1 interaction related to l-citrulline
L-arginine is the direct precursor to nitric oxide, but a large share of an oral dose is degraded by intestinal arginase and first-pass liver metabolism, so plasma levels peak quickly and fall within an hour or two. L-citrulline largely bypasses that metabolism and is converted to L-arginine in the kidneys, sustaining the rise for longer. Taken together they raise plasma arginine higher and for longer than either alone, supporting nitric-oxide-dependent effects.
