Front of the Kion Aminos Mixed Berry powder tub, 7.0 oz

Aminos Essential Amino Acids Powder

A fully disclosed EAA powder with 5 g of all nine essential amino acids and 2 g of leucine per scoop, sweetened with stevia, at about $1.67 a serving.

6.3

Poor

Nutrition Reviews score

Weighted across efficacy, quality, value, experience & transparency. See breakdown

Form: Powder
Serving: 1 Scoop (6.60g)
Servings: 30
Per serving: $1.67

Third-party testedcGMP facility

VeganNon-GMOGluten-freeSugar-free

Check price on Amazon Shop on TikTok Shop631 sold Buy from the brand$49.95

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Last reviewed October 26, 2026 by the Nutrition Reviews Editorial Team · How we review

Our verdict

Kion Aminos is one of the better-designed EAA powders: every dose is on the label, leucine is high, and there is no sugar, caffeine or artificial sweetener. It is still a pricey way to get 5 g of amino acids, the evidence for leucine-enriched mixes comes from small, short studies, and drug-tested athletes should choose a certified product. It makes most sense between meals or when appetite is low, not as a replacement for adequate protein.

Best for

Older adults and dieters who struggle to eat enough protein
People who want a fully disclosed, caffeine-free amino drink between meals
Vegans looking for a leucine-rich essential amino acid supplement

Skip it if

Drug-tested athletes who need NSF Certified for Sport or Informed Sport products
Budget buyers who already hit their daily protein target
People with phenylketonuria (it contains phenylalanine)

How it scored

Our five-factor score out of 10. Factors are weighted by how much they matter to the outcome you’re paying for. Methodology

6.3

Poor

out of 10

Efficacy30%6.4
Key ingredients at clinically studied doses, and how strong the evidence is.
Quality & Purity25%7.2
Third-party testing and certifications, manufacturing standards, contaminant testing, recall history.
Value20%4.6
Cost per effective serving compared with category peers.
Experience15%6.4
Taste, mixability, texture and tolerability from aggregated buyer and creator feedback.
Transparency10%7.2
Full label disclosure (no proprietary blends), available COAs, honest marketing.

Our review

Kion Aminos is an essential amino acid powder from Kion, the Boulder company co-founded by CEO Angelo Keely and fitness author and podcaster Ben Greenfield. Each 6.6 g scoop of the Mixed Berry flavor lists 5 g of all nine essential amino acids, led by 2,000 mg of leucine (40% of the blend) plus 850 mg of lysine HCl, 550 mg of isoleucine and 500 mg of valine. Histidine (71.5 mg) and tryptophan (3.5 mg) are token amounts. It is sweetened with stevia and monk fruit and has no caffeine.

The 40% leucine design has real research behind it. In small trials in older women, 3 g and 6 g of leucine-enriched essential amino acids stimulated muscle protein synthesis about as well as 20 g and 40 g of whey over the first hours, and a 3-month Japanese trial found 3 g twice daily improved strength only when paired with exercise. Those studies were short, and two had an Ajinomoto scientist as co-author. The ISSN suggests about 10 g of essential amino acids per dose may be optimal; 2 g of leucine sits within its 700 to 3,000 mg target. Kion's "better than protein" pitch goes further than the evidence.

At getkion.com a 30-serving tub costs $49.95, about $1.67 a serving or $1.42 with a subscription, which is more per gram of essential amino acids than whey. Kion says every batch is third-party tested and made in a cGMP facility, but it carries no named certification such as NSF Certified for Sport. Taste divides buyers: some like the sweet mango, while others report a lingering smell, bland lime or clumping. The official TikTok Shop listing showed about 630 units sold in October 2026.

What’s inside

Key ingredient	Per serving	Why it matters
L-Leucine 40% of the blend and within the ISSN's 700 to 3,000 mg per-dose range; leucine is the main trigger for muscle protein synthesis.	2,000 mg	40% of the blend and within the ISSN's 700 to 3,000 mg per-dose range; leucine is the main trigger for muscle protein synthesis.
L-Lysine HCl, L-Isoleucine, L-Valine, L-Threonine The next-largest essential amino acids; lysine HCl is about 80% lysine by weight, so it supplies roughly 680 mg of lysine.	850 / 550 / 500 / 475 mg	The next-largest essential amino acids; lysine HCl is about 80% lysine by weight, so it supplies roughly 680 mg of lysine.
L-Phenylalanine and L-Methionine Round out the profile; the phenylalanine means people with phenylketonuria should avoid it.	350 / 200 mg	Round out the profile; the phenylalanine means people with phenylketonuria should avoid it.
L-Histidine and L-Tryptophan Present, but in token amounts compared with the other essential amino acids.	71.5 mg / 3.5 mg	Present, but in token amounts compared with the other essential amino acids.
Stevia leaf and monk fruit extracts Non-caloric plant sweeteners; the Cool Lime flavor uses stevia only.	—	Non-caloric plant sweeteners; the Cool Lime flavor uses stevia only.

Supplement Facts

Serving Size 1 Scoop (6.60g)

Servings Per Container 30

Amount Per Serving% Daily Value

L-Leucine 2,000 mg†

L-Lysine HCl 850 mg†

L-Isoleucine 550 mg†

L-Valine 500 mg†

L-Threonine 475 mg†

L-Phenylalanine 350 mg†

L-Methionine 200 mg†

L-Histidine 71.5 mg†

L-Tryptophan 3.5 mg†

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

Other ingredients: Citric Acid, Natural Flavors, Malic Acid, Stevia Leaf Extract, Monk Fruit Extract.

Panel shown for the Mixed Berry Powder version. Transcribed from the manufacturer’s label (getkion.com). Formulas change — always check the label on the product you buy.

Flavors & variants

Mixed BerryCool LimeMangoWatermelon

Testing & quality

Kion says its supplements are made in a cGMP facility that is NSF certified and that third-party finished-product testing checks identity, purity, microbes and contaminants. It publishes no certificates of analysis, and NSF's Certified for Sport database lists no Kion products. A 2020 California Prop 65 settlement over lead covered three other Kion products, not Aminos.

Goals it supports

Muscle Building Recovery Healthy Aging

Creator video reviews

Independent creators reviewing Aminos Essential Amino Acids Powder on YouTube and TikTok.

3 positive2 mixed0 critical

Pros & cons

What we like

Every amino acid dose is disclosed, including 2,000 mg of leucine per scoop
No sugar, caffeine, artificial sweeteners or artificial colors
Leucine-enriched design mirrors mixtures tested in small human trials
Kion states every batch is third-party tested and made under cGMP

Watch-outs

About $1.67 per 5 g serving, more per gram of essential amino acids than whey
No named third-party certification for drug-tested athletes
Tryptophan (3.5 mg) and histidine (71.5 mg) are token amounts
Taste and smell divide buyers, and the powder can clump

Questions buyers ask

How does a scoop of Kion Aminos compare with a scoop of whey?

A scoop gives 5 g of essential amino acids, including 2 g of leucine, with almost no other nutrients. About 25 g of whey protein supplies roughly 11 g of essential amino acids plus the rest of a complete protein. Small studies in older women found 3 to 6 g of leucine-rich amino acids matched a whey dose's early muscle-building response, but whey costs less per gram and counts toward daily protein.

Is Kion Aminos safe for drug-tested athletes?

Kion says every batch is third-party tested for purity and potency, but the product does not carry a named sport certification. NSF's Certified for Sport database lists no Kion products, and Kion does not claim Informed Sport status. Athletes subject to testing should choose a certified amino acid product and check the lot number on the certifier's site.

What sweeteners and flavors does Kion Aminos use?

All four powders use natural flavors, citric and malic acid, and stevia leaf extract, and the Mixed Berry, Mango and Watermelon versions add monk fruit extract. There is no sugar, caffeine or artificial sweetener. Buyers describe the flavors as anything from strong and sweet to bland, and some notice an odd smell, so many mix one scoop into 16 ounces of cold water or more and shake well to limit clumping.

Sources we checked (20)

Alternatives worth a look

PerfectAmino Tablets

5.8Poor

Five tablets give 5 g of essential amino acids in an undisclosed ratio for $1.50; the 99% utilization claim rests on old studies of a different formula.

cGMP

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Best Overall

Nutricost

EAA Powder

7.0Mixed

A budget EAA powder at about $0.67 a serving that includes all nine essential amino acids, but 6 of its 8 g are BCAAs and several others are only token amounts.

3rd-party testedcGMP

2 videosAmino Acids (BCAA & EAA)

Thorne

Amino Complex

6.6Mixed

A well-balanced, NSF Certified for Sport EAA formula with 1.25 g leucine per scoop, but only about 4 g of amino acids for roughly $1.73 a serving.

NSF Sport

2 videos$1.73/serving

Best Value

Optimum Nutrition

Essential AMIN.O. Energy

7.0Mixed

A hugely popular caffeinated amino drink: 100 mg natural caffeine plus a 5 g proprietary amino blend led by taurine, glutamine and arginine, so EAA doses are unknown.

Informed Choice

3 videos ShopAmino Acids (BCAA & EAA)

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