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Comment by dillondoyle | Hacker News Reader

Does anyone have experience supplementing L-Citrulline for sports performance?

I tried beta-alinine and I couldn't do it; made me have this horrible uncomfortable pin pricking/itchy reaction for over an hour each dose.

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Are you asking about amateur or profesional sports? I competed in amateur mountain bike races for a number of years, but I never took any medication to improve performance and I see no point in doing that. As an amateur, going to competitions every couple of weeks and getting in the top quarter was the purpose, not winning it; it was a strong enough motivator to do sport - the atmosphere, the tracks and the views in the forests were a great reward.

For profesional level, medics can tell what is allowed and what is not. I am not a doctor, but most performance-improving drugs are forbidden.

Citrulline isn't on the WADA prohibited substances list.

I climb but didn't climb for like 7 years in my 20s due to poor life choices. I think I used to be grouped in idk maybe 'pro-am' if that is a thing, e.g. top of top % but didn't get paid to do it. Especially back then even the very few full time 'pros' barely were able to eat. Would get killed if I tried to compete right now ;)

I don't think USADA or WADA prohibits it or creatine etc.

I've been back for a couple years now and have been interested in ways which help me train more effectively without injury, since I just can't do what I could when I was 20.

sleep, water, and stretching make the biggest difference. I have not gotten into Testosterone or other anabolics which seem like the only legit way to feel 20 again lol

Oh wow, I thought I was the only one who had that exact reaction. Very strange feeling, like a thousand warm caterpillars walking over your skin.

It was enough for me to stop using it (though I don't think I ever really saw any benefit, so it's not like the choice was hard).

I use it for bodybuilding. Helps with the pump. It's in a lot of pre-workouts.

'the pump' would be valuable to me if that means reducing lactic acid or enabling you to push further (I'm a climber)!

ha, no the pump has nothing to do with lactase. It refers to blood filling your muscles -- you probably get a pump in your forearms from climbing. Feels like someone stuck a bike pump in your arm and "pumped" you up.

Interesting. Yeah it's a different feeling I think for climbers. From what I've read it's lactic acid build up, like when I fully crimp it hits the forearms hard after a bit just not able to grip anymore

What kind of performance?

We always got our all star creatine.

I didn‘t notice any changes in workout performance from tadalafil or l-citrulline and I consumed insane amounts of them.

Doesn't tadalafil affect your sleep? Also, it doesn't feel nice if you take it and seat in front of the computer for four hours doing focus stuff.

Worsens sleep apnea, improves nocturnal urination.

If you suffer from having to get up at night to urinate, PDE5 inhibitors COULD improve your sleep, if you don't, they will probably worsen it.

I would assume protein synthesis from what I've read?

The research on creatine does seem like it's not total BS in some specific cases. For instance I'm pescatarian and it seems like that I might get an actual benefit with lower non-meat creatinine. At first I definitely felt what was probably psychosomatic but I can't tell if it's helping still.

Creatine is a very, very proven substance that increases physical performance, muscle growth and cognitive performance.

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