Both creatine and citrulline are safe supplements when taken in isolation, and there’s no current evidence to suggest that it’s harmful to take creatine and citrulline together. Also, many pre workout supplements contain both creatine and citrulline, so lots of people are safely mixing creatine and citrulline without even realising.
In this article, we look at the benefits of creatine and citrulline and see if there are any further benefits of mixing these 2 compounds.
What Is Creatine?
Creatine is a natural organic acid that’s made in the body to help provide energy to cells, particularly muscle cells.
It’s naturally found in red meat and fish, and some people take creatine supplements to improve their performance.
Benefits of Creatine
Creatine Improves Athletic Performance
There are lots of studies which demonstrate creatine’s ability to improve physical performance.
In one of these studies, 8 ice-hockey players supplemented with creatine and 8 ice-hockey players took a placebo.
The results showed that those who took creatine had significantly more power in their sprinting.
Creatine Helps Increase Muscle Mass
A review of creatine supplementation concluded that creatine increases muscle hypertrophy (i.e. muscle growth) in all healthy young populations.
Some of the studies even showed that creatine increases muscle growth in untrained populations, suggesting that creatine was the direct cause of increased muscle mass.
Creatine Improves Cognitive Function
One of the lesser-known benefits of creatine is its ability to improve mental function.
In a study of older people, creatine improved the subjects’ memory and recall ability.
Creatine Helps Prevent Fatigue
Another physical benefit of creatine is that it can help reduce muscular fatigue.
For example, in one study, 15 people took either a placebo or 20g of creatine per day for 5 days before performing a cycle test.
Interestingly, those who took creatine had delayed onset of fatigue during the test.
What Is Citrulline?
Citrulline is an amino acid that’s naturally produced in the liver and intestines, but some people take additional citrulline via supplements for further health benefits.
Let’s take a closer look at some of these now.
Benefits of Citrulline
Citrulline May Improve Physical Performance
Like creatine, citrulline may improve physical performance.
In one study, 41 male subjects achieved 52.92% more repetitions of bench press after taking an 8g dose of citrulline malate.
Interestingly, they also reported a 40% reduced in muscle soreness.
Citrulline May Lower Blood Pressure
Another positive effect of citrulline is its ability to lower blood pressure.
A 2019 meta-analysis of 8 studies investigated the effects of citrulline on blood pressure.
The authors found that citrulline can lower systolic blood pressure by 4 mmHg.
Citrulline May Improve Erectile Dysfunction
Thanks to its ability to increase nitric oxide levels in the blood, citrulline can alleviate symptoms of erectile dysfunction.
In a study of 24 men aged 56 to 66, using citrulline improved erectile scores in 50% of those who took it, compared to only 8.3% of those who took a placebo.
Are There Any Benefits of Taking Creatine And Citrulline Together?
As there are currently no studies, it’s unclear whether taking creatine and citrulline together provides further benefits than taking them individually.
When Is The Best Time To Take Creatine And Citrulline Together?
Since creatine and citrulline are often included together in pre workout supplements, it would make sense that it’s best to take these 2 before working out.
This isn’t always the case though because it depends on your fitness goals.
If your goal is to gain as much muscle as possible, you should probably take them after working out as research suggests that creatine is best taken after exercise for muscle gain.
Whereas if you simply want a more intense workout, then it would make sense taking them before your gym session.
Closing Thoughts
In summary:
- There are no studies which suggest that it’s unsafe to take creatine and citrulline together.
- Many people unknowingly take creatine and citrulline together in pre workout supplements.
- There’s limited evidence that mixing creatine and citrulline provides additional benefits than taking them in isolation.
That’s all for creatine and citrulline, but can you take creatine with multivitamin? Or what about taking collagen and creatine together?
Hope this helped!
Sources
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8949037/#B14-nutrients-14-01255
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10573659/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18039377/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17828627/
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.urology.2010.08.028
I’ve been in the fitness and strength training industry for nearly a decade. In that time, I’ve gained 30 pounds of muscle, written hundreds of articles, and reviewed dozens of fitness supplements. As for my educational background, I’m a currently studying for my Active IQ Level 3 Diploma in Personal Training.