L-Citrulline
Amino Acid ·Exploratory record · not publication-reviewed ·Updated July 13, 2026
Converts to L-arginine in the kidneys, providing sustained nitric oxide production.
Exploratory record, not a reviewed medical publication.
See the editorial and medical-review policies for the publication gate.
This generated database record has not completed a claim-level review by a qualified human medical reviewer. Bibliography links and evidence labels are not approval. The page remains available for reference and is excluded from search indexing.
What the research says.
A quick, data-only summary. The full evidence, dosing, and sources are below.
L-Citrulline is an amino acid most often used for blood flow, exercise performance, blood pressure support. NutriStack rates the overall evidence as strong. A typical adult dose is 3-6 g daily (or 6-8 g citrulline malate), commonly taken as l-citrulline or citrulline malate 2:1. This profile indexes 18 sources.
The bottom line
Evidence rating strong. Most-documented uses: blood flow, exercise performance, blood pressure support. 18 sources indexed (2008–2025), with 0 interaction records on file.
How it works, mechanistically.
Core mechanism
Absorbed in intestines, transported to kidneys where argininosuccinate synthase converts it to argininosuccinate, then to L-arginine. More effective at raising arginine levels than arginine itself.
Dosing & protocol.
What it actually costs.
Real-world pricing across three quality tiers. Assumes L-Citrulline / Citrulline Malate.
Assumes 3-6 g/day. Vendor basis: BulkSupplements powder, NOW Sports/iHerb, Vitacost, and Amazon marketplace; flavored pre-workout products are premium. Updated 2026-05-28.
The same dose, as food.
How much you'd eat to match a supplemental dose.
Watermelon is the main practical food source; exact citrulline varies by variety and rind content.
Full safety detail.
Sources, by evidence tier.
Numbered references. Citations throughout the page link here.
Meta-analyses & systematic reviews
9- 1L-Arginine and L-Citrulline for Prevention and Treatment of Pre-Eclampsia: A Systematic Review and Meta-AnalysisPMIDMakama M, McDougall ARA, Cao J et al. · BJOG · 2025
In 20 RCTs (2,028 women), L-arginine reduced risk of pre-eclampsia (RR 0.52, 95% CI 0.35-0.78). Only one study examined L-citrulline and reported no effect on pre-eclampsia or blood pressure. L-arginine may be promising but more trials needed.
- 2Effects of Citrulline or Watermelon Supplementation on Body Composition: A Systematic Review and Dose-Response Meta-AnalysisPMIDAshtary-Larky D, Mohammadi S, Mousavi SAH et al. · Nutrients · 2025
Ashtary-Larky D, Mohammadi S, Mousavi SAH et al.. Effects of Citrulline or Watermelon Supplementation on Body Composition: A Systematic Review and Dose-Response Meta-Analysis. Nutrients. 2025
- 3Effects of citrulline on endurance performance in young healthy adults: a systematic review and meta-analysisPMIDHarnden CS, Agu J, Gascoyne T · Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition · 2023
Harnden CS, Agu J, Gascoyne T. Effects of citrulline on endurance performance in young healthy adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. 2023
- 4Effects of Citrulline Supplementation on Different Aerobic Exercise Performance Outcomes: A Systematic Review and Meta-AnalysisPMIDFigueroa A et al. · British Journal of Nutrition · 2022
Citrulline supplementation positively impacts aerobic exercise performance and related outcomes including lactate, oxygen uptake, and rate of perceived exertion.
- 5Acute Effect of Citrulline Malate on Repetition Performance During Strength Training: A Systematic Review and Meta-AnalysisPMIDVårvik FT et al. · Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research · 2021
Supplementing with 6-8 g citrulline malate 40-60 minutes before exercise increased repetitions by approximately 6.4% compared to placebo.
- 6The Association Between Concentrations of Arginine, Ornithine, Citrulline and Major Depressive Disorder: A Meta-AnalysisPMIDFan M, Gao X, Li L et al. · Frontiers in psychiatry · 2021
Fan M, Gao X, Li L et al.. The Association Between Concentrations of Arginine, Ornithine, Citrulline and Major Depressive Disorder: A Meta-Analysis. Frontiers in psychiatry. 2021
- 7Effects of L-citrulline supplementation on blood pressure: A systematic review and meta-analysisPMIDMahboobi S et al. · Journal of Human Hypertension · 2019
Oral L-citrulline supplementation reduced systolic BP by 7.54 mmHg and diastolic BP by 3.77 mmHg, with significant improvements at doses up to 4 g/day and durations of 6+ weeks.
- 8Effect of L-Citrulline Supplementation on Blood Pressure: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Clinical TrialsPMIDMirenayat MS, Moradi S, Mohammadi H et al. · Current hypertension reports · 2018
Mirenayat MS, Moradi S, Mohammadi H et al.. Effect of L-Citrulline Supplementation on Blood Pressure: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Clinical Trials. Current hypertension reports. 2018
- 9Effect of L-citrulline supplementation on blood pressure: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trialsSource linkedPMIDFigueroa A, Wong A, Jaime SJ, Gonzales JU · Nutrition · 2017
Randomized controlled trials
4- 10Oral citrulline supplementation in pregnancies with preeclampsia: a multicenter, randomized, double-blind clinical trialPMIDWiner N, Misbert E, Masson D et al. · The American journal of clinical nutrition · 2025
Winer N, Misbert E, Masson D et al.. Oral citrulline supplementation in pregnancies with preeclampsia: a multicenter, randomized, double-blind clinical trial. The American journal of clinical nutrition. 2025
- 11Impact of L-Citrulline Supplementation and HIIT on Lipid Profile, Arterial Stiffness, and Fat Mass in Obese Adolescents with Metabolic-Dysfunction-Associated Fatty Liver Disease: A Randomized Clinical TrialPMIDRodríguez-Carrillo AA, Espinoza-Vargas MR, Vargas-Ortiz K et al. · Nutrients · 2025
Rodríguez-Carrillo AA, Espinoza-Vargas MR, Vargas-Ortiz K et al.. Impact of L-Citrulline Supplementation and HIIT on Lipid Profile, Arterial Stiffness, and Fat Mass in Obese Adolescents with Metabolic-Dysfunction-Associated Fatty Liver Disease: A Randomized Clinical Trial. Nutrients. 2025
- 12Oral L-citrulline supplementation improves erection hardness in men with mild erectile dysfunctionSource linkedPMIDCormio L, De Siati M, Lorusso F et al. · Urology · 2011
- 13Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties of oral L-citrulline and L-arginine: impact on nitric oxide metabolismPMIDSchwedhelm E et al. · British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology · 2008
L-citrulline dose-dependently increases plasma L-arginine more effectively than arginine itself due to bypassing hepatic first-pass metabolism.
Reviews & position papers
3- 14Effects of Citrulline Supplementation on Exercise Performance in Humans: A Review of the Current LiteraturePMIDGonzalez AM et al. · Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research · 2020
L-citrulline supplementation, particularly chronic use, improves exercise performance in young healthy adults via enhanced NO production.
- 15Endogenous flux of nitric oxide: Citrulline is preferred to ArgininePMIDAllerton TD et al. · Journal of Dietary Supplements · 2020
Citrulline has greater availability as a NO precursor than arginine due to high intestinal absorption, low first-pass metabolism, and high renal reabsorption.
- 16L-citrulline supplementation: impact on cardiometabolic healthSource linkedPMIDAllerton TD, Proctor DN, Stephens JM et al. · Nutrients · 2018
Reference material
2- 17Gough LA, Sparks SA, McNaughton LR et al.. A critical review of citrulline malate supplementation and exercise performance. European journal of applied physiology. 2021Source linkedPMID
- 18d'Unienville NMA, Blake HT, Coates AM et al.. Effect of food sources of nitrate, polyphenols, L-arginine and L-citrulline on endurance exercise performance: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. 2021Source linkedPMID
Common questions.
Quick answers about L-Citrulline, drawn from the data on this page.
What is L-Citrulline?
Converts to L-arginine in the kidneys, providing sustained nitric oxide production.
What is L-Citrulline used for?
Commonly cited benefits of L-Citrulline include: Blood flow; Exercise performance; Blood pressure support; Pump enhancement. NutriStack rates the overall evidence as strong.
What is a typical dose of L-Citrulline?
A typical adult dose of L-Citrulline is 3-6 g daily (or 6-8 g citrulline malate). The commonly recommended form is L-Citrulline or Citrulline Malate 2:1. These are general ranges, not personalized advice; confirm the right dose with a clinician.
What are the side effects of L-Citrulline?
Reported side effects include very well tolerated, mild gi at high doses. This is educational information; check with a healthcare professional before use.
How strong is the evidence for L-Citrulline?
NutriStack rates this as Strong, meaning multiple high-quality meta-analyses or systematic reviews converge on the same finding. Full tier criteria are at https://nutristackapp.com/methodology/evidence-tiers.
Use this with your stack
L-Citrulline in NutriStack.
Add it to your stack, see how it interacts with everything else you take, and get a Stack Score that updates the moment it does.