Monday, January 17, 2022

L-Citrulline and L-Arginine: Muscles In the Making?

L-Citrulline and L-Arginine: Muscles In the Making?
You've probably seen these perplexing words somewhere in a nutrition store, on the label of work out supplements, and maybe even on the nutritional facts of the energy drink you had at that awesome RAGER last night.

But WHAT THE HECK do these words mean and should you care? The answer is YES! You should always care what you put inside your body.

In this article I put all the facts on the table about L-Citrulline and L-Arginine. Read on and prosper!

L-Citrulline

What is it?

L-Citrulline is an amino acid that is produced naturally by your body. For those of you unfamiliar with amino acids, they are the building blocks of protein in your body, which are responsible for numerous beneficial functions.

Our body actually converts L-Citrulline to that other confusing word below (L-Arginine). Ultimately that conversion leads to the production of nitric oxide.

Where is it found?

L-Citrulline is most prominent in watermelons, but it can also be found in lower dosages in foods like; walnuts, meat, fish, eggs, milk, and legumes.

Uses

Many nutrition companies have produced L-Citrulline supplements touting increased blood flow.

L-Citrulline can also be a common ingredient in Nitric Oxide supplements which market to bodybuilders and aspiring ones the like. These supplements showcase more of the muscle development related benefits that I mention below.

You may also find that some energy drink makers include L-Citrulline in their blends. This is done for it's energy boosting benefits.


Benefits

The major benefits of L-Citrulline include:

• Aides in muscle development
• Helps prevent muscle fatigue and helps with muscle recovery
• Improves erectile dysfunction
• Promotes the production of insulin, creatine, and the growth hormone
• Helps maintain a proper nitrogen level in your body
• Helps remove ammonia (toxic and can damage our cells) from the body

L-Arginine

What is it?

L-Arginine is also an amino acid used for a variety of beneficial functions in your body.

The body converts this amino acid into nitric oxide. Nitric oxide in turn smoothens the walls of your blood vessels which allows them to expand wider for improved blood flow.

Where is it found?

L-Arginine naturally occurs in many protein rich food sources.

You can find L-Arginine in red meats, poultry, fish, and dairy products.

Uses

L-Arginine is commonly used as a supplement to aid in number of different bodily functions such as:

• Reducing recovery time between exercises
• To help improve strength and stamina during workouts
• To improve muscle recovery after workouts
• Improving recovery after surgical procedures
• To help treat congestive heart failure
• To help with bladder inflmation
• Reducing symptoms of erectile dysfunction

Benefits

Since L-Arginine is so intertwined with L-Citrulline many of the benefits are essentially the same.

But some advocates of L-Arginine also claim the following benefits:

• Helps prevent colds
• Can also reduce symptoms of sexual dysfunction in women
• Can reduce high blood pressure
• May help prevent dementia

Conclusion

Educated yet? Not only do I hope you have a better understanding of these two amino acids, but I also you will try to understand more about what you put inside your own body.

*Disclaimer: I am in no way shape or form an expert on nutrition so please consult a doctor before deciding to take ANY types of supplement.



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