L-Citrulline vs. Citrulline Malate: Pros & Cons Of Each - Old School Labs
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Home Ā /Ā  OSL Blog Ā /Ā  L-Citrulline vs. Citrulline Malate: Pros & Cons Of Each

L-Citrulline vs. Citrulline Malate: Pros & Cons Of Each


Key Takeaways

  1. Citrulline Malate is malic acid bound with L-Citrulline. The addition of malic acid has been known to provide a boost in power, speed, endurance, and vascular dilation.
  2. L-Citrulline can be a viable option for people dealing with muscle wasting, the elderly, and certain health conditions.
  3. Citrulline Malate may make you faster with more energy and less soreness after performing. Weightlifters and bodybuilders may be able to lift more repetitions with less fatigue.
  4. Vessel dilation in Citrulline Malate can also provide an edge for competitive bodybuilders who are judged on their physique.

If youā€™re interested in taking supplements, whether it be L-Citrulline, Citrulline Malate, or any other, it can be overwhelming when you start doing the research. There are so many options available and it can be hard to determine which is best for your needs.

In the Golden Era, bodybuilders had very few products to choose from.

Ric Drasin
Golden Era Bodybuilder Ric Drasin

According to Ric Drasin, old school bodybuilders mostly used protein and other vitamins were used along with eating a healthy diet. Now, it seems like there is a supplement for almost anything you can imagine.

If youā€™re looking to enhance your speed, improve power or gain muscle, which should you choose? Today, youā€™ll learn about supplements L-citrulline and citrulline malate and how they may be able to help in these areas:

  • What the difference is between the two
  • The roles of amino acids in the body
  • Foods with naturally occurring citrulline
  • What works best for endurance athletes
  • What works best for bodybuilders and weightlifters
  • Which is preferred for those with certain health conditions
  • Any side effects from supplements
  • Dosage and timing

What is Citrulline?

Citrulline is a non-essential amino acid, meaning that your body can produce it on its own. This amino acid is important, as it converts to arginine in the kidneys which then converts to nitric oxide.

Nitric oxide production is important for building muscles. It increases vasodilation, which allows more blood flow to the muscles while working out. This provides key benefits, including:

  • Improved performance
  • Fatigue reduction
  • Removal of metabolic waste (reduces muscle soreness)

While your body produces citrulline naturally, itā€™s not enough to impact muscle growth. Whatā€™s more, as we age, the amount of non-essential amino acids that our bodies produce declines. This is one reason that some people choose to supplement with L-citrulline. 

UREA Cycle Citrulline

Another important process that citrulline is a part of is the ā€œurea cycle.ā€ In this process, L-citrulline is formed from ornithine and carbamoyl phosphate. Ammonia and lactic acid are waste byproducts that are captured in the urea cycle and eliminated.

While you can supplement with L-citrulline, there are also foods that you can eat to get it into your system.

Foods with Citrulline

Certain foods, mainly watermelon, contain citrulline. In fact, citrullineā€™s name was actually created from the Latin name for watermelon, Citrullus lanatus.

Foods With Citrulline

Youā€™ll find the highest concentration of L-citrulline in watermelon, but it can be found in smaller amounts in:

  • Legumes
  • Nuts
  • Meat 

Watermelon juice can help increase levels of L-citrulline in the body. However, the amount of this amino acid can vary widely from watermelon to watermelon. 

Youā€™d also have to drink several cups of juice to get the positive benefits without knowing the exact amount youā€™re getting.

For many, itā€™s easier and more controlled to supplement instead.

L-Citrulline vs L-Arginine

Your body uses arginine to increase nitric oxide production for the benefits. So why wouldnā€™t you just supplement with l-arginine instead of L-citrulline?

Gut Heatlh L-Citrulline vs L-Arginine

The answer lies in the gut and liver. As the supplement passes through, enzymes called arginases break down arginine and essentially render it useless. Citrulline, on the other hand, is not taken up by the liver and is able to pass through the intestines.

Supplementing with L-citrulline rather than l-arginine actually increases arginine levels and nitrogen balance. Not only does this make it a benefit to muscle growth, but it also helps in other key areas of the body. 

Letā€™s take a look at citrulline malateā€™s role and then weā€™ll get into the benefits that L-citrulline vs citrulline malate can have.

What is Citrulline Malate?

Citrulline malate is a blend of L-citrulline and malate, which is a salt of malic acid. Malic acid is present in many fruits and some vegetables, especially in green apples and grapes, and responsible for their tartness. It is also used as a preservative and food additives.

Foods With Citrulline Malate

Malate has been combined with citrulline to help boost the bodyā€™s energy level and enhance performance. This is because of its role in the citric acid cycle (also called Krebs cycle and TCA cycle). 

The Krebs cycle creates usable energy by generating adenosine triphosphate or ATP. This is essentially the bodyā€™s unit of currency, carrying energy where it needs to go, including to the muscles.

AAKG vs Citrulline Malate

AAKG is an abbreviation for Arginine-alpha-ketoglutarate. Alpha-ketoglutarate (AKG) plays a crucial role in the Krebs cycle, determining the flow of the citric acid cycle. 

Citric Acid Cycle

This compound is the source of amino acids glutamine and glutamate:

  • Glutamine:  Promotes health in the intestinal and immune systems. Found in high levels in eggs, meat, whey, and casein protein powders. Generally used in those with physical wounds to speed up healing or those with diseases that cause muscle wasting.  
  • Glutamate: Found in the brain and central nervous system and also aids in bone formation. Synthesized from L-glutamine and Krebs cycle intermediates. Helps in mental plasticity, learning, and forming memories.
  • Arginine: Helps to regulate blood pressure, immunity, and heart function. Arginine breaks down into orthinine and creatine in the body. Healthy individuals usually produce sufficient amounts of this amino acid, however stress, injury, and rapid muscle growth may reduce supply.

These amino acids are also important to muscle growth, promoting protein synthesis and stopping protein breakdown.

You can purchase it in powder form as a supplement. AAKG is used by some bodybuilders and athletes to:

  • Speed up recovery
  • Reduce muscle fatigue
  • Improve overall performance and speed

Does the research support these benefits?

What the Research Says

Studies are mixed as to the benefits of supplementing AAKG alone. This study compared trained and untrained men supplementing 3,000mg of AAKG prior to working out. No perceived benefit came to either group, regardless if they were trained or not.

However, this study was broken down over two different periods. First, 10 participants took 4g of AAKG after fasting for eight hours. Their blood plasma showed high levels of arginine eight hours after ingestion.

Bench Press with AAKG

Then, one week later, they were divided between the placebo group and AAKG group. After eight weeks of working out four days per week, the AAKG group showed elevated glucose and arginine in the blood. They also had improved their 1RM bench press and peak anaerobic power.

If you do decide to supplement with AAKG, research shows itā€™s safe to consume, even in higher dosages. It may also help those with obesity and decrease insulin resistance in diabetic users.

Now, letā€™s get back to L-citrulline vs citrulline malate.

L-Citrulline vs Citrulline Malate for Endurance Athletes

Does one of these supplements work best for endurance athletes? Those who need a competitive edge in sports may want to try citrulline malate vs L-citrulline.

Letā€™s take a look at the science behind this. 

Handball players who had an intensive four-week training protocol were divided into two groups.

The malate group supplemented 1,000 mg (1 g) three times daily at each meal. The same group showed significant decreases in blood lactate levels, postponing fatigue compared to the placebo group.

The European Journal of Sports Medicine conducted a study on 17 masters athlete tennis players. The supplement group took 8 g of citrulline malate one hour prior to being tested on:

  • Grip strength
  • Vertical power
  • Wingate anaerobic cycling test

Compared to the placebo group, they showed greater maximal and average grip strength. Explosive and peak power during Wingate testing were also superior to the placebo group. They also reduced time within trials.

L-Citrulline vs Citrulline Malate for Endurance Athletes

Thatā€™s not to say that L-citrulline alone doesnā€™t have its benefits. The Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition experimented on trained cyclists. 

They took 2.4 g of L-citrulline daily for a week and then supplemented again the day they did a 2.5 endurance test. The supplement group completed their time 1.5 percent faster than the placebo group.

Can a citrulline supplement have the same effect on bodybuilders and weightlifters?

L-Citrulline vs Citrulline Malate for Weightlifters and Bodybuilders

Much like endurance athletes, weightlifters and bodybuilders may see some benefits from using citrulline malate.

The European Journal of Sports Medicine divided 17 resistance-trained females into two groups. The malate group supplemented with 8g one hour before completing six sets of bench and leg presses.

Citrulline Studies on Bodybuilding

The supplement group showed significantly higher reps per set, as well as more energy and greater power (less exertion).

This study set out to determine how citrulline malate would affect both performance and muscle soreness. Forty-one men did two training sessions, the first with a placebo and the second with the supplement.

In the end, there was almost a 53 percent increase in repetitions per set. They also showed a 40 percent decrease in muscle soreness at 24 hours and 48 hours post-session.

It should be noted that in both studies, a higher number of repetitions were after the third set.

Here, 12 advanced weightlifters were divided between a citrulline malate and a placebo group. They supplemented with 8 g of CM and then subjected to five sequential sets of lower-body exercises:

  • Hack squat
  • Leg press
  • Leg extension

The supplement group was able to complete significantly more repetitions per set of all three exercises compared to the placebo group. 

Citrulline for HIIT

What the Forums are saying

We wanted to venture over to a couple of message boards to get a feel for what lifters are using and recommending. Hereā€™s what they have to say.

This post comparing L-citrulline vs citrulline malate on a bodybuilding forum is pretty mixed. Some prefer just L-citrulline while others prefer the added performance of malic acid.

This Reddit post on L-citrulline vs citrulline malate shows the latter as superior for performance and muscle soreness. This was based on a clinical study.

Citrulline for Weightlifting

Ultimately, citrulline malate is best for endurance athletes, competitions, and trials.

If youā€™re a regular lifter, youā€™d have to try it out to see if you get any benefit from the product. However, donā€™t be surprised if you get more energy, better pumps, and less soreness compared to L-citrulline.

Now, letā€™s look at some of the health benefits for L-citrulline vs citrulline malate.

L-citrulline vs Citrulline Malate for ED

Erectile dysfunction is an embarrassing & uncomfortable problem for many men. If you are dealing with ED, then you may be happy to know that supplementing with L-citrulline can help.

While there are medications that can be prescribed for this condition, they come with side effects. One appealing benefit of using L-citrulline instead is that it doesnā€™t seem to have side effects for most users.

Doctor Prescribing Citrulline For ED

In this study, men who supplemented for one month with 1.5 grams of L-citrulline were able to improve from mild ED. 

Another study combining L-citrulline with trans resveratrol also showed promising improvement. This study also discusses that low nitric oxide concentrations can increase the chances of ED. increasing L-arginine, which is done by supplementing with L-citrulline, can improve N.O. in the system.

While more studies need to be done on humans, it seems that L-citrulline may help with erectile dysfunction. So far, none have compared the use of L-citrulline vs citrulline malate for this condition.

L-Citrulline vs Citrulline Malate: Health

There are various perceived health benefits to supplementing with L-citrulline. 

With its low rate of side effects, L-citrulline may be a good alternative to other pharmaceuticals for cardiometabolic health. This review points out the lack of long-term studies as to effects in blood pressure regulation. 

Citrulline and Health

However, it notes that it can be viable for vascular health, lipid, and protein metabolism.

Those diagnosed with prehypertension may be able to use L-citrulline to keep their blood pressure lower. Combining this with a healthy diet and exercise could reduce the chances of being diagnosed with high blood pressure.

For those healing from intestinal resection, increasing arginine levels by supplementing with L-citrulline can improve nitrogen balance and promote faster healing.

Those who are aging and/or dealing with sarcopenia (muscle wasting) can also benefit from L-citrulline. General malnutrition is common and including citrulline as part of their regimen can help improve both.

Continued levels of high blood insulin could be a precursor for coronary artery disease, among others. Supplementing with L-citrulline may help regulate and lower plasma insulin in those at risk.

Now that you know some of the benefits of L-citrulline and citrulline malate, are you concerned about safety? Letā€™s look at any potential side effects and then go into dosage and timing for the maximum benefit.

Is it Safe to Supplement with Citrulline?

In all the studies linked, both L-citrulline and citrulline malate seem to be well tolerated. So far, they have found no side effects other than the fact that it may not help in certain situations.

Also, one study showed that less than 15% of participants had some stomach discomfort.

At this point, itā€™s safe to ingest citrulline in supplement form for those who see a benefit. Letā€™s talk about dosage and timing when taking L-citrulline or citrulline malate. 

Dosage and Timing

You can take both types of citrulline with or without food. Here are dosage recommendations based on need and desired outcome:

  • Erectile dysfunction or circulatory health: 3,000 mg (3 g) per day, broken down into 1,000 mg doses three times each day. If taking citrulline malate, the dosage is 1.76 g to replace 1 g of L-citrulline.
  • Sports or bodybuilding performance: Take citrulline malate in a dose of 6,000 to 8,000 mg (6 to 8 g) prior to exercise.

When it comes to timing, the benefit comes when taking the supplement prior to working out or competing. Take it no less than 45 minutes prior and up to an hour prior to get the benefits. Taking it during or after is too late to allow the ingredients to work as intended.

Citrulline Dosage

If you see a benefit from taking AAKG and citrulline malate, you donā€™t have to choose with Vintage Blast. Each serving includes 1 gram of AAKG to keep your blood vessels open so blood can flow freely during your workouts. 

Do you take part in competitions or model for photoshoots? If so, consider taking a dose of Vintage Blast to make your veins pop for a more vascular look.

The Bottom Line

When it comes down to it, weightlifters, bodybuilders, and endurance athletes: all can see benefits from citrulline malate. While L-citrulline shows improvement over placebo, citrulline malate provides an additional edge to boost power, performance, and recovery.

Citrulline supplement

Using Vintage Blast prior to your exercise, competition or endurance trial can help. Beat plateaus, gain speed, reduce soreness, and speed up recovery by taking before your workout or competition.

Do you take Vintage Blast before you do your workout? Have you seen any of the benefits discussed in todayā€™s article? Weā€™d love to hear how it works for you in the comments below.

Disclaimer: None of the individuals and/or companies mentioned necessarily endorse Old School Labs products or the contents of this article. Any programs provided for illustration purposes only. Always consult with your personal trainer, nutritionist and physician before changing or starting any new exercise, nutrition, or supplementation program.
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Old School Labsā„¢ is the maker of premium supplements that carry on the fitness values of the ā€œGolden Eraā€ of bodybuilding. Old School Labsā„¢ products do not hide behind proprietary blends, contain no artificial sweeteners or artificial flavors, and are manufactured using only high-quality ingredients.

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