L-citrulline is an amino acid and helps regulate your body's urea cycle. It helps throw ammonia out of your body. Ammonia, which is a byproduct of normal metabolism, starts building up in your system in the absence of citrulline. That is when you may consider taking L-citrulline in a supplement form that helps improve levels of citrulline in your body.
Aside from the above mentioned one, there are many l-citrulline benefits, and you can find it in powder form, which makes it easy to take. You usually need to take 9g daily, divided throughout the day, but the dosage requirements may change depending on what disease you are trying to treat.
6 L-Citrulline Benefits You Should Know
Below we list 6 common benefits of l-citrulline, you can check to see if you can use it for your condition.
1. Reduce Stress and Fatigue
Also found in meat, fish, legumesand milk, l-citrulline helps overcome stress and fatigue, because it can increase energy and boosts the functioning of your immune system.
2. Help With Urine Problems
You may consider taking l-citrulline supplements if you are suffering from urine problems. It proves quite beneficial in treating frequent urination. You can use it easily irrespective of your age.
3. Relieve Arterial Stiffness
As one of the l-citrulline benefits, it can also relieve arterial stiffness. A research conducted in Japan found that use of citrulline supplements helps less arterial stiffness. This may help prevent cardiovascular diseases.
4. Treat High Blood Pressure
Research shows that l-citrulline helps prevent congestion of arteries and keeps you from dealing with cardiovascular diseases. Some studies show that citrulline extracts from watermelon grind are especially beneficial for people dealing with hypertension. Its use may improve arterial blood flow and reduce aortic blood pressure as well.
5. Relieve Short Bowel Syndrome
Being one of those essential l-citrulline benefits, it can also help with short bowel syndrome. Your body may not be able to synthesizecitrulline properly if you are suffering from a condition called short bowel syndrome. This condition happens when a considerable part of your small intestine is damaged due to a medical problem. Your body will find it difficult to absorb nutrients, and your small intestine fails to produce adequate amounts of citrulline. That's why citrulline supplements can perfectly help with this case.
6. Mild Erectile Dysfunction
L-citrulline may also help to treat mild erectile dysfunction in men. While experts believe L-citrulline is not as effective as ED drugs, such as Viagra, it still offers some help and is a lot safer option too.
L-Citrulline Side Effects to Monitor
Like other supplements, there are a few important things to bear in mind when taking L-citrulline supplements, in addition to l-citrulline benefits.
1. Watch Out for Medicine Interactions
It is important to avoid taking l-citrulline if you are already taking blood pressure medications or you suffer from low blood pressure. You should also avoid taking it if you are already taking Nitrates medications as well as cholesterol-lowering agents.It is a good idea to avoid taking L-citrulline when using Viagra, because it can interact with and lead to complications.
2. Watch Out for Certain Medical Conditions
Avoid taking the supplement if you have liver impairments or any kidney disease. If you have asthma or herpes, you may notice your symptoms become worse after taking L-citrulline. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or breastfeeding and want to take L-citrulline.
How to Supplement L-Citrulline
Now you have a clear idea of l-citrulline benefits. And you can enjoy the abovementioned benefits when you get your l-citrulline level improved. Then here comes another issue, how can I supplement? Read on to find different options.
1. Natural Source
People can get citrulline from natural sources, like watermelon rind.Similarly, vegetables such as cucumbers, pumpkins, squashes, and gourds are all great sources of citrulline. You can also include fresh fruits in your diet to provide your body with an adequate amount of citrulline. The most popular choices are honeydews, cantaloupes, muskmelons, and bitter melons. Walnut seedlings are known as the finest source of citrulline.
2. Supplement
If your citrulline levels are quite low, you may want to take supplements. You can enjoy l-citrulline benefits by opting for citrulline malate powder, which is an extremely popular choice. It is an increasingly popular choice in the world of bodybuilding, which is mainly because of its ability to lower body fat. You may also take it in supplemental form if you want to improve your energy levels.
It is generally recommended to take citrulline malate on an empty stomach. You can maximize its benefits by taking it immediately after waking up in the morning or before you start a workout. Be sure to start with low dose and increase gradually, and the recommended range is 3-6g of serving once or twice a day. Remember that you should increase dose at only when you establish tolerance.