Is it really necessary to consume L-Citrulline?

Between the different available forms, recommended dosages, and marketing promises, it’s not always easy to navigate when discussing L-Citrulline. In this article, we will decode the latest scientific data on this supplement, tell you what its benefits are, but also its risks.

Summary of the benefits and risks of L-citrulline

L-citrulline improves blood circulation, muscle oxygenation, sports performance, and recovery by effectively increasing nitric oxide production. Better absorbed than arginine, it offers excellent digestive tolerance and measurable benefits for both endurance and cardiovascular health. The risks remain low, but caution is recommended for individuals under treatment for hypertension, suffering from kidney disorders, or using vasodilator medications.

What is L-citrulline?

L-citrulline is a non-essential amino acid, naturally produced by the body from ornithine. You can find L-citrulline in certain foods, notably in watermelon. However, you would need to consume astronomical amounts to reach an effective dose. For example, to obtain about 1 gram of L-citrulline, you would need to ingest between 300g and 1kg of watermelon depending on the type of watermelon you eat. Needless to say, this is not the most practical solution, especially if you aim for concrete results.

Watermelon Challenge Find out how much watermelon is needed to get 1g of L-Citrulline Red Watermelon 1g of citrulline / kg Yellow Watermelon 3.5g of citrulline / kg Orange Watermelon 1.8g of citrulline / kg of sliced watermelon Click to slice the watermelon! Result of {color} watermelon = 1g of L-Citrulline Our DIX PRE-WORKOUT 9.5g of pure L-Citrulline = {equivalent} of {color} watermelon Play Again red yellow orange

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L-citrulline is often mentioned in the sports field, but is it really an essential amino acid for your health and sports performance? In two words: yes, and here’s why. L-citrulline is a non-essential amino acid, meaning your body can produce it naturally, mainly from another amino acid called ornithine. However, this does not mean you don’t need to worry about it. Indeed, the amounts produced by your body are often insufficient to provide significant benefits, especially if you are an athlete or looking to optimize your cardiovascular health.

So, what is it really used for?

L-citrulline plays a key role in the production of two essential elements: arginine and nitric oxide. Arginine is another amino acid involved in many metabolic processes, while nitric oxide is a very important molecule for cardiovascular health and sports performance. By increasing nitric oxide levels, L-citrulline promotes better blood circulation, optimal muscle oxygenation, and faster recovery after exertion.

What are the real benefits of L-citrulline?

L-citrulline has scientifically proven benefits, particularly for those who engage in regular physical activity. Studies show that it significantly improves sports performance, recovery, and has interesting antioxidant properties.

Sports performance and fatigue

Scientific studies have shown that L-citrulline truly helps push your limits during exertion. Indeed, it significantly reduces the concentration of lactate in the blood (that burning sensation you feel during intense efforts). In laboratory tests, a reduction of about 6% in lactate levels was observed in supplemented athletes, which is not negligible if you are looking for performance, as every percentage of improvement is a valuable aid.

Recovery and muscle oxygenation

One of the most impressive aspects of L-citrulline is its impact on blood flow. By increasing nitric oxide production, it promotes vasodilation of blood vessels, allowing better muscle oxygenation. Concretely, you will feel:

• Better muscle pump during training
• Faster recovery between sets
• Reduced post-workout soreness

Antioxidant protection

A frequently overlooked aspect of L-citrulline is its antioxidant capacity. Research has shown that it significantly increases the activity of antioxidant enzymes like SOD (superoxide dismutase) and CAT (catalase), thus offering enhanced protection against oxidative stress generated by intense exercise. This property is particularly interesting for athletes training regularly at high intensity.

Impact on cardiovascular health

Beyond pure performance, L-citrulline helps maintain good cardiovascular health. By optimizing nitric oxide production, it contributes to the natural regulation of blood pressure and improves overall cardiovascular endurance.

Note: these results are particularly visible when supplementation is combined with regular training.

Which form of L-citrulline to choose and how to dose it?

Pure L-citrulline is the most effective form, requiring lower dosages than citrulline malate to achieve the same results. To be completely transparent with you, this is why we chose it in our product range.

Pure L-citrulline vs citrulline malate

Let’s be frank: there is a lot of confusion in the market regarding these two forms. Citrulline malate is generally offered in a 2:1 ratio (66% citrulline, 33% malic acid). Concretely, this means that when a pre-workout displays “6g of citrulline malate,” you actually get only 4g of pure citrulline. This is why we chose to separate these components in our formulation, allowing you to know exactly what you are consuming.

Optimal timing for intake

Our experience has shown that there are two key moments for taking L-citrulline:

• 30-45 minutes before training to maximize performance
• Right after training to optimize recovery

Our opinion

Obviously, you understood, if we use it among the ingredients in our pre-workout, it’s because we favor pure L-citrulline for its better bioavailability and more precise dosing. It also has the advantage of being better tolerated by the body, particularly at the digestive level.