CF(Preop)® contains L-citrulline to help improve blood flow by increasing nitric oxide levels. Other pre-surgery carbohydrate drinks contain L-arginine. Today, we break down why L-citrulline is more effective than L-arginine further illustrating that CF(Preop)® is the superior carbohydrate drink before surgery.
What is L-citrulline?
L-citrulline is a non-essential amino acid and we can make it in our bodies. L-citrulline is a key component of the urea cycle.
What role does L-citrulline play in CF(Preop)®?
CF(Preop)® contains L-citrulline. L-citrulline improves circulation by increasing nitric oxide levels, boosts the immune system by nourishing bowel electrolytes, and is efficiently converted to L-arginine. CF(Preop)®’s competitors do not contain L-citrulline.
Why is L-citrulline better than L-arginine?
When L-arginine is consumed orally, it undergoes significant breakdown by the enzyme arginase in our gastrointestinal pathway. Arginase hydrolyses arginine into ornithine and urea. When this happens, the result is low plasma L-arginine levels and lower bioavailability of L-arginine for nitric oxide synthesis.
Furthermore, L-citrulline supplements are shown to increase arginine levels more than arginine supplements themselves. Arginine is subject to a number of pre-systematic and systematic elimination processes. Arginine is rapidly metabolized by liver and small intestine but catabolism of L-citrulline in the intestine is limited. L-citrulline is not metabolized by arginases and bacteria. L-citrulline is not extracted from the systemic circulation for clearance by the liver.
What are the benefits of supplementing L-citrulline?
Supplementation of L-citrulline:
- May help with muscle recovery and blood flow
- May reduce blood lactate levels
- L Citrulline can decrease lactate production and therefore increase time to exhaustion, in turn increasing physical performance
- Increases the circulation and tissue Arginine than an equivalent dose of Arginine
- May reduce blood pressure
- Can increase nitric oxide synthesis activation