The 8 amino acids
Sugar Defender amino acids: eight lines, milligrams where studies used grams
The Sugar Defender amino acids are eight lines near the end of the 200 mg blend: L-glutamine, L-tyrosine, L-arginine, beta-alanine, GABA, L-ornithine, L-tryptophan and L-carnitine. By label order each holds at most 9 to 14 mg per mL, and all eight together at most about 73 mg. Studies of these amino acids used grams a day.
Written by the Sugar Defender label teamUpdated
The group01
What amino acids are in Sugar Defender?
Sugar Defender lists eight amino acids, in places 14 to 22 of its blend. Only place 18, a licorice compound, breaks the run.
Amino acids are the building blocks of protein. Food supplies them by the gram.
- Places 14-17: glutamine, tyrosine, arginine, beta-alanine
- Places 19-22: GABA, ornithine, tryptophan, carnitine
Dose math02
How much of each amino acid is in Sugar Defender?
Each amino acid in Sugar Defender holds at most 9 to 14 mg per 1 mL serving. The label prints no single amounts.
The rule is 200 mg divided by the place number (21 CFR 101.36 (eCFR)). An even split gives about 9 mg each.
| Amino acid | Place | Most per mL | Studied daily dose |
|---|---|---|---|
| L-glutamine | 14 | About 14 mg | About 15-45 g (sports) |
| L-tyrosine | 15 | About 13 mg | No verified source |
| L-arginine base | 16 | About 12.5 mg | 2-20 g (sports) |
| Beta-alanine | 17 | About 12 mg | 1.6-6.4 g (sports) |
| GABA | 19 | About 10.5 mg | No verified source |
| L-ornithine HCl | 20 | About 10 mg | No verified source |
| L-tryptophan | 21 | About 9.5 mg | None for blood sugar |
| L-carnitine base | 22 | About 9 mg | 2-3 g (type 2 diabetes) |
Grams vs milligrams03
Why do amino acid studies use grams when Sugar Defender uses milligrams?
Amino acid studies use grams because a normal diet already supplies grams of them each day.
Take L-carnitine. Type 2 diabetes studies used 2 to 3 g a day (NIH ODS, Carnitine). At its 9 mg ceiling, one serving is under half a percent of the low end.
All eight amino acids together can weigh at most about 73 mg per mL. That is less than a tenth of one gram.
Profiles04
What does research say about each Sugar Defender amino acid?
Research on the Sugar Defender amino acids is mostly about sports, not blood sugar. Three of the eight have no verified dose source.
| Name on the label | L-Glutamine |
|---|---|
| What it is | Amino acid |
| Place on the label | 14 of 22 in the 200 mg proprietary blend |
| Amount per mL (1 dropper) | Not listed; #14 of 22 in the 200 mg blend, so at most 14 mg per mL |
| Amount used in research | About 15-45 g a day (sports studies) |
| Strength of evidence | Not supported for performance |
| Marketed or traditional use | Amino acid |
| Main caution | Generally well tolerated in studied doses. |
| Name on the label | L-Tyrosine |
|---|---|
| What it is | Amino acid |
| Place on the label | 15 of 22 in the 200 mg proprietary blend |
| Amount per mL (1 dropper) | Not listed; #15 of 22 in the 200 mg blend, so at most 13 mg per mL |
| Amount used in research | No verified dose source |
| Strength of evidence | Not established |
| Marketed or traditional use | Amino acid |
| Main caution | No verified safety source found; ask your doctor if you take thyroid or MAOI drugs. |
| Name on the label | L-Arginine Base |
|---|---|
| What it is | Amino acid |
| Place on the label | 16 of 22 in the 200 mg proprietary blend |
| Amount per mL (1 dropper) | Not listed; #16 of 22 in the 200 mg blend, so at most 12 mg per mL |
| Amount used in research | 2-20 g a day (sports studies) |
| Strength of evidence | Little or no performance benefit |
| Marketed or traditional use | Amino acid |
| Main caution | Can lower blood pressure. |
| Name on the label | Beta-Alanine |
|---|---|
| What it is | Amino acid |
| Place on the label | 17 of 22 in the 200 mg proprietary blend |
| Amount per mL (1 dropper) | Not listed; #17 of 22 in the 200 mg blend, so at most 12 mg per mL |
| Amount used in research | 1.6-6.4 g a day |
| Strength of evidence | Mixed (exercise only) |
| Marketed or traditional use | Amino acid |
| Main caution | Harmless tingling at 800 mg or more, unlikely here. |
| Name on the label | GABA (Gamma aminobutyric acid) |
|---|---|
| What it is | Amino acid |
| Place on the label | 19 of 22 in the 200 mg proprietary blend |
| Amount per mL (1 dropper) | Not listed; #19 of 22 in the 200 mg blend, so at most 11 mg per mL |
| Amount used in research | No verified dose source |
| Strength of evidence | Not established |
| Marketed or traditional use | Amino acid |
| Main caution | No verified safety source found. |
| Name on the label | L-Ornithine HCl |
|---|---|
| What it is | Amino acid |
| Place on the label | 20 of 22 in the 200 mg proprietary blend |
| Amount per mL (1 dropper) | Not listed; #20 of 22 in the 200 mg blend, so at most 10 mg per mL |
| Amount used in research | No verified dose source |
| Strength of evidence | Not established |
| Marketed or traditional use | Amino acid |
| Main caution | No verified safety source found. |
| Name on the label | L-Tryptophan |
|---|---|
| What it is | Amino acid |
| Place on the label | 21 of 22 in the 200 mg proprietary blend |
| Amount per mL (1 dropper) | Not listed; #21 of 22 in the 200 mg blend, so at most 10 mg per mL |
| Amount used in research | No blood sugar dose established |
| Strength of evidence | Not established |
| Marketed or traditional use | Amino acid |
| Main caution | Do not combine with MAOIs or other serotonin drugs without advice. |
| Name on the label | L-Carnitine Base |
|---|---|
| What it is | Amino acid derivative |
| Place on the label | 22 of 22 in the 200 mg proprietary blend |
| Amount per mL (1 dropper) | Not listed; #22 of 22 in the 200 mg blend, so at most 9 mg per mL |
| Amount used in research | 2-3 g a day (type 2 diabetes studies) |
| Strength of evidence | Some glucose improvement; more trials needed |
| Marketed or traditional use | Fat metabolism |
| Main caution | Fishy odor and stomach upset at about 3 g. |
Sugar Defender: from $49 a bottle60 mL · 1 mL a day · free US shipping on 3 or 6 · 60-day money-back guarantee
See packsCautions05
Is the L-tryptophan in Sugar Defender safe with antidepressants?
Ask first. L-tryptophan in Sugar Defender should not be combined with MAO inhibitors or other serotonin drugs without medical advice (Drugs.com, L-tryptophan).
That includes tramadol, 5-HTP and St. John's wort. The dose is tiny, at most about 9.5 mg, but the rule still applies.
Do not stop an antidepressant or a blood pressure pill to try the drops. Show the label to your pharmacist first.
Blood sugar06
Do the Sugar Defender amino acids help blood sugar?
Not at these doses. Only L-carnitine has glucose studies, at 2 to 3 g a day, with some fasting glucose improvement and a call for larger trials (NIH ODS, Carnitine).
Glutamine, arginine and beta-alanine were studied for exercise, with little or mixed benefit (NIH ODS, Exercise & Athletic Performance).
On the label07
Where are the amino acids printed on the Sugar Defender label?
The Sugar Defender amino acids sit at the end of the blend on the Supplement Facts panel, just before "Other Ingredients".
See every printed word on the Sugar Defender supplement facts page, the licorice line in the other Sugar Defender blend lines, or all 23 in the Sugar Defender ingredients list.
FAQ08
Sugar Defender amino acids: questions people ask
Does Sugar Defender count as a protein supplement?
No. The eight amino acids together weigh at most about 73 mg per mL. One egg holds about 6 g of protein, nearly 100 times more.
Is the L-tryptophan in Sugar Defender linked to the 1989 recall?
Nothing ties it to that event. In 1989, contaminated L-tryptophan from nearly all one maker's products was linked to eosinophilia-myalgia syndrome (NORD, Eosinophilia-Myalgia Syndrome). The label names no tryptophan source; ask the brand for details.
Will the beta-alanine in Sugar Defender make my skin tingle?
Very unlikely. Harmless tingling shows up with single doses of 800 mg or more (NIH ODS, Exercise & Athletic Performance). Beta-alanine is 17th in the blend, so one serving holds at most about 12 mg, less than a sixtieth of that amount.
Is the GABA in Sugar Defender meant to calm you?
The brand does not say why GABA is included, and we found no verified dose source for it. At 19th place, one serving holds at most about 10.5 mg. Expect no noticeable effect on mood or sleep.
What do "base" and "HCl" mean on the Sugar Defender amino acid lines?
They name the chemical form. "L-Arginine Base" and "L-Carnitine Base" mean the plain, free form. "L-Ornithine HCl" means ornithine bound to hydrochloride, a salt form that is more stable.
Can the L-arginine in Sugar Defender affect my blood pressure?
Probably not at about 12.5 mg or less. Arginine can lower blood pressure in sports-study doses of grams a day and may add to blood pressure drugs (MSKCC, Arginine). If you take one, tell your pharmacist anyway.
Who wrote this09
Written and reviewed by
Pages built from the label, the sales page and linked NIH, FDA, CDC, FTC and peer-reviewed sources.
Last updated . Read our editorial standards and the way we check reviews. This website is run by an authorized American Sugar Defender outlet, not by the manufacturer or the distributor. Purchases made through our order links earn us money.
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