What is L-Citrulline (amino acid) Good For?

Amino acids are sometimes called “the building blocks of life.” The ones you acquire in your diet are called “essential amino acids” — you need to ingest them from other sources to live. Others, called “nonessential amino acids” because they are not essential to the human diet to survive, are created by your body.

One of these nonessential amino acids is L-citrulline. Its name comes from “citrullus,” the Latin word for watermelon, from which it was first isolated.

The kidneys break L-citrulline apart into another amino acid called L-arginine and the chemical compound nitric oxide (NO). Nitric oxide improves blood flow by relaxing arteries.

L-citrulline is produced in both over-the-counter (OTC) versions and as a pharmaceutical-grade medical ingredient.

OTC versions are popular with athletes attempting to gain an edge in endurance and strength. Studies have found that nitric oxide may improve sports performance, possibly through its effects on blood flow, muscles and metabolic actions.

The dosage is 3-5 grams before workouts is common and there is no loading phase. A powder supplement is better as it will get to your body faster. Often mixed with water and taken with Branched Chain Amino Acids can be very effective for avoiding “the bonking” feeling when doing cardio as well as can help you recover faster between sets of resistance training. Who doesn’t want to get a boost to their workouts without feeling that jittery feeling that many supplements give you. I personally don’t do caffeine and never do energy drinks. Work within what your body needs or can get a boost naturally without messing with your body’s natural energy cycle (called circadian cycle).

This supplement has been studied and is not shown to be more effective than L-Arginine and Taurine which are ones I have tried and didn’t like the buzz it gave me.