In male sub-elite badminton players undergoing eccentric exercise, oral supplementation with 2.4 g/day of L-citrulline for seven days results in a greater reduction in delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) as measured by the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), with a mean decrease of 4.00 cm at 72 hours compared to a mean decrease of 2.78 cm in the placebo group.

L-citrulline is turned into arginine in the kidneys, which is then used to make nitric oxide in blood vessel walls. Nitric oxide tells the blood vessels to widen, allowing more blood to flow through the muscles. This increased blood flow brings more oxygen and nutrients to damaged muscle tissue and flushes out waste products like ammonia and lactate that cause soreness and fatigue. As a result, muscle recovery happens faster and soreness decreases more quickly.