- by Derek
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L Citrulline Vs L Arginine – Which is Better For You?
L Citrulline Vs L Arginine – Which is Better For You?
In this article, I will talk about L Citrulline Vs L Arginine and compare the two amino acids that I have written about a lot recently. I will give a brief explanation on what they are, how they work and how they help sufferers of erectile dysfunction. I will also tell which one of the two I prefer.
L Citrulline Vs L Arginine – What Are They?
L Citrulline is a precursor to L Arginine, and L Arginine is a precursor of the erection inducing gas Nitric Oxide, both are amino acids and form 2/3rd’s of the amino acids in the urea cycle with the other being L Ornithine.
They are known for enhancing blood flow and circulation as well as other health uses like lowering blood pressure, helping in the prevention of diabetes, inflammation and healing of wounds, stimulating human growth hormone release, improving nitric oxide levels,cleaning and clearing clogged arteries and veins, and erectile dysfunction as well as enhancing sexual performance.
How Do They Work?
Both work in a very similar way, with L Citrulline getting converted into L Arginine via the Arginase enzyme, this conversion happens in the kidneys. L Arginine gets converted into Nitric Oxide via the Nitric Oxide Synthase enzyme.
When L Arginine gets converted into Nitric Oxide in the veins and arteries it is via an enzyme released by the endothelium this enzyme is rather appropriately called the endothelium Nitric Oxide Synthase enzyme (eNOS for short).
The endothelium is the smooth lining of the veins, arteries and in some internal organs like the liver and kidneys.
The release of nitric oxide allows the veins and arteries to expand which improves blood flow and circulation. Improved nitric oxide levels results in improved energy levels greater vitality, an overall sense of well-being, lower blood pressure and better and more blood flow to the heart and the trouser department in both men and women.
Nitric Oxide also acts as a powerful antioxidant.
Increased Nitric Oxide levels can enhance your energy levels and vitality, perhaps making you more “athletic” in bed!
How Do They Help Sufferers Of Erectile Dysfunction?
Both of these amino acids help erectile dysfunction sufferers by enhancing blood flow to the nether regions by means of vasodilation and vastly improved nitric oxide production.
L Arginine does this quicker than L Citrulline due to being converted more directly into Nitric Oxide thanks to the eNOS process, However, the effects of L Citrulline are much longer lasting due to a slow release and the conversion of L Citrulline into L Arginine and then into Nitric Oxide.
Low or even worse no nitric oxide results in no erection or low-quality erection.
Sadly, as we age our ability to produce nitric oxide, L Arginine, and L Citrulline in the body vastly reduces. Those crazy strong boners in our teens and twenties were a result of optimum levels of nitric oxide in our body.
L Citrulline Vs L Arginine, Which One Do I Prefer?
To be totally honest, a combination of the two will result in better results. If I was to chose just one of the two I would choose L Citrulline.
The reason for my preference of the former rather than the latter in the L Citrulline vs L Arginine battle is fairly simple, due to L Citrulline getting converted into L Arginine in the body, a more bioavailable and a more natural form of L Arginine is then converted into Nitric Oxide than the orally consumed supplement where some 50% is lost in the stomach and intestine during the digestive process.
Another reason for preferring L Citrulline is that lower doses can be taken than L Arginine when you want or need to increase your blood Arginine levels, as odd as it sounds L Citrulline is more effective at increasing blood Arginine levels than L Arginine.
This is due to the digestive process reducing the L Arginine supplements content by 50% while L Citrulline is producing and getting converted into L Arginine in the kidneys thanks to the Arginase enzyme.
Photo courtesy of smart-publications.com
I prefer a combination of the two due to L Citrulline being rather slow to convert the Amino acid into the other amino acid and eventually Nitric Oxide.
A little L Arginine can and will give me an almost instant elevation of Arginine in my blood and a quicker elevation of Nitric Oxide levels while I wait for the L Citrulline to kick in and give a long slow constant release of Nitric Oxide.
Recommended Dosage
The recommended dosage for L Citrulline is 3500mg daily for sufferers of erectile dysfunction, for L Arginine the dosage is 6,000mg daily. The dosage for amino acids are best spread evenly throughout the day at 8-hour intervals.
If you are interested in taking a combination of the two amino acids I suggest taking a lower dose of L Arginine, I have taken 2,400mg of L Citrulline with 6,000mg of L Arginine to great effect. I don’t use combo tablets as they tend to be too weak or the ratio of L Citrulline to L Arginine is not right.
I use the Now Sports 1200mg L Citrulline tablets and the Now foods 1000mg double strength L Arginine tablets, as they are of ideal strength and potency
If you are expecting some “bedroom Olympics” to take place shortly after taking your supplements double the dosage of both amino acids and take them with food, juice or a smoothie high in nitrates. Beetroot juice would be a fine example.
Click the link below if you prefer L Arginine, and click the post insert if you prefer L Citrulline
L Citrulline Review – The Best Review Of A Potent Amino Acid!
If you have any questions about L Citrulline Vs L Arginine leave a comment below and I will get back to you as soon as I can.
Ciao for now,
Talk soon,
Derek
