Citrulline Malate (2:1) vs. Citrulline Nitrate
Among 1,225 on-market l-citrulline products with an identifiable primary form, 84.7% use Citrulline Malate (2:1) (1,037 products) and 2.9% use Citrulline Nitrate (36).
| Citrulline Malate (2:1) | Citrulline Nitrate | |
|---|---|---|
| Quality tier | Unrated | Unrated |
| L-Citrulline by weight | 72.3% | 73.5% |
| Share of market | 84.7% | 2.9% |
| On-market products | 1,037 | 36 |
| Median declared dose | 2,892 mg middle half: 1,084.5–4,338 | 735 mg middle half: 735–735 |
| Most common brands | Cellucor, XTEND, DAS Labs | Nutrabolt, Labrada, XTEND |
Doses are declared per serving in mg. “By weight” is the share of the ingredient that is the nutrient itself (e.g. elemental magnesium in a magnesium salt).
Why Citrulline Malate (2:1) is unrated
The form used in the cited exercise trials (6-8g), but no study showing an advantage for citrulline malate over free L-citrulline exists: in one randomized crossover at matched citrulline dose (5.3 g), neither form improved neuromuscular performance (Martin-Olmedo 2025). The Trexler meta-analysis itself flags the form of citrulline as an unexplored moderator.
Source: Perez-Guisado J, Jakeman PM 2010, J Strength Cond Res 24(5):1215-22, PMID 20386132; Bendahan D et al. 2002, Br J Sports Med 36(4):282-9, PMID 12145119; Trexler ET et al. 2019, PMID 30895562; Martin-Olmedo JJ et al. 2025, Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab 35(2):89-98, PMID 39662304
Why Citrulline Nitrate is unrated
No head-to-head human bioavailability or efficacy comparison of this form was located in PubMed searches.