L-Citrulline | 750 mg per capsule | 90 Veg Capsules | NOW Foods

NOW Foods L-Citrulline 750 mg

Do you prefer L-citrulline in capsule form rather than powder? This NOW Foods L-Citrulline provides 750 mg per vegetable capsule. Citrulline is an amino acid naturally found in food, with watermelon being its most famous source, and which your body also produces itself. A pot contains 90 capsules.

What is citrulline?

Citrulline is an amino acid, but it is not one of the protein-building amino acids like most others. It is a so-called free amino acid that plays a role in your body's metabolism. Its name comes from Citrullus, the Latin word for watermelon, as it was from this fruit that the amino acid was first isolated. Watermelon remains the richest dietary source; smaller quantities are found in other types of melons, cucumber, and squash. Since large portions of watermelon must be consumed to achieve noticeable amounts through diet, people who wish to supplement citrulline in a targeted way often opt for a fixed-dose supplement. In the body, citrulline plays a role in the urea cycle, the process by which the body processes nitrogen. It constitutes one of the intermediate steps in this cycle, which explains its close link with the amino acids arginine and ornithine.

Citrulline, arginine, and citrulline malate

Citrulline is closely related to another amino acid: arginine. In the body, citrulline can indeed be converted into arginine. They are therefore related substances, but not identical. Furthermore, two forms are found in dietary supplements. The first is L-citrulline: the pure amino acid, as in this product. The second is citrulline malate, in which citrulline is bound to malate (malic acid). With citrulline malate, a portion of the weight therefore corresponds to malate and not citrulline, whereas the 750 mg indicated on this label refers entirely to L-citrulline. This difference is useful to know when comparing different products. Citrulline malate is popular in powder form and in pre-workouts, while pure L-citrulline is more often offered as an isolated amino acid, in capsules or powder. The choice of form generally depends on preferences and how you wish to distribute your intake.

Interesting detail: most of the citrulline in a watermelon is not found in the red flesh, but in the white rind beneath it, which most people discard. To achieve a comparable amount to a supplement dose through diet, one would therefore have to eat a significant amount of watermelon, including the rind. This makes a standardized supplement a more predictable way to take citrulline.

Capsules instead of powder

NOW Foods deliberately keeps this L-citrulline simple: a single main ingredient in a hypromellose vegetable capsule, without complex blends. It contains, as excipients, only vegetable stearic acid and silicon dioxide. The advantage of capsules over powder lies in simplicity: nothing to weigh, dissolve, or taste, and the capsules are easy to carry. According to the label, the product is not made with wheat, gluten, soy, milk, egg, fish, shellfish, or tree nuts, although it is produced in a facility where such allergens are present elsewhere.

The capsule form also offers greater flexibility in organizing your intake. Where powder ties you to a fixed measure, capsules allow you to distribute the two daily units at different times if that suits your routine better. This way, you always have a precise view of the exact amount taken each time.

Who is this citrulline suitable for?

This L-citrulline is for those who wish to use this amino acid alone, at a fixed dose, without having to mix powder. You get citrulline and nothing else, making it easy to integrate into your diet and other supplements. In summary: a pure citrulline capsule, from a brand known for its clear labeling and controlled production according to GMP standards.