Source: Examine.com — Citrulline — ~6–8 g L-citrulline (or 8 g citrulline malate) pre-exercise for blood-flow/performance.
An amino acid that converts to arginine and boosts nitric oxide — better than taking arginine directly.
Raises plasma arginine and nitric oxide, widening blood vessels during exercise.
Added roughly 3 extra reps to failure vs placebo — a real but small effect (SMD ≈ 0.20).
Meta-analysis of 12 RCTs · n=198 · 6–8 g citrulline malate, ~60 min pre — Vårvik et al., 2021 — Int J Sport Nutr (meta-analysis)
Reduced post-exercise rating of perceived exertion and muscle soreness; blood-lactate effects were inconsistent.
Meta-analysis of RCTs · n=~180 · 6–8 g — Rhim et al., 2020 — J Sport Health Sci (meta-analysis)
Bottom line: A small, genuine bump in reps-to-failure and reduced soreness at 6–8 g — nothing dramatic, and several trials find nothing at all. The visible 'pump' is extra blood flow, largely cosmetic rather than performance.
Very safe, even at high doses. Occasional mild stomach upset. Note: 'citrulline malate' is only ~50–65% citrulline by weight.
Anecdotes, not evidence, and not medical advice. Frequency labels are our read of forum sentiment, not a formal survey. Individual responses vary widely.
| Per serving | |
|---|---|
| Typical branded single-ingredient product | $0.87 |
| Bulk powder at the clinical dose (500g, $26.97) | $0.32 |
Buying bulk powder instead of a branded bottle saves about 63% per serving.
Bulk price: $26.97/500g → Alt source: $15.99/500gEducational only — not medical advice. Grades and clinical doses are computed from public labels against sourced research (citations on the main site); prices last verified 2026-07-21. Expensive Powder has no sponsors; bulk links may earn an affiliate commission, which never affects a grade. Talk to a clinician before starting any supplement.