Trial reportEuropean journal of applied physiology2019
A combination of oral L-citrulline and L-arginine improved 10-min full-power cycling test performance in male collegiate soccer players: a randomized crossover trial.
Trial report in European journal of applied physiology, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 16 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
16 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 33 citations in OpenAlex.
- Citrulline supplementation in postmenopausal women: a systematic review of vascular, muscular, and metabolic effects.BMC women's health · 2026Pooled it
- Effects of Citrulline Supplementation on Different Aerobic Exercise Performance Outcomes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Nutrients · 2022Pooled it
- Acute effects of combined supplementation of L-arginine and citrulline malate on aerobic, anaerobic, and CrossFit exercise performance.Scientific reports · 2025Trial
- The effect of quercetin and citrulline on cycling time trial performance.Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition · 2024Trial
- THE EFFECT OF A SINGLE ORAL DOSE OF L-ARGININE ON QUADRICEPS STRENGTH IN SMOKERS AND NON-SMOKERS: A NON-RANDOMIZED CLINICAL TRIAL.Acta clinica Croatica · 2024Trial
- Impact of a short-term nitrate and citrulline co-supplementation on sport performance in elite rowers: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial.European journal of applied physiology · 2024Trial
- Trial
- Higher doses of a green tea-based supplement increase post-exercise blood flow following an acute resistance exercise bout in recreationally resistance-trained college-aged men.Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition · 2020Trial
- Progress on water-in-oil-in-water (w/o/w) double emulsions: bioactive delivery, stability optimization, and sports nutrition applications.Food science and biotechnology · 2026Review
- Potential role of L-citrulline in regulating exercise performance and muscle protein metabolism.NPJ science of food · 2026Review
- Enhancement of anti-programmed cell death protein-1 immunotherapy in non-small cell lung cancer using arginine and citrulline supplementation.Journal of thoracic disease · 2025Article
- Bovine Collagen Peptide Improves Hypoxia Tolerance and Anti-Fatigue Capacity in Hypobaric Hypoxic Environments: A Combined Animal and Human Study.Food science & nutrition · 2025Article
- Dietary Arginine and Citrulline Supplements for Cardiovascular Health and Athletic Performance: A Narrative Review.Nutrients · 2023Review
- Supplementation with Nitric Oxide Precursors for Strength Performance: A Review of the Current Literature.Nutrients · 2023Review
- Arginine and Endothelial Function.Biomedicines · 2020Review
- Almond-supplemented diet improves sexual functions beyond Phosphodiesterase-5 inhibition in diabetic male rats.Heliyon · 2019Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
9 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
purposeOral L-citrulline (Cit) increases plasma L-arginine (Arg) concentration and the production of nitric oxide (NO). NO dilates blood vessels and potentially improves sports performance. The combination of oral Arg and Cit (Arg + Cit) immediately and synergistically increases plasma Arg and nitrite/nitrate (NOx) concentrations more than either Cit or Arg alone. This prompted us to assess the effects of oral Arg + Cit on 10-min cycling performance in a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled crossover trial.
methodsTwenty-four male soccer players ingested either Cit + Arg or placebo (both 1.2 g/day each) for 6 days. On day 7, they ingested Cit + Arg 1 h before performing a 10-min full-power pedaling test on a bicycle ergometer. Plasma NOx and amino acid levels were measured before and after the test, as well as the participants' subjective perception of physical exertion.
resultsPower output was significantly greater with Cit + Arg than in the placebo group (242 ± 24 vs. 231 ± 21 W; p < 0.05). Plasma concentrations of post-exercise NOx (p < 0.05), Cit (p < 0.01) and Arg (p < 0.01) were significantly higher in the Cit + Arg than in the placebo group, whereas exercise upregulated plasma NOx concentrations in both groups (p < 0.05). Cit + Arg also gave improved post-exercise subjective perception of "leg muscle soreness" and "ease of pedaling" (both p < 0.05).
conclusionSeven days of oral Citrulline (1.2 g/d) and Arginine (1.2 g/d) ingestion improved 10-min cycling performance and the perception of physical exertion in male collegiate soccer players.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.