NOW Foods Amino Complete 360 Capsules

What this is

NOW Sports Amino Complete is a dietary supplement sold in a 360-capsule bottle, with a labeled serving of 4 capsules and 90 servings in the bottle. Each serving supplies a 2,800 mg blend of peptide-bound amino acid sources together with 13 mg of vitamin B-6. The front of the bottle sums the formula up in three marks — protein blend, 20 aminos, with vit. B-6 — and the panel on the back backs each of those up with a number.

This is the 360-capsule size of the formula. At the labeled serving of 4 capsules daily, the bottle works out to a 90-day supply, which is what separates it from the smaller counts in the same line: it is the format for someone who has already settled on the product and would rather reorder less often. The capsules are swallowed whole, so there is nothing to mix or measure. You can find related formats across our Amino Acids & BCAAs range.

What's inside

The bulk of each serving is a 2,800 mg blend the label describes as peptide-bound amino acid sources — meaning the amino acids arrive still joined together as protein rather than as isolated free powders. Three sources make up that part of the blend:

• Whey protein isolate — the protein fraction left after milk is separated during cheese-making, filtered to concentrate the protein and reduce the lactose and fat alongside it.
• Soy protein isolate — the most concentrated of the soy proteins, made from defatted soybean flour with most of the carbohydrate removed. It is one of the few plant proteins that supplies all nine of the essential amino acids.
• Sodium caseinate — casein is the slower-digesting of the two milk proteins, and the caseinate form is simply casein processed to make it readily soluble.

Three individual amino acids are then added on top of those sources: L-glutamine, the most abundant free amino acid in human blood and skeletal muscle; L-arginine, which the body can normally produce for itself and which also occurs in nuts, seeds and dairy; and L-ornithine, which is not used to build proteins at all but sits in the urea cycle, the route the body uses to process nitrogen.

The one vitamin in the formula is vitamin B-6, here as pyridoxine hydrochloride at 13 mg, which the panel puts at 765% of the Daily Value. B-6 is a water-soluble vitamin found in fish, poultry, potatoes and chickpeas; the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements fact sheet on vitamin B6 gives general background on it. For context on this category of product generally, the ODS also publishes a sheet on supplements marketed for exercise and athletic performance.

Supplement Facts

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. † Daily Value not established.

The printed amino acid profile

The side panel carries a 20-entry amino acid profile, which the label itself calls an example and marks as subject to natural variability — the figures describe a typical batch rather than a fixed specification, because the protein sources are agricultural. Nine are grouped as essential and eleven as non-essential, which is where the “20 aminos” on the front comes from. Three of them — L-isoleucine, L-leucine and L-valine — are the branched-chain amino acids.

How to use it

The label's suggested usage is to take 4 capsules daily, preferably with juice. That is the whole of the printed instruction — there is no separate loading period, no timing window and no second daily serving on the panel. Store the bottle in a cool, dry, dark place after opening.

Natural color variation may occur in this product, which the label states directly, so capsules from different batches will not always look identical.

Who it's for

This is a product for adults 18 and over who want amino acids in capsule form rather than as a powder. The 360-capsule bottle in particular suits someone taking it daily over a long stretch who would rather not reorder often. It is listed under Sports Nutrition alongside the rest of the NOW Sports range.

It will not suit everyone. The formula is built on milk and soy proteins, so anyone avoiding dairy or soy should pass on it, and the panel says so plainly. Anyone who finds four capsules a day awkward to swallow may prefer a powder.

Good to know

• Allergens. The panel states: contains milk and soy. It also states the product is not manufactured with wheat, gluten, egg, fish, shellfish, tree nut or sesame ingredients, and that it is produced in a GMP facility that processes other ingredients containing these allergens.
• Caution, as printed. For adults only. Consult physician if pregnant/nursing, taking medication, or have a medical condition. Keep out of reach of children.
• Marks printed on the bottle. Informed Sport, Steroid Tested, Non-GMO, GMP Quality Assured, and kosher certification marks.
• Origin, as printed. Manufactured by NOW Foods, 395 S. Glen Ellyn Rd., Bloomingdale, IL 60108, USA. The label states the product is made and quality tested in the USA with globally sourced ingredients.
• Browse more. See the wider Health & Wellness selection for other daily supplement formats.

If you are new to supplements in general, the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements publishes a plain-language primer on what you need to know about dietary supplements.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many capsules are in the bottle, and how many servings is that?

The bottle holds 360 capsules, which the panel counts as 90 servings of 4 capsules each. At the labeled serving of 4 capsules daily that is a 90-day supply.

Does Amino Complete contain dairy or soy?

Yes — the panel states "Contains milk and soy." The amino acids come from whey protein isolate and sodium caseinate, both milk-derived, and from soy protein isolate. The label also states it is not manufactured with wheat, gluten, egg, fish, shellfish, tree nut or sesame ingredients, though it is produced in a GMP facility that handles those allergens.

Is the capsule shell itself animal-derived?

No — the capsule shell is hypromellose, listed on the panel as a cellulose capsule, which is plant-derived rather than gelatin. The contents are a different question: the blend is built on milk and soy proteins, so the product as a whole is not dairy-free or vegan even though the shell is not gelatin.

When and how should I take it?

Take 4 capsules daily, preferably with juice, which is exactly what the bottle's suggested usage says. The panel gives no other timing instruction and no second serving. Store the bottle in a cool, dry, dark place once it is open.

How is this order packaged?

Your order ships in plain, unbranded outer packaging. It will not show the Gear Isle name.

Product information compiled and reviewed by the Gear Isle product team. We transcribe supplement facts directly from manufacturer packaging. Found an error? Tell us.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Dietary supplement for adults 18 and over. Consult a licensed healthcare professional before use, especially if you have a medical condition, heart concerns, or take prescription medication (including nitrates). Keep out of reach of children.