Today we return to Examine.com and one of their summaries of a recent study of useless quercetin and the non-essential amino acid citrulline on elite cycling performance.
What was studied?
“The effects of combined supplementation with quercetin (500 mg) and citrulline (3,000 mg) on measures of cycling performance, including average power, oxygen uptake, respiratory exchange ratio, 20-kilometer time trial performance, and rating of perceived exertion in trained cyclists.”
Quercetin is a flavonoid belonging to the very toxic polyphenols, as in a group of plant defense chemicals whose main purpose is to deter anyone from eating or damaging the plant. Thus, they increase plant toxicity and unpalatability. And as they are inorganic plant-based compounds, they have no role in human physiology and will act as a very potent toxin.
So, adding quercetin to any kind of supplement or diet makes absolutely no sense at all and only shows the complete lack of biological and biochemical understanding.
As for citrulline, it is not considered an essential amino acid, meaning that the body can produce it and does not require it from dietary sources. With that said, citrulline can assist in the production of nitric oxide as it is converted into L-arginine, which is then used to produce nitric oxide. However, this also means that if you get plenty of L-arginine, as in pure bioavailable arginine from animal-based foods, especially red meat, adding citrulline will not really do anything for the production of nitric oxide as this conversion has a ceiling, and, again, the body can actually manufacture both citrulline and L-arginine from other amino acids. L-arginine is only considered “essential” during periods of growth, injury or severe illness.
So, simply put, if you get plenty of bioavailable protein, as in animal-based foods, supplementing with citrulline or any other amino acid for that matter, will have very little impact if none (as you have already covered anything that the body might need.)
Who was studied?
“48 highly trained cyclists (ages 18 to 55; 84% men, 16% women) without apparent health conditions.”
If they are highly trained, they probably get a decent amount of meat, eggs and even protein powders in their daily diet, so they likely do not have a protein deficiency (as you can see in vegans or even vegetarians.)
Therefore, it’s highly unlikely that citrulline will improve performance.
How was it studied?
“A randomized controlled trial was conducted over 28 days. The participants received one of 4 interventions: quercetin plus citrulline, quercetin only, citrulline only, or a placebo. Performance was assessed before and after the intervention using a standardized 20-kilometer time trial and associated physiological measures.”
Only the ‘citrulline only’ and the ‘placebo’ groups are of interest, as quercetin is a toxin and should never be consumed by a human or any other carnivorous animal.
What were the results?
“Combined quercetin and citrulline supplementation did not enhance any measure of cycling performance.”
No surprise there. As with most of these amino acids when used as a supplement, the effect you might notice depends on your current nutritional status — and this is why some people do not notice anything and will call it a scam, while others will swear by it as they notice huge improvements.
Well, those who do not notice anything are closest to the truth, as you do not need any of these supplements if your diet is “good enough,” as in delivering these nutrients in ample quantities from animal-based foods (the only source of bioavailable nutrients.)
And that also means that those who report improvements in performance from taking, for example citrulline, are actually admitting that their diets suck — that they do not consume enough animal-based foods.
As for citrulline and L-arginine being used to produce nitric oxide, the effects noticed in those who are deficient and can’t produce enough nitric oxide due to their bad diet, are reduced ratings of perceived exertion, decreased muscle soreness, and increased power output and total repetitions performed in resistance training.
However, if you already get all the nutrients you need, adding more in the form of supplements will do absolutely nothing, as the body can only convert and use these nutrients at a specific rate. Adding more is just as if you would add more gas to the tank of your car in hope that it will go even faster when you are revving out on the highest gear. Sorry, it won’t happen.
And if your diet contains at least some animal-based foods, you will have more than plenty of amino acids even for longer durations of physical effort, as demonstrated in this study using highly-trained cyclists. So, if your diet does not completely suck, there’s absolutely no need to add citrulline or L-arginine or anything similar to your pre-workout drink before a gym session or any other physical activity. It’s a waste of money.
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