The label shows how strong the evidence is, not how big the effect is. Tap a claim to see its papers.
The takeaway
In plain words
Across sets to failure, 6–8 g citrulline malate added about 3 reps in total (6.4%), with a clearer trend in lower-body than upper-body work. It does not raise maximal strength (SMD 0.13, not significant) and has not been shown to improve endurance.[2][7][9]
The numbers
Extra reps across sets to failure3 ± 5 (6.4%)6–8 g citrulline malate, 8 studies[2]
2 g citrulline malate per scoop (use 3-4 scoops for 6-8 g)
Price
₹941
Cost / serving
₹9
Unflavoured, single-ingredient 2:1 citrulline malate, so it's easy to reach the researched 6-8 g dose.
No third-party certificate found200 g · 100 servingsSold by RK World Infocom Pvt Ltd
Watch out: 100 label servings is only 25-33 doses at 6-8 g. Not on Informed Choice, and no certified citrulline malate is sold in India (GNC's certified 'Citrulline Complex' is US-only).
Prices change; the price shown is the one seen on 2026-10-03. Third-party sellers on Amazon can change; check the seller and the certifier’s batch search before you buy. Proven Stack may earn a commission from these links in future. Picks are chosen for form, dose and third-party testing, never for payment.
Small benefit: about 3 extra reps (6.4%) across sets to failure after 6-8 g citrulline malate, and a pooled effect size of 0.20 for high-intensity strength and power tasks.[1][2][3][4]
Two meta-analyses in healthy adults agree, with low heterogeneity and no funnel-plot asymmetry, so this is Backed. We grade B, not A, because the effect is small (SMD about 0.2) and every individual study's confidence interval crossed zero. A 2026 three-level meta-analysis of 30 citrulline malate RCTs agrees on a small overall benefit (g = 0.16) but rated certainty low, and its muscular-endurance subgroup alone was not significant (g = 0.15, p = 0.09).
Each plate is one paper. Taller = stronger study design, wider = more studies pooled. Tap one.
Citrulline malate gave a small overall performance benefit with wide prediction intervals and low-to-very-low certainty. No dose-response was found, and dosing, timing and target groups remain unclear.
Citrulline gave a small but significant benefit over placebo for high-intensity strength and power, possibly relevant where margins are small; each study's confidence interval crossed zero.
6-8 g citrulline malate 40-60 minutes before training gave a small increase in repetitions to failure, with a trend for lower-body but no significant upper-body effect.
One meta-analysis reported reduced soreness 24 hours after exercise but not at 72 hours; the 48-hour result was not statistically significant (p = 0.25), and a crossover trial found no recovery benefit.[3][5][6]
Evidence comes from few small acute trials with mixed results: one older RCT reported 40% less soreness, another found none. Conflicting small trials are Grade C.
Each plate is one paper. Taller = stronger study design, wider = more studies pooled. Tap one.
A single 6 g pre-workout dose did not improve recovery (repetitions, soreness, CK, lactate) over 72 hours after high-intensity resistance exercise in untrained men.
Not shown: two meta-analyses found no significant effect on time to exhaustion (SMD 0.03) or aerobic performance (SMD 0.15, p = 0.08); a possible aerobic benefit in a 2026 analysis did not survive sensitivity checks.[4][7][8]
Two meta-analyses of small trials found no significant endurance benefit, while a newer one saw a subgroup effect that was not robust. Mixed, weak evidence is Grade C.
Each plate is one paper. Taller = stronger study design, wider = more studies pooled. Tap one.
Citrulline malate gave a small overall performance benefit with wide prediction intervals and low-to-very-low certainty. No dose-response was found, and dosing, timing and target groups remain unclear.
Citrulline did not significantly improve aerobic performance, perceived exertion or oxygen-uptake kinetics; chronic protocols showed a positive tendency.
Endurance time to exhaustionSMD 0.03not significant, 9 studies[7]
Evidence timeline— how the evidence built up
Meta-analysis or systematic reviewTrial or narrative review
Every paper cited on this page, placed by publication year. Hover a mark to preview it; select it to jump to the reference.
How it works
L-citrulline is a non-essential amino acid that the kidneys convert to arginine, the raw material for nitric oxide. Its main food source is watermelon, at about 1.9 mg per gram of fresh flesh. Citrulline malate (CM) is citrulline bound to malic acid, usually labelled 2:1, so it carries less citrulline per gram than pure L-citrulline.
Oral arginine is partly broken down in the gut, but citrulline is readily absorbed and raises blood arginine more effectively than arginine itself. More arginine can mean more nitric oxide, and nitric oxide markers rise after supplementation. Citrulline also feeds the urea cycle, which may help clear ammonia during hard exercise, and malate may support aerobic energy production. Evidence that it actually increases blood flow to muscle is scarce and inconsistent.[4][10][11]
References
Reviewed 03 Oct 2026 · every PubMed ID checked against PubMed
[1]Trexler ET, et al. Acute effects of citrulline supplementation on high-intensity strength and power performance: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Sports Med. 2019;49(5):707-718. Meta-analysisPubMed · DOI
[2]Vårvik FT, et al. Acute effect of citrulline malate on repetition performance during strength training: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2021;31(4):350-358. Meta-analysisPubMed · DOI
[4]Wang X, et al. Effects of Citrulline Malate Supplementation on Exercise Performance: A Systematic Review and Three-Level Meta-Analysis. Nutrients. 2026;18(12):1881. Meta-analysisPubMed · DOI
[5]Rhim HC, et al. Effect of citrulline on post-exercise rating of perceived exertion, muscle soreness, and blood lactate levels: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Sport Health Sci. 2020;9(6):553-561. Meta-analysisPubMed · DOI
[6]da Silva DK, et al. Citrulline malate does not improve muscle recovery after resistance exercise in untrained young adult men. Nutrients. 2017;9(10):1132. Randomized trialPubMed · DOI
[7]Harnden CS, Agu J, Gascoyne T. Effects of citrulline on endurance performance in young healthy adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2023;20(1):2209056. Meta-analysisPubMed · DOI
[8]Viribay A, et al. Effects of Citrulline Supplementation on Different Aerobic Exercise Performance Outcomes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Nutrients. 2022;14(17):3479. Meta-analysisPubMed · DOI
[9]Aguiar AF, Casonatto J. Effects of citrulline malate supplementation on muscle strength in resistance-trained adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. J Diet Suppl. 2022;19(6):772-790. Meta-analysisPubMed · DOI
[10]Schwedhelm E, et al. Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties of oral L-citrulline and L-arginine: impact on nitric oxide metabolism. Br J Clin Pharmacol. 2008;65(1):51-9. Randomized trialPubMed · DOI
[11]Gonzalez AM, Trexler ET. Effects of Citrulline Supplementation on Exercise Performance in Humans: A Review of the Current Literature. J Strength Cond Res. 2020;34(5):1480-1495. ReviewPubMed · DOI
[12]Moinard C, et al. Dose-ranging effects of citrulline administration on plasma amino acids and hormonal patterns in healthy subjects: the Citrudose pharmacokinetic study. Br J Nutr. 2008;99(4):855-62. Randomized trialPubMed · DOI
[13]Rimando AM, Perkins-Veazie PM. Determination of citrulline in watermelon rind. J Chromatogr A. 2005;1078(1-2):196-200. ReviewPubMed · DOI
Dose
6-8 g citrulline malate (most often 8 g); the strength/power meta-analysis included only doses of at least 3 g citrulline
2–15 g L-citrulline (single dose)
Plasma arginine rose with dose, but less than expected at the highest doses, suggesting a conversion ceiling; no side effects.[12]
3 g L-citrulline twice daily for 1 week
The highest dose tested raised the arginine/ADMA ratio from 186 to 278 and increased urinary nitrate.[10]
8 g citrulline malate
The most-studied dose and the only dose category with a significant effect (g = 0.20).[2][4]
4–4.4 g, 12 g or 15 g citrulline malate
No clear effect; meta-regression found no dose-response.[4]
Lab note
Timing. Take citrulline malate about 40–60 minutes before training. In a 2026 analysis, studies dosing about 60 minutes before showed a significant effect while 40–45 minutes did not, though the difference between timings was not significant. Blood arginine peaks 1.17–2.29 hours after citrulline.[2][4][12]
Which form?— hover or tap
Citrulline malate (2:1)Best studied
Used in most rep-performance trials (6–8 g). Products labelled 2:1 often test closer to 1.1:1, delivering less citrulline.[2][4]
Pure L-citrulline
L-arginine
Watermelon or watermelon juice
Citrulline malate (2:1)Best studied
Used in most rep-performance trials (6–8 g). Products labelled 2:1 often test closer to 1.1:1, delivering less citrulline.[2][4]
Pure L-citrullineEquivalent
Delivers more citrulline per gram; well absorbed and raises arginine. Pooled with CM in the strength/power meta-analysis.[1][10]
L-arginineWorse
Partly broken down in the gut, so it raises blood arginine less effectively than citrulline.[10]
Watermelon or watermelon juiceUnknown
Contains about 1.9 mg/g citrulline in flesh; reaching supplement doses from fruit is impractical, and performance trials were not reviewed here.[13]
Who benefits
Benefit more
Trained participants (g = 0.22 vs 0.03 untrained, difference not significant)
Lower-body sets to failure rather than upper body
Benefit less
Endurance athletes in continuous submaximal events
Anyone seeking a bigger 1RM
Women: effect not significant in 16 effect sizes, though the sex difference was not significant
Well tolerated in trials; the main reported side effect is stomach discomfort. Single doses of 2–15 g L-citrulline caused no side effects in a dose-ranging study.
Possible side effects
Stomach discomfort (reported by 14.63% of participants in one 8 g trial)
Lab note
Buy products certified by Informed Sport, Informed Choice or NSF Certified for Sport. Supplements can contain things that aren’t on the label.
Myths vs research— scroll through
Myth
Citrulline gives you a big pump from extra blood flow
What the research says
Evidence for improved blood flow or muscle perfusion is scarce and inconsistent.[11]
Myth
Arginine does the same job
What the research says
Citrulline raises blood arginine more effectively than arginine itself.[10]
Myth
More citrulline malate is better
What the research says
12 g and 15 g doses showed no clear effect and there was no dose-response.[4]
Myth
Citrulline makes you stronger
What the research says
No significant effect on maximal strength in resistance-trained adults.[9]
FAQ
Most rep studies used 6–8 g citrulline malate. Pure L-citrulline gives more citrulline per gram, and many CM products contain less citrulline than the 2:1 label implies.[2][4]
Probably not: meta-analyses found no significant endurance benefit.[7][8]
Single doses up to 15 g caused no side effects in a dose-ranging study; 14.63% of people reported stomach discomfort after 8 g CM in one trial.[3][12]
This moves the provisional C to B (Backed) for reps/high-intensity performance only. The effect is small (SMD ~0.2) and should be labelled 'small' on the page; maximal strength stays Not Backed (D).
Rhim 2020's abstract states soreness fell at 24 h and 48 h, but reports p = 0.25 for 48 h; we only treat 24 h as significant.
Pérez-Guisado 2010's 52.92% extra reps in the final set is an outlier versus pooled estimates; not used in verdicts.
Gonzalez & Trexler 2020 narrative review (PMID 31977835) notes evidence for improved blood flow is scarce and inconsistent; opened, not cited.
Wang 2026 (30 RCTs, low-to-very-low GRADE certainty) found the citrulline malate muscular-endurance subgroup not significant (g = 0.15, p = 0.09), which tempers Vårvik 2021. The reps claim stays B because three meta-analyses point the same way, but the page should stress 'small and uncertain'.
Wang 2026 subgroup, timing, dose and formulation figures (including the ~1.1:1 citrulline:malate finding it cites) come from the full text, not the abstract.
Moinard 2008 is a randomised-order crossover pharmacokinetic study without a placebo; it is typed 'rct' as the closest schema type.
Rimando 2005 is a laboratory food analysis typed 'review' because the schema has no food-analysis type.
No source on stacking citrulline with other supplements was strong enough to include; the stacking sub-key is omitted.
New Grade C endurance claim: Harnden 2023 and Viribay 2022 were null; Wang 2026 found an acute aerobic-endurance subgroup effect (g = 0.32, k = 14) that its own sensitivity analyses flagged as not robust.
Where to buy— matched to the researched form and dose
Buy plain citrulline malate (2:1) and take 6-8 g about 40-60 min before training; most Indian tubs use 2-2.5 g scoops, so plan on 3-4 scoops and check grams of citrulline, not just 'servings'.
2 g citrulline malate per scoop (use 3-4 scoops for 6-8 g)
Price
₹941
Cost / serving
₹9
Unflavoured, single-ingredient 2:1 citrulline malate, so it's easy to reach the researched 6-8 g dose.
No third-party certificate found200 g · 100 servingsSold by RK World Infocom Pvt Ltd
Watch out: 100 label servings is only 25-33 doses at 6-8 g. Not on Informed Choice, and no certified citrulline malate is sold in India (GNC's certified 'Citrulline Complex' is US-only).
Prices change; the price shown is the one seen on 2026-10-03. Third-party sellers on Amazon can change; check the seller and the certifier’s batch search before you buy. Proven Stack may earn a commission from these links in future. Picks are chosen for form, dose and third-party testing, never for payment.
