L-Arginine vs L-Citrulline for libido
Short answer: For libido, more users report improvement with L-Citrulline — 98% of 48 reports, versus 88% of 41 for L-Arginine.
L-Arginine has 106 meta-analyses and 765 randomized trials on PubMed; L-Citrulline has 14 and 101.
Based on 211 reports about L-Arginine and 231 about L-Citrulline. Not medical advice.
| L-Arginine Supplement | L-Citrulline Supplement | |
|---|---|---|
| Users say it helped | 49%helped78 reports · medium confidence | 77%helped99 reports · medium confidence |
| Verdict | Mixed | Mostly positive |
| Research | AResearch: Strong | AResearch: Strong |
| Meta-analyses / RCTs | 106 / 765 | 14 / 101 |
| Mainly used for | ||
| Libido % reporting improvement | 88% (41) | 98% (48) |
| Performance % reporting improvement | 83% (12) | 98% (45) |
| Heart & lipids % reporting improvement | 86% (14) | 95% (22) |
| Energy % reporting improvement | — | 100% (11) |
| Anxiety % reporting improvement | 100% (5) | 100% (2) |
| Common side effects | diarrhea, stomach issues, chest pain, tongue biting | cold sore, dizziness, headache, increased urination |
| Typical dose reported | 2 g / before bed | 8 g / 3x/week |
Supplementation of some but not all micronutrients may benefit cardiometabolic health. This study highlights the importance of micronutrient diversity and the balance of benefits and risks to promote and maintain cardiovascular health in diverse populations. (Antioxidant Supplementation in the Prevention and Treatment of Cardiovascular Diseases; CRD42022315165).
J Am Coll Cardiol, 2022 ↗“Something I found that makes my meds work way better is Citrulline 2g + Arginine 2g twice daily.”
Foods rich in polyphenols and nitrate provide trivial benefits for endurance exercise performance, although these effects may be food dependent. Highly trained endurance athletes do not appear to benefit from consuming nitrate-rich foods but may benefit from polyphenol consumption. Further research into food sources, dosage and supplementation duration to optimise the ergogenic response to polyphenol consumption is warranted. Further studies should evaluate whether differential sex-based responses to nitrate and polyphenol consumption are attributable to physiological differences or sample siz
J Int Soc Sports Nutr, 2021 ↗“Something I found that makes my meds work way better is Citrulline 2g + Arginine 2g twice daily.”
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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