In general, the most popular pre-workout supplements contain L-citrulline among their common ingredients.
L-citrulline is a non-essential amino acid. This means that they are not necessarily obtained from food because the body can produce it when required. Essential amino acids, on the other hand, must be obtained from the diet because the body cannot synthesize them.
This type of supplement plays an important role in the urea cycle, specifically through a process in which the body removes the toxic by-products of protein digestion and cellular energy generation. However, this supplement can bring other positive effects to the body.
Find out what the effects of L-Citrulline are and how you can benefit from them.
Why supplement with L-Citrulline?
The main reasons why many people supplement with L-citrulline are as follows:
- Improves heart health, blood flow, and endurance.
- Increases muscle growth and recovery.
- Raises plasma levels of another amino acid known as ornithine .
However, sometimes some athletes choose another class of supplements that, like L-citrulline, participate in the urea cycle, as is the case with L-arginine. However, recent research has shown that L-citrulline is better absorbed than L-arginine , resulting in a greater elevation of arginine levels in the blood. In addition, to improve our performance during training, at least a consumption of 6 to 10 grams of L-arginine would be required.
What are the benefits of L-citrulline?
The consumption of L-Citrulline reports a good number of positive effects on the following factors in our body;
1. Physical performance
Research shows that supplementing with L-citrulline can improve your endurance during training .
For example, a study conducted with men who performed strength training, supplementing with 8 grams of L-citrulline before their chest workouts and increasing the number of repetitions, managed to improve their performance by 52%, in addition to significantly reducing pain muscle after training.
For its part, another study showed that consuming 6 grams of L-citrulline per day increased cellular energy production by 34% during exercise, resulting in greater physical capacity and intensity.
2. Heart health
Arteries are blood vessels that carry oxygenated blood through the body. They naturally contract and expand to control blood pressure; their consumption being ideal to prevent them from becoming too hard and rigid, or failing that they become blocked; resulting in a heart attack or stroke.
In this sense, nitric oxide plays a key role in maintaining health and arterial function, so increasing its levels can help maintain the correct functions of our arteries.
In addition, it has been shown that the consumption of L-citrulline can reduce blood pressure, this being a key factor in overall heart health.
2.3 Erectile dysfunction
Because L-citrulline can influence blood flow , which can help men fight erectile dysfunction. It may not be as effective as dysfunction medications, but taking them certainly has no potential side effects.
2.4 Free radical damage
Free radicals are atoms or molecules that can, through chemical reactions, cause damage to the cells of the body. While free radicals play an important role in certain physiological processes necessary for life, excessive amounts of these are associated with aging, cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases, cancer and other chronic diseases.
Daily life inevitably causes the production of free radicals, and particularly during intense exercise, which leads to exposing your body to a great deal of stress.
Therefore, L-citrulline has been shown to help the body deal with the production of free radicals , strengthening immune cells and reducing the number of free radicals that could result from physical exercise.
In what forms can L-Citrulline supplements come?
L-citrulline is usually available on the market in two different forms:
- L-citrulline.
- Citrulline malate.
The only difference between them is that citrulline malate combines with malic acid, which is a natural substance present in many fruits, and is involved in creating cellular energy.
Although there is not enough human research on the potential benefits of malic acid supplementation, it has been shown to improve endurance in animals. In addition, combined with magnesium, it can help treat fibromyalgia, a condition characterized by chronic muscle pain.
However, citrulline malate is recommended for two reasons:
1. Malic acid is likely to confer health benefits and give you added performance.
2. It is the form used in most studies showing performance benefits.
How much L-Citrulline should be ingested?
The suggested intake of L-Citrulline is as follows:
- For non-exercise related benefits, take 3 grams of L-citrulline or 5 to 6 grams of citrulline malate per day.
- To improve performance during exercise, take 3 to 5 grams of L-citrulline or 6 to 8 grams of citrulline malate per day.
Does L-Citrulline have side effects?
Since it was discovered in 1930, no side effects of L-citrulline supplementation have been reported, even at high doses. That said, it is known to interact negatively with certain medications, including nitrates.
As with all supplements, prevention is best, so if you are taking any medications or are pregnant, it is best to consult with your doctor if you want to take this supplement.
How to choose the best L-citrulline supplement?
If a pre-workout supplement contains less than 6 grams of citrulline malate per serving, you should not purchase it under any circumstances. You should also stay away from supplements that contain mixtures of other ingredients, because they will likely not report the dosage for each ingredient in the mix.
Reference
- Matthews, M. The Complete Guide to L-Citrulline Supplementation. For legionathletics [Revised October 2016]
