As many people already know both arginine and citrulline help increase nitric oxide production in the body. This in turn help reverse and prevent many cardiovascular issues including heart disease. How do they do this and why is it important to take them together?

Timing is important

Arginine and Citrulline taken together have a synergistic effect. That means that taking any of them alone will not have the same effect as taking them both at the same time. Why is this?

One reason is that they work on different time frame. Arginine tends to be converted more rapidly into nitric oxide in the body, while citrulline takes longer. This means as one stops working the other one is just kicking in. This means you get more of a boost for a longer period of time.

There is also another synergistic effect of taking them both at the same time. As shown in this study for reasons not totally understood, taking both l-arginine and l-citrulline at the same time produced higher concentrations of nitric oxide within an hour or so of ingestion. What does that mean? It means that not only does taking them together give you a longer period of N.O. boosting, but it also makes the boost more powerful by increasing the bioavailability of nitric oxide.

Arginine to Citrulline Ratio

The ratio of Arginine to Citrulline is also important. Many products that offer both arginine and citrulline have them in a bad ratio ranging from 25:1 to 5:1. The proper ratio and most effective is 2:1.

M3 Ultimate Nitric Oxide Nutrition uses a 2:1 ratio of arginine to citrulline which means you are getting a properly proportioned mix of over 7 grams of of these two critical amino acids!  This proprietary blend maximizes both absorption as well as nitric oxide production.

Why you should be taking Arginine and Citrulline

L-arginine helps maintain vascular elasticity and reverses build-up of soft plaque, even in pre-existing atherosclerosis.

In experimental studies, L-arginine:

  • Increases NO formation
  • Improves vasodilation
  • Inhibits platelet aggregation
  • Reduces leukocyte infiltration
  • Diminishes superoxide radical formation
  • Restore arterial elasticity
  • Improve blood flow
  • Enhance memory function
  • Accelerate recovery from exercise
  • Lower blood pressure

It can potentially reduce the symptoms of:

  • chronic heart failure
  • coronary artery disease
  • peripheral arterial disease
  • erectile dysfunction.