The Study
The effect of citrulline on delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) and aerobic and anaerobic endurance in sub elite athletes
This study is like a fair race where one group got a special drink and the other got plain water, and no one knew who got what. After the race, the group with the drink did better at running longer and felt less sore. So we can say the drink probably helped—but only for these specific athletes in this one study.
Analysis score
Maximum 90 for a randomized controlled trial.
Where the score came from
This study tested if taking a daily citrulline pill for a week helps badminton players feel less sore and perform better after hard workouts.
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 567 / 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 — a 2-point VO2max increase improves endurance in sports like badminton, and feeling 1.22 cm less sore means athletes can train harder sooner.
- 2Players who took citrulline had 2.02 mL/kg/min higher VO2max after 72 hours and felt 4.00 cm less sore on a 10cm pain scale by 72 hours, compared to placebo.
- 3They felt less sore faster, but only got a short boost in short bursts of power at 24 hours.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
Retos
Year
2025
Authors
Sapto Wibowo, Himawan Wismanadi, A. Rusdiawan, Oce Wiriawan, Cemal Özman, Muhammad Labib Siena Ar Rasyid, K. Ashadi, Luthfie Lufthansa, Nur Khozanah Ilmah, Taufiq Hidayat
Related Content
Claims (6)
In male sub-elite badminton players, taking 2.4 grams of L-citrulline daily results in sustained improvements in aerobic endurance, with the greatest improvement occurring 72 hours after taking the supplement, suggesting the effect builds over time rather than occurring immediately.
Taking citrulline supplements does not improve short bursts of high-intensity performance in male sub-elite badminton players after the first day of use.
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.
Male sub-elite badminton players who took 2.4 grams of L-citrulline daily for seven days after eccentric exercise experienced a larger decrease in muscle soreness at 72 hours than those who took a placebo.
When male sub-elite badminton players take 2.4 grams of L-citrulline daily for seven days, their anaerobic endurance improves moderately at 24 hours after the last dose, but this improvement is not present at 72 hours after the last dose.
Taking citrulline before working out results in less muscle soreness 72 hours after the workout.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.