Although most of us are familiar with Whey protein, not everyone has come across the term Citrulline. So in this post we will talk about what Citrulline is, Citrulline Malate vs L-Citrulline, How it is used, foods containing this acid, dosage and side effects.
What is Citrulline?
We know that most protein supplements consist of essential amino acids which our body cannot organically synthesize. Citrulline on the other hand is a non-essential amino acid. Therefore the body can manufacture it within the system. However surprisingly you might find it is insufficient if you work ethic heavy and regular.
The importance of this amino acid is that it converts to arginine in the kidneys and later converts to nitric oxide. As we know both these components are present in pre workout supplements. And as we know pre workout supplements serve multiple benefits.
Blood pressure regulation during intensive training, fatigue reduction are some of the prime features of pre workouts. The same functions are rendered by Citrulline. Citrulline is also a part of the urea process. L-Citrulline is produced in this process from the reaction between ornithine and carbamoyl phosphate.
What is Citrulline Malate
Malic acid is present in fruits such as grapes and green apples. Citrulline+ malic acid forms Citrulline Malate. Results in body energy level boosts and thus enhanced performance. Malte is an essential component in the tricarboxylic cycle and is linked to ATP(adenosine triphosphate) which we talked about in our post about Creatine.
Foods containing Citrulline
You cannot talk about Citrulline without mentioning Watermelon. Because that is the only fruit where Citrulline is found in abundance. Additionally Nuts, meat and legumes contain small amounts of Citrulline. The issue here is that the concentration varies with different watermelons. To reap the actual benefits you might have to consume large amounts regardless of knowing the actual quantity.
L-arginine vs Citrulline Malate
We talked about arginine earlier and how it is broken down into nitric oxide to boost performance. So why not go ahead and just supplement with it and leave Citrulline out? Well here’s why. Both these components are converted to one another while inside our system.
The difference here is that arginine breaks down to nitic oxide and citrulline which transforms back into arginine in the kidneys. Citrulline on the other hand once consumed travels directly to the kidney and transforms to arginine.
The reason behind citrulline supplementation over arginine is pretty obvious. Because citrulline makes it directly to the liver without been broken down. And actual studies show the benefit of citrulline supplementation over arginine. It increases blood vessels to a greater extent that arginine does. Additionally due to poor absorption of arginine it has been linked to diarrhea if supplemented too much.
Citrulline Malate vs L-Citrulline for fitness
There are different types of athletes out there and citrulline works for all of them in a specific way. Lets focus on bodybuilding and power lifting first.
One study among females focusing on compound lifts proved the benefits of citrulline supplementation. Out of the chosen females, one separated set was supplemented with 8g of citrulline pre workout. After doing the leg press and bench press for 6 sets the ones who used citrulline showed more energy resulting in higher number of reps per set.
Of course with powerlifting it is the weight that counts and not the number of reps. Still another study showed the positive outcomes of citrulline malate on muscle soreness. As we know Creatine is more responsible for muscle recovery. But in this study 40 men completed two training sessions. One with placebo and other with citrulline malate.
They showed a 40% decrease in muscle soreness a day and 2 days after workout. Therefore citrulline malate works for powerlifters and results in them performing more reps and reducing muscle soreness even with compound exercises like squats, deadlifts.
On the other hand citrulline serves well for endurance athletes as well. In one particular study cyclists used 2.4 g of L-citrulline for one week straight and again on the day of an endurance test. The supplemented group completed the test 1.5 times faster than the placebo group.
Also another study with tennis players showed significance improvement in grip strength and vertical power compared to the placebo group. They consumed 8 g of citrulline malate one hour prior to testing their peak powers and grip strengths.
Hence based on the fact that citrulline malate increases reps for sets, we can confidently conclude that it is best for endurance athletes. But even as regular athletes it can enhance your performance.
Citrulline Malate Dosage and Timing
Citrulline as we mentioned earlier converts to nitric oxide and hence a key component in pre workout supplements. Therefore it best works when consumed 30-45 minutes prior to the workout. However it is a common practice to break the dosage in two and consume one half in the morning as well. With the hopes of driving some extra energy throughout the system.
Because pre workouts contain both citrulline and caffeine the effects for energy boost and blood flow are amplified with the combination. Best absorbed when consumed on an empty stomach.
Dosage
Just some friendly advice. If you are using a pre workout like C4, chances are that your citrulline requirements are already fulfilled. However this applies to non-professionals and beginners. But for professionals and sportsmen engaged in fitness demanding sports such as rugby the situation is different.
Also your dosage will vary depending on Citrulline Malate vs L-Citrulline. For citrulline malate the dosage is generally higher than L-citrulline. That said the expert recommendation for citrulline malate dosage is 6,000 to 8,000 mg prior to exercise. For L-Citrulline the recommendation is 5 to 8 g prior to exercise.
If you are just starting out reduce the amount by 1g and complement as you progress physically.
Will you face any side effects?
The best part of this supplement is that even if you mistakenly supplement more(strongly advise against it) no side effects are experienced. But for a person who is already on medications involving nitrates and nitric oxides for better blood flow. And those under medications for erectile dysfunction.
Therefore as the accepted precaution, please consult a trained professional before using any supplement.
Citrulline Malate vs L-Citrulline for ED
Although this is a sensitive an embarrassing topic, it needs to be addressed properly. The good news is that this effect is nullified with L-Citrulline without any side effects.
In a study conducted among men who suffered from mild ED, they showed an improvement in their condition after supplementing with L-Citrulline for 1 month. For this specific condition 3 g a day is the recommendation. However as usual consultancy is recommended.
Best Citrulline Malate Supplements
Here are few of the best recommended supplements for citrulline.
Conclusion
In conclusion of Citrulline Malate vs L-Citrulline both the supplements are of extreme benefit for many athletes. It can be bodybuilding, weight lifting, Cycling, Running, Citrulline will definitely serve its purpose.
Citrulline malate gives an extra step ahead for energy boost, recovery and performance. L-citrulline has similar kind of effect and way better than placebo. All these collectively contribute to reduce muscle soreness, reduce fatigue, improve recovery and performance.
