Citrulline

Scientific Name: 2-amino-5-(caramoylamino) pentanoic acid (C6H13N3O3).

Other Names: citrullus (Latin for “watermelon”).

Citrulline is an an amino acid produced during certain bodily cycles and reactions and first isolated in watermelon. 

It is not a factor built into proteins during protein synthesis and is not coded for by DNA. However, it can be found in several types of protein.

Origin: Citrulline is created during certain bodily processes. 

It is made from ornithine and carbamoyl phosphate during a reaction of the urea cycle and can also be derived from arginine as a by-product of the oxidation by chemical of the NOS family that release nitric oxide.

It is also found in high concentrations in the liver.

Sources of Citrulline: Citrulline is a product of the urea cycle, formed from the addition of ammonia and carbon dioxide to ornithine. 

It can then be combined with aspartic acid to form arginosuccinic acid, which is later metabolized into arginine.

Home Remedies using Citrulline:

Benefits and Uses of Citrulline:

Citrulline is an important component in promotion of the health of the immune system, as well as production of energy. 

Many believe it to enhance stamina during high-energy activities, leading to the use as a supplement for athletes and bodybuilders looking for greater levels of endurance.

Citrulline can be used to detoxify the liver from ammonia, a waste product of oxidation.

In supplements used for bodybuilding, it is believed to reduce the production of lactic acid, which causes a burning sensation in the muscles and distracts from the workout process.

Many users claim to have the same intensity at the end of a difficult workout as when they begin.

Side Effects of Citrulline:

Some people develop an immune response to proteins that contain citrulline, leading to rheumatoid arthritis (at least 80 percent of these patients show such properties of immune response). 

While the cause of this is unknown, the detection of antibodies reactive to proteins and peptides containing citrulline has become important in the diagnosis of the disease.