Do these supplements make you stronger during leg workouts?
Effects of Citrulline Malate and Beetroot Juice Supplementation on Blood Flow, Energy Metabolism, and Performance During Maximum Effort Leg Extension Exercise.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Beetroot juice raised nitrate levels over 6x but didn’t improve blood flow or muscle swelling.
Most prior research linked nitrate to vasodilation and increased perfusion—this study found no change in femoral artery blood flow despite massive nitrate spikes.
Practical Takeaways
Skip beetroot juice and citrulline malate before leg workouts—save your money and focus on proven strategies like progressive overload and recovery.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Beetroot juice raised nitrate levels over 6x but didn’t improve blood flow or muscle swelling.
Most prior research linked nitrate to vasodilation and increased perfusion—this study found no change in femoral artery blood flow despite massive nitrate spikes.
Practical Takeaways
Skip beetroot juice and citrulline malate before leg workouts—save your money and focus on proven strategies like progressive overload and recovery.
Publication
Journal
Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research
Year
2019
Authors
Eric T Trexler, Dale S. Keith, T. Schwartz, E. Ryan, Lee Stoner, A. Persky, A. Smith‐Ryan
Related Content
Claims (6)
Taking citrulline supplements may help improve blood flow and allow more repetitions during high-repetition, short-rest workouts, but it does not cause measurable increases in muscle size over time.
Drinking beetroot juice with 400 mg of nitrate raises levels of nitrate and nitrite in the blood of young, active men during leg exercise, but does not improve how well they perform, how much blood flows to their muscles, how efficiently they use energy, or their hormone levels during the exercise.
In young men who exercise regularly, consuming beetroot juice or citrulline malate does not make their leg muscles stronger during maximum effort cycling or leg extensions, even though beetroot juice raises certain compounds in the blood.
Consuming beetroot juice before intense leg exercise does not lead to increased blood flow in the main artery of the thigh or swelling in the large thigh muscle during the exercise.
Taking beetroot juice and citrulline malate supplements does not change how much energy the body uses or how it balances oxygen and carbon dioxide during intense leg exercise in young, active men.