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Supplements/Amino Acid

Citrulline Malate

NO precursor stacked with malate — improves pump and reduces post-workout soreness.

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Overview

NO precursor stacked with malate — improves pump and reduces post-workout soreness.

Natural sources
  • Dietary protein from animal sources (meat, fish, eggs, dairy) and plant sources (soy, legumes, grains)
  • Free-form amino acid powders and capsules
  • Targeted pre-workout, recovery, or sleep formulations
Common forms
  • Free-form crystalline powder
  • Capsules or tablets
  • Pre-mixed recovery or hydration beverages
  • Time-release formulations

Mechanism of action

Citrulline → arginine → NO; malate enters TCA cycle.

Pathways
  • · Citrulline → arginine → NO
  • · malate enters TCA cycle

Effects on the body

Supports
reps to failure
Decreases
DOMS

Organ system effects

Skeletal Muscle

Citrulline Malate supports energy delivery, fatigue resistance, or recovery in athletic populations.

Evidence-based benefits

Improves reps to failure

Moderate evidence

Reduces DOMS

Moderate evidence

Potential side effects

Common
  • · GI distress at high dose
Rare
    Serious

      Drug interactions

      Prescription medications (general)
      Always disclose Citrulline Malate use to your prescriber — additive, antagonistic, or pharmacokinetic interactions are possible.
      minor

      Supplement interactions

      Pairs well with
      • Creatine monohydrate
        Foundational support for strength, power, and lean mass.
      • Whey or EAAs
        Provides amino acid substrate for muscle protein synthesis.
      Avoid combining with

      No specific avoidances listed.

      Dosing & bioavailability

      Typical dose
      6–8 g 30–60 min pre-workout
      Best form
      Most evidence is based on the free-form crystalline powder form.
      Timing
      Consistent daily timing recommended; split larger doses if GI tolerance is a concern.
      With food?
      Optional

      Where to buy

      Affiliate links — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Amazon code supplementsch-20 is auto-applied at checkout. We don't endorse specific brands; verify third-party testing (USP, NSF, Informed Sport) before purchase.

      Scientific evidence9Show studies
      RCTJ Strength Cond Res · 2010

      Citrulline malate on resistance exercise performance

      Pérez-Guisado J, Jakeman PM

      Crossover trial of 8 g CM before resistance exercise.

      Key findings

      Increased reps and reduced soreness.

      Open study
      Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

      PubMed: Citrulline Malate — Improves reps to failure

      Live PubMed search

      Live results for "Citrulline Malate Improves reps to failure" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

      Key findings

      Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Citrulline Malate and "Improves reps to failure". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

      Open study
      Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

      PubMed: Citrulline Malate — Reduces DOMS

      Live PubMed search

      Live results for "Citrulline Malate Reduces DOMS" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

      Key findings

      Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Citrulline Malate and "Reduces DOMS". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

      Open study
      Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

      PubMed: Citrulline Malate — randomized controlled trial

      Live PubMed search

      Live results for "Citrulline Malate randomized controlled trial" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

      Key findings

      Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Citrulline Malate and "randomized controlled trial". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

      Open study
      Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

      PubMed: Citrulline Malate — meta-analysis

      Live PubMed search

      Live results for "Citrulline Malate meta-analysis" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

      Key findings

      Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Citrulline Malate and "meta-analysis". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

      Open study
      Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

      PubMed: Citrulline Malate — pharmacokinetics

      Live PubMed search

      Live results for "Citrulline Malate pharmacokinetics" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

      Key findings

      Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Citrulline Malate and "pharmacokinetics". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

      Open study
      Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

      PubMed: Citrulline Malate — safety adverse events

      Live PubMed search

      Live results for "Citrulline Malate safety adverse events" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

      Key findings

      Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Citrulline Malate and "safety adverse events". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

      Open study
      Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

      PubMed: Citrulline Malate — dose response

      Live PubMed search

      Live results for "Citrulline Malate dose response" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

      Key findings

      Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Citrulline Malate and "dose response". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

      Open study
      Systematic reviewGoogle Scholar · 1970

      Google Scholar: Citrulline Malate — clinical evidence

      Live Scholar search

      Cross-database citation index for Citrulline Malate as it relates to "clinical evidence".

      Key findings

      Includes preprints, theses, and journal articles. Useful for tracking citation counts and follow-on work.

      Open study
      Educational use only. This profile is not medical advice. Consult a qualified healthcare professional before starting any supplement, especially if you take prescription medication or have a chronic condition.

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