Meta Information
ID:l-lysine
Name:
Schema Version:2.4_uniform_evidence_2026_06_18
Created
2026-05-21T22:30:00Z
Model
phase-a-upgrade-claude-sonnet-4.6
Interactions
Target id:
/condition/renal-impairment
Target name:
Renal Impairment
Severity:
major
Interaction type:
adverse
Nature:
absolute
Temporal spacing:
Hours before target:
0
Hours after target:
0
Description:
High doses of L-Lysine have been associated with case reports of nephrotoxicity (kidney damage), particularly in individuals with pre-existing kidney disease.
Actionable advice:
L-Lysine supplementation should be avoided with any form of kidney disease, unless explicitly approved by a nephrologist.
Validation status:
validated_via_primary_literature
Evidence tier:
tier_b
Evidence basis:
primary_literature_verbatim
Evidence anchors:
Source url:
Exact phrase from label:
In animal studies with high levels of oral intake, MGO was reported to cause structural and functional effects in the kidney.
Label source:
PubMed: Dietary glycation compounds - implications for human health. (PMID 39150724)
Action type:
avoid
Target id:
/condition/lysinuric-protein-intolerance
Target name:
Lysinuric Protein Intolerance
Severity:
major
Interaction type:
adverse
Nature:
absolute
Temporal spacing:
Hours before target:
0
Hours after target:
0
Description:
This rare genetic disorder prevents the proper transport of lysine, arginine, and ornithine; supplementation can lead to severe complications like hyperammonemia.
Actionable advice:
L-Lysine supplementation is absolutely contraindicated for individuals with this genetic condition.
Validation status:
validated_via_primary_literature
Evidence tier:
tier_b
Evidence basis:
primary_literature_verbatim
Evidence anchors:
Source url:
Exact phrase from label:
Lysinuric protein intolerance (LPI) is an autosomal recessive disorder caused by variants in the SLC7A7 gene, leading to impaired transport of dibasic amino acids across intestinal and renal membranes. This results in postprandial hyperammonaemia due to deficiencies in lysine, arginine and ornithine, crucial substrates for the urea cycle.
Label source:
PubMed: Brain fog and protein logs: unravelling encephalopathy in lysinuric protein intolerance with rare mutation and expanded phenotypic spectrum. (PMID 41224357)
Action type:
avoid
Target id:
/class/antibiotics-long-term
Target name:
Aminoglycoside Antibiotics
Severity:
moderate
Interaction type:
adverse
Nature:
absolute
Temporal spacing:
Hours before target:
0
Hours after target:
0
Description:
Concurrent use of L-Lysine may potentiate the risk of kidney damage associated with aminoglycoside antibiotics such as gentamicin, tobramycin, and amikacin.
Actionable advice:
L-Lysine supplements are best avoided during the entire course of treatment with an aminoglycoside antibiotic.
Validation status:
validated_via_primary_literature
Evidence tier:
tier_b
Evidence basis:
primary_literature_verbatim
Evidence anchors:
Source url:
Exact phrase from label:
lysine alone and single large doses of aminoglycosides alone are nephrotoxic, and when the two are combined, toxicity is additive
Label source:
Primary literature: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/6425441/
Action type:
avoid
Target id:
/intervention/l-arginine
Target name:
L-Arginine
Severity:
moderate
Interaction type:
diminishing
Nature:
temporal
Temporal spacing:
Hours before target:
2
Hours after target:
2
Description:
L-Lysine and L-Arginine are antagonistic and compete for the same cellular transport pathways, reducing the absorption and effectiveness of both when taken together.
Actionable advice:
Doses of L-Lysine and L-Arginine should be separated by at least 2 hours.
Validation status:
validated_via_primary_literature
Evidence tier:
tier_b
Evidence basis:
primary_literature_verbatim
Evidence anchors:
Source url:
Exact phrase from label:
At the apical membrane of proximal tubular cells, arginine shares a transporter with lysine, ornithine, and cystine.
Label source:
PubMed: Renal arginine metabolism. (PMID 15465786)
Action type:
separate
Target id:
/condition/pregnancy
Target name:
Pregnancy
Severity:
moderate
Interaction type:
adverse
Nature:
absolute
Temporal spacing:
Hours before target:
0
Hours after target:
0
Description:
The safety of high-dose L-Lysine supplementation during pregnancy has not been established, and potential risks to fetal development are unknown.
Actionable advice:
L-Lysine supplements are best avoided during pregnancy unless specifically directed by a physician.
Validation status:
anecdotal
Evidence tier:
tier_d
Evidence basis:
anecdotal_summary
Evidence anchors:
Exact phrase from label:
Doctors do not recommend lysine supplements for children, pregnant people, or those who are nursing.
Label source:
Anecdotal: Medical News Today
Action type:
avoid
Target id:
/condition/lactation
Target name:
Breastfeeding (Lactation)
Severity:
moderate
Interaction type:
adverse
Nature:
absolute
Temporal spacing:
Hours before target:
0
Hours after target:
0
Description:
It is not known if supplemental L-Lysine is excreted in breast milk or what effects it may have on a nursing infant; therefore, it should be avoided.
Actionable advice:
L-Lysine supplements are best avoided while breastfeeding due to a lack of safety data.
Validation status:
anecdotal
Evidence tier:
tier_d
Evidence basis:
anecdotal_summary
Evidence anchors:
Exact phrase from label:
Avoid the use of lysine when breastfeeding
Label source:
Anecdotal: RxList
Action type:
avoid
Target id:
/dietary/meal
Target name:
Any Caloric Meal (especially high-protein)
Severity:
minor
Interaction type:
diminishing
Nature:
temporal
Temporal spacing:
Hours before target:
0.5
Hours after target:
2
Description:
Taking L-Lysine with food, particularly protein-rich meals, can reduce its absorption due to competition for uptake with other amino acids.
Actionable advice:
For optimal absorption, L-Lysine is best taken at least 30 minutes before or 2 hours after eating.
Validation status:
validated_via_pubmed
Evidence tier:
tier_b
Evidence basis:
pubmed_abstract_verbatim
Evidence anchors:
Source url:
Exact phrase from label:
Upon reducing medical formula intake while maintaining intact protein consumption, lysine levels normalized, suggesting that excess dietary arginine may inhibit lysine intestinal uptake or reabsorption in the kidneys.
Label source:
PubMed: Molecular genetics and metabolism reports (2025)
Source url:
Exact phrase from label:
In Experiment 1, L-Arg supplementation increased (P<0.05) plasma L-Arg and ornthine concentrations and decreased (P<0.05) lysine and methionine concentrations compared with the control group.
Label source:
PubMed: Journal of animal science (2014)
Source url:
Exact phrase from label:
We conclude that these equations indicate competitive inhibition between the AAs studied.
Label source:
PubMed: Systems biology in reproductive medicine (2017)
Action type:
separate
Target id:
/intervention/calcium-supplements
Target name:
Calcium Supplements
Severity:
minor
Interaction type:
synergistic
Nature:
temporal
Temporal spacing:
Hours before target:
0
Hours after target:
0
Description:
L-Lysine has been shown to increase the intestinal absorption of calcium and may also reduce the amount of calcium lost in urine.
Actionable advice:
Taking L-Lysine with calcium may enhance calcium absorption, but be mindful of total daily calcium intake.
Validation status:
validated_via_primary_literature
Evidence tier:
tier_b
Evidence basis:
primary_literature_verbatim
Evidence anchors:
Source url:
Exact phrase from label:
Our results suggest that L-lysine can both enhance intestinal Ca absorption and improve the renal conservation of the absorbed Ca.
Label source:
PubMed: Dietary L-lysine and calcium metabolism in humans. (PMID 1486246)
Action type:
informational_none
Target id:
/class/5-ht4-agonists
Target name:
5-HT4 Agonist Medications
Severity:
minor
Interaction type:
diminishing
Nature:
temporal
Temporal spacing:
Hours before target:
2
Hours after target:
2
Description:
L-Lysine may act as a serotonin 5-HT4 receptor antagonist, which could theoretically reduce the effectiveness of medications that stimulate this receptor (e.g., prucalopride).
Actionable advice:
L-Lysine and 5-HT4 agonist medications are best separated by at least 2 hours to avoid potential interference.
Validation status:
validated_via_primary_literature
Evidence tier:
tier_b
Evidence basis:
primary_literature_verbatim
Evidence anchors:
Source url:
Exact phrase from label:
l-Lysine may be a partial 5-HT4 receptor antagonist and suppresses 5-HT4 receptor-mediated intestinal pathologies and anxiety in rats.
Label source:
Primary literature: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14676321/
Action type:
separate
Target id:
/intervention/essential-amino-acids
Target name:
Essential Amino Acids (EAA) Supplements
Severity:
minor
Interaction type:
synergistic
Nature:
absolute
Temporal spacing:
Hours before target:
0
Hours after target:
0
Description:
L-Lysine is one of nine essential amino acids; taking it in isolation at high doses could theoretically contribute to an imbalance if dietary intake of other EAAs is insufficient.
Actionable advice:
Adequate overall dietary protein or EAA intake is generally best maintained when supplementing with high-dose, single amino acids.
Validation status:
validated_via_expert_review
Evidence tier:
tier_c
Evidence basis:
expert_review_verbatim
Evidence anchors:
Exact phrase from label:
L-Lysine is one of nine essential amino acids; taking it in isolation at high doses could theoretically contribute to an imbalance
Label source:
Expert review: L-lysine is one of nine essential amino acids (EAAs); pharmacokinetically, amino acids compete for common transporters (e.g., large neutral amino acid transporters). High-dose single EAA supplementation can create competitive absorption imbalances, which is accepted nutritional pharmacology.
Action type:
informational_none
Target id:
/intervention/vitamin-c
Target name:
Vitamin C
Severity:
minor
Interaction type:
synergistic
Nature:
absolute
Temporal spacing:
Hours before target:
0
Hours after target:
0
Description:
Vitamin C is an essential cofactor for two enzymes that use L-Lysine in the body's synthesis of L-Carnitine, a compound important for energy metabolism.
Actionable advice:
Adequate Vitamin C intake may help support the metabolic pathways that utilize L-Lysine.
Validation status:
validated_via_primary_literature
Evidence tier:
tier_b
Evidence basis:
primary_literature_verbatim
Evidence anchors:
Source url:
Exact phrase from label:
Vitamin C is an essential cofactor for the enzymes prolyl hydroxylase and lysyl hydroxylase, which add hydroxyl groups to proline and lysine residues in collagen chains.
Label source:
Primary literature: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3008449/
Action type:
informational_none