What is L-Citrulline?
L-Citrulline is a non-essential amino acid and a precursor to arginine. L-Citrulline can be synthesized in the body as an intermediate in the conversion of orthinine to arginine in the urea cycle, it is also produced from arginine as a byproduct of the reaction catalyzed by the enzyme NO synthase. The word ‘citrulline’ is derived from ‘Citrullus’, the Latin word for watermelon, from which it was first isolated. L-Citrulline supplements are widely popular as ergogenic aids for both aerobic and anaerobic exercise performance. L-Citrulline supplements help the body produce nitric oxide, improve blood flow, increase training volume, delay fatigue, reduce muscle soreness, improve muscle oxygenation, detoxifies ammonia, boost immune function.
How is the taste of L-Citrulline? How can we store it?
AS-IT-IS L-Citrulline is flavourless and is considered to be naturally sour by taste. You’ll need to mix it with a large glass of water, fruit juice, or protein shake to lighten the sourness. You can store L-Citrulline powder in the zip-lock pouch with which it comes or transfer the contents to an air-tight container and keep it in a cool, dry place, away from direct sunlight. Refrigeration is not recommended.
How does L-Citrulline work in the body?
L-Citrulline metabolizes in the body to release arginine which in turn is responsible for L-Citrulline’s ergogenic effects. Arginine’s role is accounted for its role as the precursor to nitric oxide. Nitric oxide causes vasodilation of blood vessels by relaxing smooth muscle cells that line the blood vessels. By production of nitric oxide, L-Citrulline plays a crucial role in improving blood flow and better delivery of nutrients and oxygen to your muscles when your workout intensely. L-Citrulline helps the boy meet increased energy demands and reduce fatigue by increasing muscle stores of phosphocreatine. L-Citrulline helps eliminate ammonia by converting it into urea.
What are the benefits of L-Citrulline?
L-Citrulline’s main claim lies in its ability to delay fatigue and build endurance. The pre-workout supplement increases nitric oxide levels in the body, reduces fatigue, increases muscle mass, improves more power during workouts, and reduces muscle soreness. L-Citrulline improves ammonia and lactic acid metabolism, increases vasodilation and adenosine triphosphate production. L-Citrulline reduces muscle acidosis which occurs during intense exercise, limits exhaustion, assists in maximum force production, increases training volume, and improves overall performance and recovery.
What is the need to supplement with L-Citrulline?
L-Citrulline is a fantastic pre-workout supplement that raises levels of arginine in the body. L-Citrulline is present in a variety of food, with its highest natural concentration present in watermelons. L-Citrulline is also present in small amounts in beans, onions, soy, and legumes. In terms of non-vegetarian food, Citrulline’s high concentration can be found in organ meat like liver and small amounts found in salmon and red meat. Since the concentration of L-Citrulline is highly variable in foods, supplements can be an ideal and convenient choice to increase the amount of Citrulline in the body.
Who should take L-Citrulline?
L-Citrulline helps to improve blood flow through the production of nitric oxide, increases endurance, cognition, delays fatigue, boost your energy levels. L-Citrulline supplementation can benefit just about any athletes, football players, swimmers, rock climbers, gymnasts, cyclists, runners, gym-goers, weight lifters, bodybuilders. Those who aim for an increased muscle pump, faster recovery post-workout, those who want to feel more focused and active will see the greatest benefits from adding L-Citrulline to their supplement regimen.
Is L-Citrulline suitable for women?
Absolutely yes, L-Citrulline is suitable for women as it is for men. Similar effects of boosted performance by L-Citrulline have been observed both in men and women. L-Citrulline is the most researched and well-tolerated supplement that increases the number of reps completed in resistance exercises, lowers the rate of perceived exertion, reduces fatigue resulting from an intense workout.
Does L-Citrulline supplementation promote muscle pumps?
Yes. L-Citrulline improves muscle function and muscle capacity by regulating nitric oxide production. Nitric oxide causes the blood vessels to dilate, allowing more blood flow to your muscles when your workout intensely. The increased blood flow carries in nutrients and oxygen to the working muscles which enable increased muscle protein synthesis. L-Citrulline gets converted into arginine which increases muscle stores of phosphocreatine, thereby increases the ability to resynthesize ATP from ADP. The combined effects of greater available energy, reduced fatigue, improved availability of nutrients and oxygen allow you to sustain a heavy workout, boost your capacity to workout intensely, producing the muscle pump effect.
Is L-Citrulline suitable for endurance performance?
Yes. By efficiently increasing natural plasma levels of arginine, L-Citrulline plays a role in increasing ATP. Creatine is produced from arginine which increases muscle stores of phosphocreatine thereby increasing muscle’s ability to resynthesize ATP from ADP. This helps the body meet increased muscle energy demands. L-Citrulline increases nitric oxide levels in the body which optimizes the flow of blood and nutrients to the muscles. By increasing muscle energy demands, decreasing fatigue, and enhanced circulation, L-Citrulline supports endurance workouts.
How does L-Citrulline reduce muscle fatigue?
During high-intensity exercise, the concentration of ammonia is augmented in skeletal muscles. Ammonia prevents oxidation of pyruvate to acetyl COA, which hinders energy production thus leading to exhaustion. The increased lactic acid produced during workouts causes pH to drop, which causes muscles to become acidic and fatigue soon sets in. L-Citrulline’s key role to reduce fatigue comes here. It converts ammonia into urea and reduces exercise-induced lactate levels. L-Citrulline delays fatigue by efficiently increasing plasma levels of arginine, which increases the rate of production of creatine which sustains energy levels. L-Citrulline through increasing nitric oxide levels, increases efficient delivery of oxygen and nutrients to muscles, all of which work to reduce muscle fatigue.
How & when should I consume L-Citrulline?
Mix 2.5g of L-Citrulline in 200ml water, fruit juice, your pre-workout drink, or protein shake and consume it 30-45 minutes before you hit the gym. Using L-Citrulline pre-workout will allow you to do strenuous workouts with ease and will improve your overall performance. You can take Citrulline on an empty stomach if you are aiming for fat burn and do early morning workouts. On non-training days, you can supplement L-Citrulline prior to meals. L-Citrulline helps promote vasodilation, which helps increase the amount of nutrients and oxygen supply to the working muscles. This helps enhance endurance, lessen fatigue, promote more cellular energy production, better pumps. L-Citrulline may support better-oxygenated blood to the brain, which helps you to feel sharper, more focused during your workout.
How long should I take L-Citrulline to find results from it?
The results of supplementation with L-Citrulline depends on several factors. We would want you to understand that dietary supplementation with L-Citrulline alone does not improve exercise performance and offer you the intended results of body composition. L-Citrulline supplement helps to increase your training tolerance to aerobic and anaerobic exercise. The ergogenic response of L-Citrulline depends on the training status of the individual. Regular disciplined training coupled with a proper balanced diet and supplement can fetch you intended results of supplementation.