Can L-Citrulline Help You Train Harder?
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If you're into weightlifting or resistance training, you've probably come across supplements that promise more reps, better pumps, or faster recovery. One popular ingredient in pre-workouts is L-Citrulline, often seen alone or combined with malate as Citrulline Malate. But does it actually help? A new study gives us some answers.
What is L-Citrulline?
L-Citrulline is an amino acid that helps your body produce nitric oxide, a molecule that widens blood vessels. This can improve blood flow during exercise, delivering more oxygen and nutrients to your muscles. It may also reduce fatigue and soreness, making it a favorite among gym-goers.
Citrulline Malate combines L-Citrulline with malic acid, which may help with energy production.
What Did the Study Look At?
Researchers gave 33 resistance-trained men either:
- L-Citrulline (8g per day)
- Citrulline Malate (12g per day)
- Placebo (no active ingredients)
All participants followed a 6-week weight training program, exercising four times per week. The study looked at:
- Strength (1-rep max)
- Muscular endurance (how many reps before failure)
- Perceived exertion (how hard the workout felt)
- Blood markers (including nitric oxide)
What Were the Main Results?
Here’s what the researchers found:
- Strength Gains Were the Same in All Groups
Everyone improved their strength in exercises like the bench press and hack squat. But whether they took Citrulline or not didn’t make a difference. In short: Citrulline didn’t help you lift heavier.
- Endurance Improved With Citrulline
Those taking either L-Citrulline or Citrulline Malate could do more reps in upper-body exercises like the bench press and incline press. On average, they completed 4–10 more reps across multiple sets compared to the placebo group. This suggests Citrulline may help you push harder in high-volume workouts.
- Citrulline Boosted Nitric Oxide
Blood tests showed higher nitric oxide levels after exercise in the Citrulline groups, supporting its role in improving blood flow. This could explain the better endurance.
- No Big Changes in Fatigue or Soreness
Even though endurance improved, Citrulline didn’t significantly reduce how hard the workouts felt or lower lactate (a marker of fatigue). So, it might help you do more, but it won’t necessarily make it feel easier.
So, Should You Take It?
If your goal is to increase training volume—especially in upper-body workouts—L-Citrulline or Citrulline Malate might help. You could perform more reps, potentially leading to more muscle growth over time. But if you're just looking to lift heavier for 1-rep maxes or expect less soreness, the benefits might be limited.
Which One is Better: L-Citrulline or Citrulline Malate?
Surprisingly, this study found no major difference between the two. Both forms improved endurance and nitric oxide levels. This is good news—you can pick based on what’s available or affordable.
Final Tips Before You Try
- Dosage matters: This study used 8g of L-Citrulline or 12g of Citrulline Malate daily—higher than typical pre-workout formulas.
- Timing counts: Participants took their supplement 1 hour before workouts.
- Consistency is key: They supplemented every day for 6 weeks, not just on training days.
The Bottom Line
Citrulline supplements won’t turn you into a superhero overnight, but they may help you grind out a few extra reps—especially in upper-body training. Over time, this small edge could add up to real gains.
If you’re serious about resistance training and want to get the most out of your workouts, L-Citrulline is worth a try.