The Study
Difference Between Watermelon Juice and Pure L-citrulline on Muscle Soreness After Eccentric Exercise: A Comparative Study
This study saw that people who drank watermelon juice or took L-citrulline pills felt less sore after working out, but we don’t know if that’s because of the drink or pill — maybe they just happened to be the kind of people who recover faster. It’s like noticing people who wear red shoes run faster — maybe red shoes help, or maybe those people just train more.
Analysis score
Maximum 90 for a randomized controlled trial.
Where the score came from
Scientists tested if drinking watermelon juice or taking a citrulline pill helps reduce muscle soreness after a tough workout.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 542 / 100
Quality score
Participants are randomly assigned to treatment or control groups, minimizing bias. The gold standard for testing whether an intervention causes an effect.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1Yes — if you're sore after working out, drinking a big glass of watermelon juice or taking a small citrulline pill can help you feel better, and they work about the same.
- 2Both watermelon juice (750 mL) and a 1.2 g citrulline pill reduced muscle soreness by a noticeable amount at 12 and 24 hours after exercise, and both worked just as well as each other.
- 3Neither changed uric acid levels.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
JOSSAE (Journal of Sport Science and Education)
Year
2024
Authors
Farah Fauziah Nandyantami, Dhoni A. Ghozali, Siti Munawaroh, N. Wiyono, M. Muthmainah
Related Content
Claims (6)
Taking citrulline before working out results in less muscle soreness 72 hours after the workout.
In healthy young adults who perform eccentric exercise, taking 1.2 grams of L-citrulline in watermelon juice or as a supplement does not change uric acid levels 12 or 24 hours after exercise, and the decrease in muscle soreness is not caused by reduced uric acid production.
Consuming 750 mL of watermelon juice containing 1.2 grams of L-citrulline reduces delayed-onset muscle soreness in healthy young adults, but the large volume of liquid makes this method less practical than taking L-citrulline in powder form.
In healthy young adults who perform eccentric exercise, taking 1.2 grams of L-citrulline either as a supplement or in 750 mL of watermelon juice is linked to a measurable decrease in muscle soreness at 12 and 24 hours after exercise, and both forms produce the same effect.
Taking 1.2 grams of L-citrulline in watermelon juice or supplement form reduces muscle soreness after eccentric exercise in healthy young adults without changing plasma uric acid levels.
In healthy young adults, drinking watermelon juice with about 1.2 grams of L-citrulline reduces delayed-onset muscle soreness to the same extent as taking a pure L-citrulline supplement.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.