L-Citrulline/Citrulline Malate - an inconspicuous supplement with surprising effects.

Athletes of different disciplines often take a particular supplement for a different purpose according to their sport. Let's explain this with an example, for example BCAAs. For a bodybuilder, the primary purpose of their supplementation may be to see increased protein synthesis and an effect on muscle growth, while an endurance athlete supplements bcaa's more for their effect on recovery, and we could go on and on.

But if we take the amino acid citrulline, it can offer all athletes an enticing sounding benefit - or do you want to train longer by taking a supplement that can delay the onset of fatigue due to training, whatever your sport? Then reach for citrulline!

Citrulline has long been recommended for endurance athletes, but modern studies show that strength athletes can benefit from its benefits too! As a result, citrulline is becoming a very common ingredient in pre-workout and pump-up supplements. But does citrulline only affect fatigue, or can we reap other benefits from its supplementation? Let's introduce this amino acid in more detail.

SO WHAT IS CITRULLINE?

The amino acid citrulline was first discovered thanks to watermelon, which is one of the few food sources where we can find citrulline. This amino acid is classified as a non-essential amino acid, which means that the body produces it itself. However, it is good to take it additionally through diet and supplements, as higher levels can have a positive effect on performance and health, but we'll talk about that later. Citrulline is produced in two ways - when the amino acid ornithine combines with carbamoyl phosphate, and then as a by-product of the enzymatic conversion of arginine to nitric oxide.

Citrulline has many important roles in the body, but unlike most amino acids, it is not used directly to form protein. In particular, it is an essential part of the urea cycle, which helps the body get rid of pollutants. The urea cycle specifically removes the compound ammonia from the body, a compound known to cause fatigue. The end product of this cycle is called urea, which your body gets rid of through urine. It also has the effect of widening arteries and veins, which is technically called vasodilation, and this process is associated with higher blood flow.

As already mentioned, citrulline is also a by-product of the conversion of the amino acid arginine to nitric oxide (NO). Citrulline is therefore a precursor of arginine. Excess citrulline, as shown in several studies, increases the amount of arginine in the blood, leading to an increase in nitric oxide production. And this, as you know, means more blood flow to the muscles during training, allowing them to last longer.

So why not supplement with straight arginine rather? Recent studies report that supplementation with citrulline leads to higher plasma arginine levels than ingesting arginine alone. Yes, you read that right, citrulline supplementation is more effective for increasing arginine levels than taking arginine alone. Another reason why arginine is usually replaced with citrulline in pre-workout supplements today is that arginine is quite hard to digest and irritates the stomach for many, whereas these side effects are very rare with citrulline . And what's more! The liver does not process citrulline as quickly as arginine, which makes its positive effects last longer. Both amino acids therefore offer similar effects, but citrulline appears to be more effective, if only because it is broken down into arginine in the body, which prolongs its duration of action.

When it comes to supplementation, two forms are used. L-citrulline, where only citrulline itself is contained. And citrulline malate, which is the name for the combination of citrulline and malate, or malic acid. This is a salt that is often used as a preservative and naturally contributes to the sour flavor of apples and other fruits. In supplemental form, malate is bound to citrulline and other various supplements, thus improving their stability in the body. However, malate is thought to have the inherent ability to fight fatigue by supporting the body's ability to "recycle" the lactic acid produced during exercise and use it as an energy source.

The importance and effect of both types of citrulline is practically more or less the same. It is based on the principle of citrulline crossing the mitochondrial membrane, allowing it to reach the mitochondria. There, adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is formed , which, as you know, is an essential fuel for the organism. As a result, citrulline has a positive effect on delaying fatigue as well as increasing strength during exercise. However, most experts and studies agree that citrulline malate is the more effective form due to its malate content, which increases energy production.

SO WHAT BENEFITS DOES CITRULLINE SUPPLEMENTATION OFFER?

Citrulline is a supplement that offers a variety of benefits, not only for athletic performance but also for health in general. Let's take a look at some of them.

CITRULLINE AND SPORTS PERFORMANCE

Because of its ability to increase blood flow, citrulline has been tested in the context ofendurance and strength-oriented exercises. Citrulline improves protein synthesis, amino acid synthesis, and even creatine synthesis during exercise. According to the results of a Spanish study, subjects taking citrulline malate during exercise were able to do up to 50% more repetitions before they began to experience fatigue, compared to a group that took only a placebo. In addition, citrulline supplementation also contributed to post-workout reductions in fatigue and muscle soreness.

According to another study conducted on cyclists, citrulline has been shown to have the ability to aid the body's recovery, delay and attenuate the onset of the body's immunosuppressive mechanisms that often occur after training, and also help avoid some of the symptoms associated with overtraining.

OTHER BENEFITS

In addition to its positive effect on performance, citrulline also stimulates the production of testosterone and growth hormone. It also has positive effects on recovery and reduces muscle soreness caused by heavy training. As already mentioned, citrulline increases the production of nitric oxide, thus providing a greater supply of oxygen to the muscles. Interestingly, citrulline also improves the quality of sex life, especially in the male population. Some studies have also reported that itlowers blood pressure, especially in that part of the population that has elevated blood pressure.

HOW TO TAKE CITRULLINE?

As far as supplementation is concerned, we have already discussed two options - citrulline alone and citrulline malate. If you choose the pure variant, then the optimal dose is stated as 3 - 6g. If you choose citrulline malate, then the appropriate dose is 6-8g. Supplementation is especially importantbefore training, specifically about 60 - 30 minutes before it starts. To observe the effect in the form of better blood circulation, performance support, delay the onset of fatigue and accelerate the recovery process, it is good to take it for a long time.

Outside of supplementation, we can also find citrulline in some food sources. The most prominent is the watermelon, after which citrulline is even named (Latin name citrullus, or watermelon). Specifically, in watermelon we find 1mg of citrulline per 1g of watermelon, or 100mg in 100g of this popular snack. Furthermore, citrulline can be found in trace amounts in pumpkin or cucumbers.

SUMMARY

If you are looking for a supplement that will very effectively increase your athletic performance and support recovery processes, then citrulline is exactly the right thing that should not be missing in your supplementation. Nowadays it often replaces arginine, because according to modern studies it seems to be more effective. The research is still relatively fresh, so perhaps we can look forward to seeing more positive effects of this supplement soon.

Sources:
Pubmed