Beta-Alanine vs Citrulline Malate for performance
Short answer: For performance, users rate them about the same: 95% report improvement with Beta-Alanine (96 reports) and 94% with Citrulline Malate (49 reports).
Beta-Alanine has 95 meta-analyses and 134 randomized trials on PubMed; Citrulline Malate has 5 and 36.
Based on 351 reports about Beta-Alanine and 162 about Citrulline Malate. Not medical advice.
| Beta-Alanine Supplement | Citrulline Malate Supplement | |
|---|---|---|
| Users say it helped | 67%helped116 reports · high confidence | 83%helped58 reports · medium confidence |
| Verdict | Mostly positive | Mostly positive |
| Research | AResearch: Strong | AResearch: Strong |
| Meta-analyses / RCTs | 95 / 134 | 5 / 36 |
| Mainly used for | ||
| Performance % reporting improvement | 95% (96) | 94% (49) |
| Energy % reporting improvement | 88% (16) | 100% (9) |
| Recovery % reporting improvement | 100% (2) | 100% (6) |
| Heart & lipids % reporting improvement | — | 86% (7) |
| Anxiety % reporting improvement | 100% (5) | — |
| Common side effects | tingling, paresthesia, tingles, itching | diarrhea, headache, dizziness, stomach issues |
| Typical dose reported | 3 g / daily | 2 scoops / pre-workout |
β-alanine had a significant overall effect while subgroup analyses revealed a number of modifying factors. These data allow individuals to make informed decisions as to the likelihood of an ergogenic effect with β-alanine supplementation based on their chosen exercise modality.
Br J Sports Med, 2017 ↗“2 grams of Beta Alanine...helps with the area of the brain which is responsible for making tactical decisions. Helped me pick and choose battles on the exam to get the most points.”
Nevertheless, several studies have reported that L-citrulline supplementation can enhance exercise performance and recovery. Given the positive effects observed from some investigations, future studies should continue to investigate the effects of both acute and chronic supplementation with L-citrulline and citrulline malate on markers of blood flow and exercise performance and should seek to elucidate the mechanism underlying such effects.
J Strength Cond Res, 2020 ↗“Creatin and Citrulline Malate helped me most with reducing PEM, energy shortage, and a general feeling of extreme tiredness.”
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Percentages come from first-hand user reports and are not clinical outcomes. Talk to a doctor before starting, stopping or combining anything. How we rate