3000 suitable for vegetarians and vegans — with a clean composition and no animal-derived ingredients.
Uses
Recommended dosage: On training days, take 5 capsules before training (corresponding to 3000mg of AAKG). For maximum pump and vasodilation effect, consume 30 to 45 minutes before training with 250 to 400ml of water. Can be combined with standalone L-Citrulline or with INFECTED or Experiment (Marvelous Nutrition) to cover both NO production pathways: arginine (direct NOS substrate via AAKG) + citrulline (renal arginine precursor with slower and more sustained kinetics). 120 capsules = 24 doses of 5 capsules/day.
