Important limitations
- Individual claims and source links have not yet completed editorial verification.
- Evidence level, applicable study model, formulation, route and population remain unassigned.
Minotaur
Minotaur is a cognitive and performance-enhancing amino formulation designed to support both mental focus and physical endurance.
Reported protocols for Minotaur
What published studies and recent community write-ups report about amounts, timing and course length. 5 clinical, 1 preclinical and 2 community-reported rows, each linked to its source. These are descriptions of what others report, not instructions, and nothing here is medical advice.
| Context | Dose | Frequency | Route | Course | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clinical5 rows | |||||
| Ingredient: citicoline, randomized trial in older adults100 healthy adults aged 50-85 with age-associated memory impairment | 500 mg | Once daily | Oral capsules | 12 weeksNot applicable | The Journal of Nutrition (PubMed)2021 |
| Episodic memory and a composite memory score improved more on citicoline than on placebo, with no product-related adverse events. The primary outcome (spatial span) did not differ, the trial was funded by the ingredient's manufacturer, and 500 mg a day by mouth is about eleven times the citicoline in 1 mL of the blend. | |||||
| Ingredient: betaine (TMG), randomized trial in strength-trained men23 experienced strength-trained men (11 betaine, 12 placebo) | 2.5 g per day (1.25 g twice daily) | Twice daily | Oral capsules | 6 weeks of periodized trainingNot applicable | Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition (PubMed)2013 |
| Betaine improved body composition, arm size and bench-press work capacity and blunted the training-related rise in urinary homocysteine thiolactone, but did not change one-repetition strength. Twenty-three men over six weeks is a small trial, and the 30 mg of TMG per mL of Minotaur is less than 2% of this daily dose. | |||||
| Ingredient: L-citrulline versus L-arginine, crossover exercise trial10 healthy adult men | 6 g per day of citrulline or of arginine | Daily, tested on days 6 and 7 | Oral | 7 days per supplement, placebo-controlled crossoverNot applicable | Journal of Applied Physiology (PubMed)2015 |
| Seven days of citrulline lowered blood pressure, sped oxygen-uptake kinetics and lengthened time to exhaustion in severe cycling from 589 to 661 seconds, while the same dose of arginine changed none of these despite raising plasma arginine by a similar amount. The trial used daily gram doses in ten men; Minotaur supplies 50 mg of citrulline and 200 mg of arginine per mL. | |||||
| Ingredient: L-arginine, FDA label for the intravenous diagnostic productAdults weighing 60 kg or more undergoing growth hormone reserve testing | 30 g arginine hydrochloride (300 mL of a 10% solution); 0.5 g/kg in lighter patients | Single infusion per test | Intravenous infusion over 30 minutes | One testNot applicable | DailyMed, National Library of Medicine2024 |
| The only approved injectable arginine is a diagnostic infusion used to provoke growth hormone release for testing, and its label states it is not intended for therapeutic use and warns of fatal metabolic acidosis from pediatric overdose. Community claims that the blend's arginine drives pumps or growth hormone rest on this kind of gram-level infusion, not on 200 mg injected into a muscle. | |||||
| Ingredient: tyrosine, review of human cognition studiesHealthy adults under stress or cognitive load, and clinical populations, across the reviewed trials | 100-150 mg/kg, or 2 g, as single doses in most positive studies; 500 mg to 12 g across all studies | Single dose before a stressor or task in most trials | Oral | Acute in most studiesNot applicable | Journal of Psychiatric Research (PubMed)2015 |
| The 2015 review concludes that tyrosine helps working memory and cognitive control only when catecholamines are being depleted by stress or demanding tasks, and finds little support for benefit in physical exercise or in clinical disorders. It covers plain L-tyrosine; the blend uses the acetylated form at 35 mg per mL, roughly 2% of the smallest effective single dose in the review. | |||||
| Preclinical1 row | |||||
| Ingredient: L-norvaline, arginase inhibition in ratsMale Wistar rats with drug-induced nitric oxide deficiency, 10 per group | 10 mg/kg | Once daily | Intraperitoneal injection | 7 daysNot applicable | International Journal of Hypertension (PubMed Central)2011 |
| L-norvaline brought the coefficient of endothelial dysfunction back toward normal in rats whose nitric oxide synthesis had been blocked with L-NAME or methionine loading, consistent with its role as an arginase inhibitor. This is the kind of animal work behind the claim that norvaline prolongs arginine's effect; no human trial of norvaline was found. | |||||
| Community-reported2 rows | |||||
| Community handbook dosing for Minotaur Power | 0.5-1 mL before training; 1-1.5 mL when used for focus | Per training session or per work session, 30-45 minutes beforehand | Intramuscular, split bilaterally into the muscle group being trained | Not statedNone described | Community resource2025 |
| A January 2025 handbook lists the same seven ingredients at the same concentrations and describes two uses: a smaller bilateral pre-workout injection and a larger single dose for mental focus. The author reports post-injection pain as the main complaint and advises against large doses because of over-stimulation from the tyrosine component; nothing in the handbook is measured or controlled. | |||||
| Vendor listing of per-millilitre content | 1 mL contains TMG 30 mg, citicoline 45 mg, arginine 200 mg, NALT 35 mg, norvaline 35 mg, lysine 50 mg and citrulline 50 mg | Not stated; sold for laboratory research only | Aqueous solution with 1% benzyl alcohol in a 20 mL vial; route not stated | Not statedNot stated | Community resource2026 |
| The vendor's 2026 page lists the composition, names citicoline as the primary chemical identifier and asks for storage at controlled room temperature, with no dosing because the product is labelled research-use only. A December 2025 storage guide gives the identical breakdown for the Minotaur sold by other vendors, which suggests one shared formulation. | |||||
Sources for this section (9)
- Citicoline and Memory Function in Healthy Older Adults: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial
- Effects of betaine on body composition, performance, and homocysteine thiolactone
- l-Citrulline supplementation improves O2 uptake kinetics and high-intensity exercise performance in humans
- R-GENE 10 (arginine hydrochloride injection): Prescribing Information
- Effect of tyrosine supplementation on clinical and healthy populations under stress or cognitive demands: A review
- Arginase Inhibitor in the Pharmacological Correction of Endothelial Dysfunction
Plus 3 community resources (dosing guides, forum threads and vendor write-ups), reported above but not linked.
Overview
Minotaur is a vendor-made, ready-to-use injectable blend marketed as a pre-workout and nootropic: betaine (TMG), CDP-choline, L-arginine, N-acetyl-L-tyrosine, L-norvaline, L-lysine and L-citrulline in a 20 mL vial. The legacy sheet lists 1 mL three to five times a week, about 45 minutes before training, and sketches a two-week crossover pilot design, but gives no amounts per millilitre; a vendor listing of the same formulation (sold as MNT or Minotaur Power) and a 2025 storage guide both put it at 30 mg TMG, 45 mg citicoline, 200 mg arginine, 35 mg NALT, 35 mg norvaline, 50 mg lysine and 50 mg citrulline per mL in water with 1% benzyl alcohol. No study has tested the blend; the human evidence below concerns individual ingredients taken by mouth at gram-level daily doses, norvaline has only animal data, and the product has no regulatory approval.
What researchers are exploring
These themes organize the educational information currently available. Individual claims remain under source review and are not treatment claims.
- 1
TMG (Betaine)
Acts as a methyl donor, supporting liver health and homocysteine regulation. Molecular Formula: C 5 H 11 NO 2 Molecular Weight: 117.15 g/mol
- 2
CDP-Choline
Involved in acetylcholine synthesis and brain membrane repair. Molecular Formula: C 14 H 26 N 4 O 11 P 2 Molecular Weight: 488.32 g/mol
- 3
L-Arginine
Precursor for nitric oxide synthesis; supports blood flow and vascular tone. Molecular Formula: C 6 H 14 N 4 O 2 Molecular Weight: 174.20 g/mol
- 4
N-Acetyl-L-Tyrosine (NALT)
Precursor to dopamine, aiding focus and motivation under stress. Molecular Formula: C 11 H 13 NO 4 Molecular Weight: 223.22 g/mol
- 5
Norvaline
Inhibits arginase, prolonging arginine’s NO-enhancing effects. Molecular Formula: C 5 H 11 NO 2 Molecular Weight: 117.15 g/mol
- 6
Lysine
Contributes to collagen formation and immune defense. Molecular Formula: C 6 H 14 N 2 O 2 Molecular Weight: 146.19 g/mol
What is known and what still needs verification
Available context is organized without assigning unsupported study models or evidence grades.
- Not graded
TMG (Betaine)
Acts as a methyl donor, supporting liver health and homocysteine regulation. Molecular Formula: C 5 H 11 NO 2 Molecular Weight: 117.15 g/mol
- Not graded
CDP-Choline
Involved in acetylcholine synthesis and brain membrane repair. Molecular Formula: C 14 H 26 N 4 O 11 P 2 Molecular Weight: 488.32 g/mol
Limitations and unknowns
Sources
1 link carried over from the earlier page, awaiting verification.