Benefits of L(+)-Citrulline



L(+)-Citrulline,372-75-8

　
　　L-citrulline is a nonessential amino acid that improves the flow of blood throughout the body. It also boosts the reserve of nutrients the body requires to manufacture particular proteins. Naturally-occurring in the urea cycle, L-citrulline can be taken as a nutritional supplement to aid such conditions as mental fatigue, physical fatigue, Alzheimer's disease, heart disease, and sexual dysfunction. It can also enhance the benefits of exercising and bodybuilding.
　　After it is produced in the human body, L-citrulline rids the body of the toxic ammonia contained in urea. L-citrulline is then converted to L-arginine, one of the most frequently occurring amino acids. From there it transforms into nitric oxide, a gas manufactured in the body that aids in vascular health and detoxification of the liver.
　　L-citrulline is not strictly unique to the human body, however. It can also be found in several foods, such as meat, fish, dairy, beans, and eggs. It is most predominant, though, in water melon. In fact, the word "citrulline" comes from the Latin word "citrullus," meaning watermelon. In 1930, L-citrulline was isolated from watermelon for the first time and identified as a key factor in healthy blood flow.
　　One of the most popular benefits associated with L-Citrulline is its ability to help reduce body fat levels. It is also incredibly helpful in maintaining your natural energy production, which can often drop off considerably during a hard workout. Another excellent benefit is that it acts as a vasodilator. This has the effect of helping to open and expand blood vessels. This may be also why it can lead to a reduction in blood pressure levels.
　　For weight and strength training athletes, this supplement also helps in the release of nitric acid. This chemical helps to build proteins and re-form muscles that have been torn down from intense training. Citrulline acts in the urea cycle to remove lactic acid from the body which is produced as working muscles become fatigued. Couple this together with the ability of the supplement to enhance ATP (energy) production and it easy to see how this can lead to a much improved workout.
　　Along with vitality benefits such as improved circulation and reduction in sensitivity to cold, this new evidence opens new doors for citrulline application in heart health as well. A short-term citrulline supplementation could functionally improve atrial stiffness in humans by increasing vascular relaxation and increasing blood flow to the body.
　　Citrulline also may find new applications in the muscle building, fatigue relief and energy markets considering the link between NO production and athletic performance. Compared to L-arginine, L-citrulline may be an alternative approach at NO-induced increases in muscle blood flow that may provide an anabolic approach to exercise training, said Dr. Willoughby.

　　Citrulline is made from ornithine and carbamoyl phosphate in one of the central reactions in the urea cycle.It is also produced from arginine as a by-product of the reaction catalyzed by NOS family (NOS; EC 1.14.13.39). It is made from arginine by the enzyme trichohyalin at the inner root sheath and medulla of hair follicles. Arginine is first oxidized into N-hydroxyl-arginine, which is then further oxidized to citrulline concomitant with release of nitric oxide.