The Claim

The consumption of watermelon juice, containing approximately 1.65 g of L-citrulline per 710 mL, is associated with muscle hypertrophy in non-athlete men through a hypothesized mechanism involving enhanced nitric oxide production and increased muscle protein synthesis, though direct biochemical evidence was not measured.

Source: The Effects of Watermelon Juice on Muscle Hypertrophy, Exercise Performance, and Muscle Soreness in Non‐Athlete Men Undergoing Endurance Training: A Randomized Controlled Trial

What the research says

Supports is higher

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

Supports
74score
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.

Correlation
1 study reviewed
In plain English

Drinking watermelon juice that contains about 1.65 grams of L-citrulline per 710 milliliters is associated with increases in muscle size in men who are not athletes, possibly due to effects on nitric oxide and muscle protein synthesis.

See the scientific wording

The association between watermelon juice and muscle hypertrophy in non-athlete men may be linked to its L-citrulline content (~1.65 g per 710 mL), which is hypothesized to enhance nitric oxide production and muscle protein synthesis, though direct biochemical evidence was not measured in this study.

Why this might work

When someone drinks watermelon juice, the L-citrulline in it gets turned into arginine in the kidneys. Arginine is used to make nitric oxide, which opens up blood vessels in the muscles. This lets more blood flow through, bringing more oxygen and nutrients while removing waste. The increased blood flow helps muscles recover faster and build more tissue after exercise.

Supported mechanismbased on 1 study

What the research says

1 study

  1. Study: The Effects of Watermelon Juice on Muscle Hypertrophy, Exercise Performance, and Muscle Soreness in Non‐Athlete Men Undergoing Endurance Training: A Randomized Controlled Trial

    Men who drank watermelon juice every day while working out ended up with noticeably thicker chest and thigh muscles compared to those who drank a placebo, even though their strength didn’t improve. This suggests the juice might help muscles grow better after exercise.

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

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