Can a supplement help older women with high blood pressure exercise better?
L-Citrulline Supplementation Improves Arterial Blood Flow and Muscle Oxygenation during Handgrip Exercise in Hypertensive Postmenopausal Women
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
L-citrulline improved muscle oxygenation during exercise without changing arterial stiffness.
Most experts assumed blood pressure improvements came from reduced arterial stiffness — but this study showed pressure dropped even when stiffness stayed the same, suggesting a direct effect on vascular tone.
Practical Takeaways
Take 10 grams of L-citrulline daily (about 2 teaspoons of powder) for at least 4 weeks if you're a postmenopausal woman with high blood pressure and struggle with fatigue during light activity.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
L-citrulline improved muscle oxygenation during exercise without changing arterial stiffness.
Most experts assumed blood pressure improvements came from reduced arterial stiffness — but this study showed pressure dropped even when stiffness stayed the same, suggesting a direct effect on vascular tone.
Practical Takeaways
Take 10 grams of L-citrulline daily (about 2 teaspoons of powder) for at least 4 weeks if you're a postmenopausal woman with high blood pressure and struggle with fatigue during light activity.
Publication
Journal
Nutrients
Year
2024
Authors
Yejin Kang, Katherine N. Dillon, Mauricio A. Martinez, A. Maharaj, Stephen M. Fischer, Arturo Figueroa
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Claims (6)
Taking 10 grams of L-citrulline daily for four weeks leads to a measurable improvement in blood vessel function and a small reduction in blood pressure in women with high blood pressure who have gone through menopause.
Taking 10 grams of L-citrulline daily for four weeks increases blood flow and vessel dilation in the forearms of hypertensive postmenopausal women during handgrip exercise.
Taking 10 grams of L-citrulline daily for four weeks leads to a small increase in oxygen levels and a decrease in deoxygenated hemoglobin in the forearm muscles of hypertensive postmenopausal women during handgrip exercise, suggesting changes in how oxygen is delivered and used in that tissue.
In hypertensive postmenopausal women, increases in blood flow to the forearm during hand exercise after taking L-citrulline are linked to improved dilation of the brachial artery, suggesting that the lining of blood vessels plays a role in how blood flow responds to exercise.
Taking 10 grams of L-citrulline daily for four weeks lowers aortic systolic blood pressure by 4 mmHg in postmenopausal women with hypertension, without altering aortic stiffness, suggesting a direct effect on blood vessel tone.