Citrulline Malate Dosage Suggestions & Timing for Pre-Workout

Citrulline malate supplements are used by athletes to boost circulation, promote physical endurance and support muscle growth. This supplement has been linked to higher levels of L-arginine and growth hormone in the blood.

Citrulline Malate dosages are considered safe when administered at up to 0.13 grams/kg of bodyweight per day. This is between 9 grams per day for someone who is 70 kg and 13 grams for someone who is 100 kg.

Citrulline malate (CM) is a combination of the amino acid L-citrulline and salts an/or esters of malic acid. This compound has better bioavailability than l-arginine and is effective as a Nitric Oxide booster.

Current medical uses for CM include heart health, cardiovascular disease, hypertension (high blood pressure), diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, ED (erectile dysfunction) and more.

L-Citrulline

Amino Acid

Pre- Workout

Body- building

Stamina

How It Works:

• Shown to raise blood arginine levels
• Increases Nitric Oxide & Growth Hormone
• Delays onset of fatigue during intense training

Dosage:

Between 1 - 3 g per day

Safety:

Rated Possibly Safe

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Best Citrulline Malate Dosages

Citrulline malate is a non-essential amino acid and dietary supplement. As such, the FDA has not established a recommended dietary intake for this product and there are no standardized dosage suggestions available.

The best CM dosage for a given user will depend on age, health history, current medical conditions, therapeutic target, food intake choices and more

While there have not been studies to determine the optimal dosage for L-citrulline supplements, we can look at the available research literature to see how this amino acid is commonly used.

Citrulline Malate Dosage for Bodybuilding

Citrulline malate is the common supplement form of L-citrulline. Among its various roles in the body, L-citrulline is an intermediate in the urea cycle; helping to clear away lactic acid and ammonia accumulations.

Athletes like bodybuilders use CM supplements because they help to restore proper intramuscular pH levels. This helps to reduce muscular fatigue and facilitate recovery between and after sets of exercise.

To promote relaxation in the blood vessels, increase blood displacement and increase muscle pumps, 1000 mg L-citrulline doses have been used three times daily on a routine basis.

Citrulline malate has also been taken before workouts to enhance performance. Doses between 6 and 8 grams are commonly used about an hour before intense workouts.

Results of Taking Citrulline Malate Before a Workout

Research shows that using proper oral citrulline malate dosages for improving athletic performance can:

• Slow down the onset of and reducing symptom severity of delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS);
• Help rid the body of toxic accumulations of ammonia, lactic acid and other nitrogenous metabolites;
• Significantly increase levels of growth hormone, especially after intense workouts;
• Improve the usage of amino acids during workouts;
• Suppress insulin spikes that commonly occur after working out;
• Reduce the time it takes for muscles to recover from workouts;
• Increase production of nitric oxide, a strong vasodilator;

Citrulline malate effects may also have benefits for cardiovascular function. CM is being studied for its potentials to combat atherosclerosis (clogged arteries), arterial plaque formation, coronary artery disease and heart disease.

Citrulline Malate Dosage for ED

According to research studies, taking citrulline malate pills can help to alleviate certain symptoms associated with mild-to-moderate erectile dysfunction.

PDE-5 inhibitors like Cialis and Viagra are popularly sold as treatments for ED and BPH (benign prostatic hypertrophy). These medications work by stimulating vasodilation in the endothelium of the corpus cavernosum in the penis.

Citrulline malate also acts to inhibit PDE-5 and promote increased blood flow to the penis. Research has compared the effects of CM relative to Viagra. Although it does not work quite as effectively for ED, CM does still induce significant improvements.

In one 6-week single-blind cohort study, 24 men with mild ED were tested for erection hardness. Subjects who were given two CM doses of 750 mg daily increased erection hardness strongly when compared to those receiving a placebo.

50% of treatment group subjects increased hardness scores from 3 to 4 (mild ED to normal). In the placebo group, only 8.3% of the subjects improved erection hardness scores.

Further, not all men with ED are comfortable with the adverse effects which are associated with all major PDE-5 inhibitors. Some of the side effects of Viagra, Levitra and Cialis are very serious.

In studies addressing CM effects on erectile dysfunction, subjects reported feeling much better psychologically relative to taking prescribed PDE-5 inhibitors.

Positive effects on ED have been caused with 3-gram daily doses of Citrulline Malate powder. This amount was divided and taken along with meals as three separate doses of 1 gram. Note that L-citrulline needs not be ingested along with food.

Citrulline Malate Adverse Effects

L-citrulline and malic acid are both known to be possibly safe for proper oral usage. Healthy adults have used CM supplements in doses up to 9 grams daily for 9 months without causing adverse effects. One-time 15-gram doses have also been used safely in this group.

Children have been given 5.7 grams of CM daily for up to 20 months with no side effects caused. There is not enough known about the effects of citrulline malate in nursing or pregnant women. Usage is not recommended.

Conclusions

Citrulline malate and L-citrulline supplements are used to enhance athletic performance and sexual function. They are also being researched for protecting DNA from damage, balancing cholesterol levels, modulating blood glucose levels and regulating blood pressure.

Talk with your doctor about the best citrulline malate dosage for you based on your goals. There are no serious side effects reported, and usage is well tolerated in most users.

Citrulline malate should not be combined with drugs that are used to treat high blood pressure. Combining this supplement with anti-hypertensive medications could cause low blood pressure.

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