Giulia Rossetto

Some links in this article are affiliate links, which means we earn from qualifying purchases. Learn more. If you’ve seen L-Citrulline listed as an ingredient in your pre-workout, you’re probably wondering what it is and does. As a dietitian, I’ll explain the benefits of having L-citrulline before a workout, the recommended dosage, and potential side effects.

Some links in this article are affiliate links, which means we earn from qualifying purchases. Learn more. Beta-alanine is sometimes added to pre-workout supplements and is one of the few performance-enhancing ingredients backed by strong evidence. However, pre-workouts may not contain enough beta-alanine to boost your performance. Beta-alanine’s main role is to delay fatigue. It does this by increasing muscle carnosine levels and reducing lactate and hydrogen ion accumulation.

Protein and amino acids work together, but many people are confused about the differences between them, especially because you can buy protein powder and amino acid supplements separately. Proteins are complex, long-chained molecules while amino acids are small, individual units, known as the “building blocks of protein”. Both are essential for muscle growth, recovery, and metabolism. Proteins have diverse roles in the body whereas amino acids are the components enabling those roles.