Ornithine Alpha Ketoglutarate (OKG) | OKG Supplement

Ornithine Alpha Ketoglutarate (OKG) is a modulating dietary supplement combining ornithine with α-Ketoglutaric acid. Around a hundred in vitro and in vivo studies conducted over the last decade have brought a greater understanding of some of its mechanisms of action, at a metabolic crossroads involving the Krebs and urea cycles.

What exactly is ornithine alpha ketoglutarate (OKG)?

Ornithine alpha ketoglutarate (OKG) is a salt composed of one molecule of ketoglutarate and two of ornithine. It is a powerful nutritional modulator(1-4).

Multifactorial, its mechanisms of action are related to the normalisation of secretion of hormones such as growth hormone and to the properties of its metabolites:

• Glutamine, which plays a key role in controlling protein metabolism but which has limited use as a supplement due to its low solubility.
• Proline, which has two important anabolic functions, being the precursor of hydroxyproline.
• Arginine, which has the ability to increase growth hormone secretion.

What is growth hormone ?

Growth hormone, or somatotropin, is a polypeptide hormone synthesised by the body. It acts via effectors: IGF-1 and IGF-2 somatomedins, produced in the liver and chondrocytes in the growth plate.

It is secreted episodically, peaking during the hours of sleep (especially the first hours), during meals, with muscle exertion and with stress. It is at its highest during adolescence and then gradually declines throughout life until it becomes low in old age.

While its principal role is to provide cells with the energy they need for growth, it has various effects on:

• Tissues, particularly muscle tissue as it produces muscle hypertrophy and tissue hyperplasia.
• Carbohydrate metabolism as it has a blood glucose-increasing effect.
• Fat metabolism as it has a lipolytic effect and mobilises stored fats.
• Increasing the transport of amino acids in cells and their incorporation into proteins.
• Stimulating protein synthesis.

Several situations can lead to a deficit in growth hormone:

• Normal ageing.
• Sarcopenia.
• Malnutrition, especially zinc deficiency.
• Chronic inflammatory diseases.
• Nitrogen catabolism caused by the demands of strenuous exercise.
• Excess weight, especially obesity.

What is sarcopenia?

Sarcopenia is defined as the age-related loss of muscle mass and function (5). There is a cumulative decline in muscle mass of almost 40% between the ages of 20 and 80 (6). This has an impact on physical performance, fostering problems with walking, and is a factor in fragility in the elderly (bone demineralisation, in particular) (7).

How should the supplement OKG be taken?

We recommend taking 3-10 tablets of OKG a day, in one or two doses, or as advised by your therapist.

At the same time, we’d also advise:

• prioritising resistance training(8) over endurance exercise to counter sarcopenia, under the supervision of a health professional. While endurance exercise remains important for health, it is not sufficient to combat the deterioration in muscle performance and the risk of sarcopenia.
• Ensuring an intake of at least 1g-1.5g of protein per kg of body weight, by consuming foods rich in protein, preferably in the first half of the day for maximum effect on muscle protein synthesis.

You can also combine supplementation with ornithine alpha ketoglutarate with other supplements such as:

• Ginseng 30%, which helps to maintain vitality.
• L-Lysine, of which the minimum recommended intake of 30mg/kg a day should be increased in cases of intense stress.
• L-Citrulline, a precursor to arginine.
• L-Glutamine, widely used by those who do weight-training or other physical activities.
• Vitamin D3 5000 IU, an exceptional supplement that helps to maintain normal muscle function.

1. Cynober L. Ornithine alpha-ketoglutarate in nutritional support. Nutrition 1991;7:313–22.
2. Rennie MJ, Hundal HS, Babij P, MacLennan P, Taylor PM, Watt PW, et al. Characteristics of a glutamine carrier in skeletal muscle have important consequences for nitrogen loss in injury, infection, and chronic disease. Lancet 1986;2:1008–12.
3. Wernerman J, Hammarkvist F, Ali MR, Vinnars E. Glutamine and ornithine-alpha-ketoglutarate but not branched-chain amino acids reduce the loss of muscle glutamine after surgical trauma. Metabolism 1989;38:63–6.
4. Wernerman J, Hammarqvist F, von der Decken A, Vinnars E. Ornithine-alpha-ketoglutarate improves skeletal muscle protein synthesis as assessed by ribosome analysis and nitrogen use after surgery. Ann Surg 1987;206:674–8.
5. Rosenberg IH. Sarcopenia: origins and clinical relevance. J Nutr 1997;127:990S–1S.
6. Basu R, Basu A, Nair KS. Muscle changes in aging. J Nutr Health Aging 2002;6:336–41.
7. Aniansson A, Zetterberg C, Hedberg M, Henriksson KG. Impaired muscle function with aging. A background factor in the incidence of fractures of the proximal end of the femur. Clin Orthop Relat Res 1984:193–201.
8. Hurley BF, Hagberg JM. Optimizing health in older persons: aerobic or strength training? Exerc Sport Sci Rev 1998;26:61–89.