The Claim

Daily supplementation with 2.4 grams of L-citrulline for seven days in male sub-elite badminton players significantly increases VO2max by 2.02 mL/kg/min at post-test 2 and accelerates the reduction of delayed onset muscle soreness, resulting in a 33% faster decline in soreness levels by 72 hours post-exercise compared to placebo.

Source: The effect of citrulline on delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) and aerobic and anaerobic endurance in sub elite athletes

What the research says

Supports is higher

Support is ahead, but a single strong opposing study can change this.

Supports
67score
Challenges
0score

These are independent scores, not a percentage. Higher-grade studies count more, so a single strong opposing study can outweigh several weaker ones.

Cause and effect
1 study reviewed
In plain English

In male sub-elite badminton players, taking 2.4 grams of L-citrulline daily for seven days increases aerobic endurance by 2.02 mL/kg/min in VO2max and reduces muscle soreness 33% faster by 72 hours after exercise compared to a placebo.

See the scientific wording

In male sub-elite badminton players, daily supplementation with 2.4 grams of L-citrulline for seven days significantly improves aerobic endurance, with a mean increase in VO2max of 2.02 mL/kg/min at post-test 2, and accelerates the reduction of delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), with soreness levels decreasing 33% faster by 72 hours post-exercise compared to placebo.

Why this might work

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 to the muscles. This brings more oxygen and nutrients to the muscles during exercise and flushes out waste products like ammonia and lactate faster after exercise. More oxygen improves endurance, and faster waste removal reduces muscle soreness and speeds recovery.

Supported mechanismbased on 1 study

What the research says

1 study
  1. Study: The effect of citrulline on delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) and aerobic and anaerobic endurance in sub elite athletes

    The study found that badminton players who took citrulline daily for a week could breathe better during exercise and felt less muscle soreness after training, exactly as the claim says.

Score breakdown, mechanism chain, raw evidence, ideal studies needed & 1 supporting studies

Fit Body Science verdict — we translate health claims into clear verdicts backed by peer-reviewed research.

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