Citrulline Benefits
Support Energy Recovery from Exercise and Detoxification
L-Citrulline, a non-essential amino acid, supports cardiovascular health, exercise recovery, and liver and sexual function.
Cardiovascular Health
L-Citrulline’s primary benefit is in the opening and relaxing of blood vessels. A healthy increase in blood flow increases the transportation of oxygen and nutrients through the body. An important intermediate in the urea cycle, Citrulline functions alongside Arginine and Ornithine in ridding the body of ammonia. Since Citrulline is a precursor to Arginine, it is a readily available source material for Arginine production, which in turn produces of Nitric Oxide (NO) in blood vessels. NO plays has a fundamental role in vascular function and blood flow. Citrulline supports detoxification pathways, NO production, and a healthy cardiovascular system. The body converts Arginine to Citrulline, producing nitric oxide in the process. Citrulline is then chemically recycled back into Arginine in the endothelial cells of the blood vessels. Citrulline and Arginine’s benefits are similar, but for healthy blood flow and nitric oxide production, citrulline is preferred. Arginine is diverted to other less critical uses while citrulline’s main function is in the blood vessels.
Exercise Recovery
During intense exercise, muscle consume oxygen rapidly (aerobic energy). The body then utilizes ATP, adenosine triphosphate, for continued energy (anaerobic energy). Using ATP causes the muscles to produce IMP (inosine monophosphate), a nucleoside, lactic acid, and ammonia. These chemicals accumulate fatigue the muscles. In fact, lactic acid and ammonia levels in the muscles are used to evaluate fatigue levels. L-Citrulline aids the body in elimination of ammonia. This clearing allows the body to recover from a workout and frees ATP energy for such uses as respiration and signal transduction.
Liver Function
L-Citrulline helps detoxify the liver through the conversion of ammonia to urea. L-Citrulline, like L-Arginine and L-Ornithine, is a metabolite in the urea cycle and is involved in liver detoxification and vasodilation pathways. It is produced during the urea cycle when carbamoyl phosphate becomes citrulline in the ornithine carbamoyltransferase reaction. When endogenous supplies of ornithine carbamoyltransferase are insufficient, supplemental L-Citrulline has been shown to support ammonia incorporation and liver detoxification.
Sexual Function
L-Citrulline increases the body’s nitric oxide levels. Nitric oxide helps blood vessels relax. L-Citrulline has the same basic effect as Viagra, which treats erectile dysfunction, but L-Citrulline may even prevent ED, leading to enhanced sexual function.