Interactions on record — worth a quick check against your medications. Based on 1 of 4 ingredients. Check your meds →
Dietary supplement

Branched Chain Aminos Ingredients & Drug Interactions

by Vital Nutrients

Branched Chain Aminos label
See full label image
Capsule Category: Amino Acid/protein
Most serious interaction: Minor
Clinical methodology reviewed by · Updated Sep 9, 2026 · Label data from the NIH DSLD
What is this page for?

First and foremost: checking Branched Chain Aminos against your medications. The heart of this page is the interaction checker and the full interaction report — how this product’s ingredients may interact with prescription and over-the-counter medicines you may be taking.

Around that, we add a pharmacist’s high-level view of the product as a whole — what’s inside, the evidence for its stated use, how transparent the label is, and what safety data exists — so you can see the full picture in one place. It’s educational information from our licensed clinical databases and the clinical staff at HelloPharmacist — not medical advice — and we don’t sell or endorse products. Our editorial policy

The interaction bottom line Most serious interaction: Minor

Branched Chain Aminos is a dietary supplement by Vital Nutrients with 4 active ingredients. Its ingredients are commonly taken for cold sores (herpes labialis), genital herpes outbreaks, supporting protein and collagen formation.Based on those ingredients, 1 medication has a known interaction with it, the most serious rated minor. The ingredients most likely to interact are Lysine Hydrochloride. Use the checker below to test your specific medication, or read the full HelloPharmacist Interaction Report.

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Check Your Meds Against Branched Chain Aminos by Vital Nutrients

Ask about any prescription or over-the-counter medication and we check it for interactions with Branched Chain Aminos by Vital Nutrients — and tell you which ingredient is responsible.

Pharmacist-reviewed data Checks every ingredient Answer in seconds
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HelloPharmacist Scorecard of Branched Chain Aminos by Vital Nutrients

Our pharmacy team’s full take, with four database checks built into the cards below — a summary of what is known, not a grade of the product itself.

From our pharmacy team — supplement deep dive

Generated from HelloPharmacist’s pharmacist-curated databases and editorial rules · Last generated Jul 11, 2026

What’s inside

Full disclosure
Ingredient Transparency · database check
Full

Every active ingredient lists its own amount on the label.

Why this rating?
  • The label discloses an exact amount for 4 of its 4 active ingredients.
  • No proprietary blends here — you can verify the dose of every single component.

This product contains four active amino acids: leucine, isoleucine, valine, and lysine hydrochloride. Leucine, isoleucine, and valine are branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) — building blocks your body uses for muscle and recovery.

Lysine is another amino acid with a separate role: it's been studied for cold sores and wound healing. The capsule also contains cellulose as an inactive ingredient.

Does it work?

Moderate evidence
Evidence for Intended Use · database check
By FDA rules, dietary supplements can’t claim to treat, cure, or prevent disease — so labels speak in careful marketing language. We discern each product’s intended use from its name, label claims, and label statements, then grade the clinical evidence for that use. How these ratings are computed

This product doesn't appear to be marketed for a specific use, so we graded Lysine's overall clinical evidence instead.

Moderate

Some clinical evidence supports Lysine for:

Why this rating?
  • We looked at the product name, claims, and label statements and couldn't find a stated purpose to grade.
  • Since the label doesn't commit to one use, we graded the ingredient's overall clinical evidence instead.
  • On file: Herpes labialis (cold sores) — rated "Possibly Effective" (Natural Medicines).

Lysine is possibly effective for cold sores (herpes labialis) when taken by mouth or applied topically. For other uses listed — child growth, pressure ulcers, and diabetic foot ulcers — the evidence isn't established enough in the data we hold to rate it either way.

We don't have effectiveness ratings for leucine, isoleucine, or valine in our records.

The evidence, ingredient by ingredient Lysine

How safe is it?

Well-documented data
Safety Information · database check
Well characterized

Adverse-effect, pregnancy, and general safety data are on file for most of these ingredients.

Why this rating?
  • We hold adverse-effect (side-effect) data for 1 of the 1 matched ingredient.
  • Pregnancy & breastfeeding safety ratings cover 1 of 1.
  • General safety write-ups exist for 1 of 1.
  • Remember: this measures how much safety information exists. Thin data is not the same as being safe.

Lysine is generally well tolerated at typical doses, though high amounts may cause stomach upset and stomach pain. Long-term safety isn't well studied.

If you're pregnant, the safety data on lysine supplements isn't firm enough to say it's okay — talk with your doctor first. If you're breastfeeding, there isn't enough reliable information, so caution is advised and you should check with your doctor or pharmacist.

There's one case report of someone developing kidney problems after long-term lysine use, though this is rare.

Side effects, ingredient by ingredient Lysine

Meds to double-check

Minor interactions only
Known Interaction Concern · database check
Minor only

Only Minor-severity interactions are documented for these ingredients.

Why this rating?
  • 1 of the 1 matched ingredient can interact with medications — Lysine.
  • The most serious interaction on file is rated Minor.
  • For scale: 1 individual medications appear in the full list. A big number alone doesn't make a product dangerous — what matters is whether YOUR medication is on it, so run yours through the interaction checker on this page.

If you take a 5-HT4 agonist — a medication that works on gut serotonin receptors — check with your pharmacist before adding this product, as lysine may reduce its effect. For leucine, isoleucine, and valine, we hold no interaction data.

Check your own medication Run your meds through the checker above

The bottom line

Scorecard at a glanceFully disclosed formula with some supporting evidence behind its ingredients' uses. Only minor medication interactions are documented, and safety information is well characterized.

This product may suit anyone interested in branched-chain amino acids for muscle support, with lysine added for possible cold-sore benefit. If you take a 5-HT4 agonist or any other medications, check them here first.

Pregnant or breastfeeding? Talk to your pharmacist before starting.

Educational only — not medical advice; always confirm with your pharmacist. Our editorial policy · How we use AI

Assessment coverage: 1 of 4 active ingredients matched to our full ingredient reviews (monographs). Based on the product label dated Jan 24, 2024.

This Scorecard evaluates available label information, ingredient evidence, and known medication-safety considerations. It does not independently verify product identity, purity, potency, contamination, or manufacturing quality. How these ratings are computed

At a glance

General information

Key facts about Branched Chain Aminos, straight from the product label.

Brand Vital Nutrients
Barcode (UPC) 693465188118
Net contents 180 Vegetarian Capsule(s)
Market status On market
Date entered into DSLD Jan 24, 2024
DSLD ID 304957
Product type Amino Acid/protein
Supplement form Capsule
Dietary claims / uses All Other
Intended target group(s) Vegetarian, Adult (18 - 50 Years), Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Sugar Free
From the label
Everything in this section is reproduced from the manufacturer’s own product label — it’s the label speaking, not HelloPharmacist. We show it so you can see exactly what the maker states; we don’t verify or endorse those statements.

Supplement Facts

The label details for Branched Chain Aminos by Vital Nutrients, sourced from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database.

Supplement Facts

Daily Value (DV) Target Group(s):
Adults and children 4 or more years of age
Minimum serving Sizes:
3 Vegetarian Capsule(s)
Maximum serving Sizes:
3 Vegetarian Capsule(s)
Servings per container
60
UPC/BARCODE
693465188118
IngredientAmount% DV
Leucine1125 mg--
Isoleucine270 mg--
Valine270 mg--
Lysine Hydrochloride210 mg--

Other ingredients: Cellulose

Tap any ingredient to jump to its full detail below.

Label statements
These statements are the manufacturer’s wording, reproduced from the product label — the label is saying it, not HelloPharmacist. We don’t verify or endorse them.
Storage

Store sealed in a cool dry place

Precautions

Keep out of reach of children

Use only if safety seal is intact

Warning If pregnant, consult your physician before taking.

Suggested/Recommended/Usage/Directions

Recommendations Take 3 capsules twice daily, or as directed by your healthcare professional.

Formulation

Excludes coatings, binders, gluten (wheat, rye, barley), milk/dairy (casein, whey), soy protein, egg protein, sugar. Verified by independent testing

Raw materials and finished products are independently tested by U.S. labs. Learn more at vitalnutrients.net

Vegetarian - free form

Vegetarian - free form

FDA Statement of Identity

Dietary Supplement

Is this label outdated? Report a formula or label change and our pharmacy team will review it.

See for yourself

Branched Chain Aminos by Vital Nutrients label

The label scan from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database. Tap to enlarge.

Branched Chain Aminos label

Label images are published by the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database for the version of this product on file. Always read your actual product label.

View the full label (PDF)
What’s inside

The Ingredients in Branched Chain Aminos by Vital Nutrients

These are the 4 active ingredients this product is made of. Select any to open its full monograph.

Serving size3 Vegetarian Capsule(s) Dosage formCapsule Servings per container60 Amounts shown are per serving.

Most supplement products combine several ingredients, and a medication can interact with the product through any one of them. Each ingredient below shows whether it has known drug interactions.

Leucine

1125 mg per serving

Isoleucine

270 mg per serving

Valine

270 mg per serving

Lysine Hydrochloride

Interacts with
1 drug
210 mg per serving

Lysine is an essential amino acid your body cannot make on its own, so it must come from food or supplements. People most often take extra lysine to t...

Lysine Hydrochloride monograph & interactions

Other (inactive) ingredients: Cellulose. These complete the product’s ingredient list but are not active constituents.

Interaction report

Branched Chain Aminos by Vital Nutrients Drug Interactions

Want to check YOUR meds against Branched Chain Aminos?

Ask about interactions with your drugs in plain English — “Can I take it with lisinopril?” — and we find you the answer in seconds, ingredient by ingredient.

 Go to the checker
1Drugs
1 Minor

Ingredients driving the most interactions

Lysine Hydrochloride 1

Individual Drug Interactions

The ingredients in Branched Chain Aminos interact with 1 drug. Click any drug to see the details.

1 of the 4 ingredients in Branched Chain Aminos interact with drugs. Each result below shows which ingredient is responsible. Lysine Hydrochloride

Each ingredient & the kinds of drugs it affects

For each ingredient in Branched Chain Aminos with known interactions, here are the types of medications it can affect. Open any type for the detail — or search your exact drug in the checker above.

Lysine Hydrochloride1 drug type · 1 drug

5-Ht4 Agonists

Theoretically, lysine may reduce the effects of 5-HT4 agonists.
Animal research suggests that L-lysine is a partial serotonin receptor 4 (5-HT4) antagonist and inhibits diarrhea induced by the 5-HT4 agonist, 5-hydroxytryptophane.

Likelihood Unlikely Evidence D
Lysine Hydrochloride full monograph & interactions
The maker

Brand information

Manufacturer and brand details for Branched Chain Aminos, from the product label.

Vital Nutrients

See all Vital Nutrients products
Name
Vital Nutrients
Street Address
45 Kenneth Dooley Dr
City
Middletown
State
CT
ZipCode
06457
Web Address
vitalnutrients.net
Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Branched Chain Aminos by Vital Nutrients: Common Questions

Does Branched Chain Aminos by Vital Nutrients interact with any medications?
Yes. Based on its ingredients, Branched Chain Aminos has a known interaction with 1 medication. Use the checker to see how it interacts with a specific drug.
How can one product interact with so many drugs?
Branched Chain Aminos contains 4 active ingredients, and an interaction can come from any of them. We check every ingredient, combine the results into one list per medication, and show which ingredient and mechanism is responsible.
Where does this information come from?
The product label data comes from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database (DSLD); the interaction data is built on the Natural Medicines database and reviewed by HelloPharmacist pharmacists.
Is lysine good for cold sores?
Lysine is possibly effective for cold sores based on research. You can take it by mouth or apply it topically, though evidence isn't rock-solid. It's one reason this product includes it.
What are branched-chain amino acids, and what do they do?
BCAAs — leucine, isoleucine, and valine — are amino acids your body uses to build and repair muscle. They're popular with people who exercise, though we don't have effectiveness ratings for them on file.
Can I take this while pregnant?
There isn't enough reliable data on lysine supplements during pregnancy to know if it's safe. The lysine from food is fine, but for a supplement, check with your doctor or pharmacist first.
Are there side effects from lysine?
Lysine is generally well tolerated, but high doses may cause stomach pain, diarrhea, or indigestion. One rare case report linked long-term use to kidney problems, though this is very uncommon.
What's cellulose in the capsule?
Cellulose is an inactive ingredient — a filler that helps make the capsule. It doesn't contribute to the product's effect.

Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy

Not sure if Branched Chain Aminos is safe with your meds?

Our pharmacists answer your medication & supplement questions — free.

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Label information is sourced from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database and reflects the product version on file; always read your actual product label. This page is for education only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Confirm with your pharmacist or doctor before combining supplements and medications.

Branched Chain Aminos label
Go deeper

The Full Monographs Behind Branched Chain Aminos’s Ingredients

Every ingredient we hold a full HelloPharmacist monograph for — uses, evidence, safety, and the complete interaction list.

Herb & supplement monograph

Lysine

Interacts with 1 drug

Lysine is an essential amino acid your body cannot make on its own, so it must come from food or supplements. People most often take extra lysine to try to prevent or shorten cold sores, but...

Read the full Lysine monograph →
Sources

Sources & How We Checked

Branched Chain Aminos's label data comes from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database; the ingredient interaction data is from the Natural Medicines database, reviewed by our pharmacists.

Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists. See our data sources and editorial standards for how this information is built and checked.

The 7 references behind this product’s interaction data

Every citation that drives the interaction findings for this product’s ingredients, from the evidence-graded Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) database. Open an ingredient to browse its citations — links open the study on PubMed or the publisher’s site.

Lysine 7 references
  1. Thein DJ, Hurt WC. Lysine as a prophylactic agent in the treatment of recurrent herpes simplex labialis. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol 1984;58:659-66. PubMed
  2. McCune MA, Perry HO, Muller SA, O'Fallon WM. Treatment of recurrent herpes simplex infections with L-lysine monohydrochloride. Cutis 1984;34:366-73.
  3. DiGiovanna JJ, Blank H. Failure of lysine in frequently recurrent herpes simplex infection. Treatment and prophylaxis. Arch Dermatol 1984;120:48-51. DOI
  4. Milman N, Scheibel J, Jessen O. Lysine prophylaxis in recurrent herpes simplex labialis: a double-blind, controlled crossover study. Acta Derm Venereol 1980;60:85-7.
  5. Griffith RS, Walsh DE, Myrmel KH, et al. Success of L-lysine therapy in frequently recurrent herpes simplex infection. Treatment and prophylaxis. Dermatologica 1987;175:183-90. DOI
  6. Lo JC, Chertow GM, Rennke H, Seifter JL. Fanconi's syndrome and tubulointerstitial nephritis in association with L-lysine ingestion. Am J Kidney Dis 1996;28:614-7. PubMed
  7. Smriga M, Torii K. L-Lysine acts like a partial serotonin receptor 4 antagonist and inhibits serotonin-mediated intestinal pathologies and anxiety in rats. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2003 Dec 23;100(26):15370-5.

See these in context on the Lysine monograph →

Parts of this content are provided by the Therapeutic Research Center, LLC.

DISCLAIMER: Currently this does not check for drug-drug interactions. This is not an all-inclusive comprehensive list of potential interactions and is for informational purposes only. Not all interactions are known or well-reported in the scientific literature, and new interactions are continually being reported. Input is needed from a qualified healthcare provider including a pharmacist before starting any therapy. Application of clinical judgment is necessary.

© 2021 Therapeutic Research Center, LLC

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