Can I split or crush this 500 mg tablet if I prefer not to swallow whole pills?

Yes. The tablet can easily be divided in half with a standard pill splitter or crushed and mixed into applesauce or yogurt. While the smooth vegetarian coating is designed to help the tablet glide down easily when swallowed whole with plenty of water, splitting it will not reduce the potency or absorption of the amino acid.

Should I take NOW L-Lysine 500 mg with meals or on an empty stomach?

For optimal absorption, take this tablet between meals or on an empty stomach with an 8 oz glass of water. Protein-dense foods contain competing amino acids that battle for the same transport gates in your intestine. Taking it at least 30 to 45 minutes before meals ensures fast, unimpeded cellular uptake.

Why does each tablet contain 637 mg of L-Lysine Hydrochloride to provide 500 mg of L-Lysine?

Pure free-base lysine is unstable and breaks down rapidly when exposed to humidity. Binding lysine to USP-grade hydrochloride creates a stable, shelf-ready compound. The hydrochloride portion contributes 137 mg of molecular weight, yielding exactly 500 mg of active elemental L-Lysine for your body to utilize.

Can I take L-Lysine alongside Vitamin C or my daily multivitamin?

Yes, Vitamin C is an ideal nutrient partner for L-Lysine. Vitamin C acts as an essential enzymatic co-factor for lysyl hydroxylase, the enzyme that weaves collagen cross-links to form resilient connective tissues. Taking them together provides synergistic support for structural repair and daily immune defense.

Will taking an L-Lysine tablet break an intermittent fast?

No. A single 500 mg tablet contains negligible calories and zero grams of sugar, carbohydrates, or fat. When swallowed with plain water during your fasting window, it will not trigger an insulin spike or interrupt metabolic autophagy, keeping your fast completely intact.

LYSINE 500mg - 250 TABS

by NOW FOODS

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Product Overview & Quick Specs

Think of essential amino acids as foundational building blocks that your body cannot manufacture on its own. L-Lysine (chemical formula: C₆H₁₄N₂O₂) acts like the master cross-bolt that anchors collagen fibers together and reinforces daily immune defenses [1, 2]. NOW® L-Lysine 500 mg delivers pharmaceutical-grade amino acid support in a convenient, smooth-coated tablet to promote skin elasticity, collagen synthesis, and lip tissue integrity [1, 3].

Quick Specs Snapshot

✓ Active Form & Potency: 500 mg of pure L-Lysine (from 637 mg L-Lysine Hydrochloride) per single coated tablet.
✓ Primary Target: Collagen fibril cross-linking, intestinal calcium absorption, and balanced cellular arginine-to-lysine ratios [1, 2, 3].
✓ Supply & Value: 250 tablets provide over 8 months of daily structural support for just pennies per day.
✓ Purity & Dietary Status: Vegetarian/vegan formulation, non-GMO, and free of wheat, gluten, soy, milk, egg, fish, shellfish, tree nut, and sesame ingredients.

Buyer's Guide & Form Comparison

Why the Form Matters: L-Lysine Hydrochloride vs. Cheap Alternatives

Free-base lysine is chemically unstable and pulls moisture directly from surrounding air. To ensure long-lasting stability and high bioavailability, NOW binds pure L-Lysine to USP-grade hydrochloric acid to create L-Lysine Hydrochloride (HCl). This stable mineral salt shields the amino acid from humidity and breaks down cleanly in stomach acid.

Commodity discount brands and big box retailers often cut costs by pressing unpurified raw materials loaded with synthetic binders, chemical glazes, and heavy metal contaminants. In contrast, NOW uses pure pharmaceutical-grade raw materials finished with a clean vegetarian coating, ensuring rapid gastric dissolution without harsh synthetic additives.

Is This Formula Right for You?

Best Choice For:

✓ Shoppers seeking targeted nutritional reinforcement for lip, skin, and mucosal tissue integrity [3, 4].
✓ Adults looking for flexible 500 mg dosing in an easy-to-swallow, coated tablet that can be split easily [1, 2].
✓ Individuals wanting long-term economy with a generous 250-tablet bottle providing multi-month value.

Consider Another Option If:

✗ You prefer a single high-potency 1,000 mg tablet to minimize the total number of pills taken daily.
✗ You prefer two-piece plant cellulose capsules or bulk unflavored powder for mixing into sports shakes.

VitaNet®, LLC Store Guarantee: Backed by our 31-year reputation, every order is protected by our unconditional 100% money-back guarantee—even on opened bottles—allowing you to evaluate your personal digestive tolerance risk-free.

How It Works in the Body

1. The High-Tensile Structural Bolt (Collagen Cross-Linking)

Think of collagen strands like steel cables supporting a suspension bridge. Without cross-bolts, cables pull apart and fray under stress. Inside your tissues, L-Lysine acts like those heavy-duty steel bolts [1]. Specialized enzymes (lysyl hydroxylase and lysyl oxidase) convert lysine residues into reactive aldehydes [1]. These reactive compounds form stable covalent bonds that link collagen fibers into resilient skin, cartilage, and blood vessels [1].

2. The Crowded Revolving Door (Arginine Antagonism)

Think of cellular amino acid uptake like passengers competing to enter a single revolving door (the cationic amino acid transporter, system y⁺). Both L-Lysine and L-Arginine share this exact entry path [3, 4]. Elevating circulating levels of L-Lysine fills the doorway and limits L-Arginine entry [3, 4]. Maintaining a dominant lysine-to-arginine ratio preserves cellular harmony and supports lip tissue resilience [3, 4].

3. The Mineral Cargo Strap (Calcium Retention)

Think of calcium (Ca²⁺) like precious cargo travelling along a busy shipping route. L-Lysine functions like a secure cargo strap that stops mineral freight from slipping away [2]. Human clinical research demonstrates that supplemental L-Lysine enhances intestinal calcium absorption and reduces urinary mineral loss [2]. This dual action supports balanced mineral reserves and healthy bone matrix density [2].

Daily Timing, Synergy & Realistic Timelines

Best Time to Take & Meal Pairing

Take 1 tablet 1 to 3 times daily, ideally between meals or on an empty stomach with an 8 oz glass of pure water (chemical formula: H₂O). Whole-food dietary proteins carry competing amino acids that crowd intestinal transport channels [3]. Taking your tablet 30 to 45 minutes before meals ensures fast, unobstructed absorption into circulation. If you experience mild stomach sensitivity, take it alongside a light piece of fruit.

Daily Schedule: Morning vs. Evening

For baseline structural wellness, take 1 tablet first thing in the morning with a full glass of water. During times of heightened physiological stress, split your intake throughout the day: take 1 tablet upon waking and 1 tablet in the late afternoon or before bedtime [3, 4]. Spacing your tablets sustains elevated plasma lysine levels around the clock.

Smart Pairings & Spacing Rules

✓ Synergistic Partners: Pair with Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) and Zinc. Vitamin C serves as an indispensable co-factor for the enzymes that weave collagen cross-links, while Zinc aids tissue repair [1].
✗ Crucial 2-Hour Spacing Window: Separate your tablet by at least 2 hours from high-arginine foods (such as dark chocolate, peanuts, almonds, walnuts, and seeds) or pre-workout arginine supplements to avoid neutralizing lysine uptake [3, 4].

What to Expect Over Time

Days 1–7: Rapid digestive absorption elevates circulating plasma lysine concentrations. Competitive transport begins, shifting systemic amino acid ratios away from free arginine [3, 4].

Weeks 3–4: Consistent tissue saturation builds a steady cellular defense. Users experience reinforced lip tissue resilience, skin hydration support, and steady digestive comfort [2, 3].

Months 2–3+: Cumulative collagen cross-linking supports skin firmness, joint connective tissue strength, bone mineral balance, and sustained immune defense [1, 2].

Physical Feel, Sensory Traits & Clean Ingredients

Pill Format & Ease of Use

NOW L-Lysine 500 mg is pressed into a solid, compact tablet finished with a smooth vegetarian coating. This water-activated coating allows the pill to glide easily down the throat with water, avoiding the rough swallowing sensation common with uncoated tablets. For individuals who prefer smaller portions, the tablet can easily be split in half using a standard pill splitter or crushed into food.

Natural Aroma, Taste & Color

Swallowed whole, the tablet is completely odorless and neutral in flavor. If crushed or chewed, pure L-Lysine HCl displays a characteristic mildly salty, slightly tart amino acid taste. Because NOW never uses synthetic dyes or artificial bleaches, natural color variation from off-white to pale cream can occur between production batches.

Other Ingredients Explained

Every non-active excipient on the label serves an exact, functional manufacturing role with zero hidden synthetic fillers:

✓ Microcrystalline Cellulose: Clean, purified plant fiber that provides stable structural bulk to hold the active amino acid tablet together without synthetic glues.
✓ Vegetarian Coating: A plant-derived outer barrier that creates a slippery surface for effortless swallowing while protecting the inner core from humidity.
✓ Silicon Dioxide: A natural earth mineral that absorbs ambient moisture and prevents raw amino acid powders from caking during compression.
✓ Magnesium Stearate (vegetable source): A natural plant-oil lubricant that allows compressed tablets to release cleanly from manufacturing machinery without sticking.

Proper Storage

Store in a cool, dry place after opening. Amino acid tablets naturally pull moisture from humid air if exposed. Keep the safety cap tightly sealed after every use, and avoid storing your bottle in humid bathrooms or near warm kitchen appliances.

Manufacturer Quality & Lab Testing Standards

Raw material verification is vital when choosing daily supplements. Independent consumer testing frequently reveals that commodity big box store supplements contain unlisted fillers, degraded active ingredients, or elevated heavy metals. NOW Foods operates one of the most sophisticated private quality-assurance facilities in North America, performing over 19,000 analytical tests every month:

✓ In-House ISO/IEC 17025 Accredited Laboratories: NOW maintains private on-site analytical laboratories formally accredited to ISO/IEC 17025 standards, validating testing precision and scientific competence.
✓ ICP-MS Heavy Metal Testing (Parts-Per-Billion Precision): Using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS), raw powders and finished tablets are tested for lead, arsenic, cadmium, and mercury to surpass strict USP standards.
✓ HPLC Molecular Identification & Potency Verification: High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) verifies that every tablet contains 100% pure L-enantiomer active lysine, confirming zero chemical adulteration or inactive D-isomers.
✓ Microbiological Pathogen Bio-Screening: Automated testing ensures the complete absence of harmful microorganisms, including Salmonella spp., Escherichia coli, and Staphylococcus aureus, alongside strict yeast and mold counts.
✓ Audited cGMP Manufacturing: Facilities are independently audited and certified by UL Solutions, maintaining an "A-rated" Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP) certification through the Natural Products Association (NPA).

Complete Supplement Facts & Label Verification

Supplement Facts

Serving Size: 1 Tablet

Servings Per Container: 250

Description	Amount per Serving	% Daily Value
L-Lysine (from 637 mg L-Lysine Hydrochloride)	500 mg	**

** Daily Value not established.

Other Ingredients: Microcrystalline Cellulose, Vegetarian Coating, Silicon Dioxide and Magnesium Stearate (vegetable source).

Allergen Notice: Not manufactured with wheat, gluten, soy, milk, egg, fish, shellfish, tree nut or sesame ingredients. Produced in a GMP facility that processes other ingredients containing these allergens.

Caution: For adults only. Consult physician if pregnant/nursing, taking medication, or have a medical condition. Keep out of reach of children.

Product Details: NOW® L-Lysine is a Pharmaceutical Grade essential amino acid. Natural color variation may occur in this product. Made and quality tested in the USA with globally sourced ingredients. Store in a cool, dry place after opening. Family owned since 1968.