Ingredient profile
L-Citrulline DL-Malate in Melonex: How Much, and What Studies Used
L-citrulline DL-malate is the first ingredient in the Melonex blend, so one capsule holds at most 500 mg of it, and likely less. Blood pressure trials of L-citrulline used 3 to 9 g a day. Do not combine it with nitrates or sildenafil-type drugs. No trial has tested Melonex.
Written by the Melonexcare editorsUpdated
No. 01What it is
What is L-citrulline DL-malate?
L-citrulline DL-malate is the amino acid L-citrulline bound to malic acid, sold as one powder. In Melonex it is the first name in the blend.
Citrulline is an amino acid your body makes and also finds in some foods. Your kidneys turn it into arginine, which is why supplement makers pair the two.
Malic acid is the partner. It is the acid that gives apples their tang. In the salt form, malate adds weight without adding citrulline.
By weight, citrulline malate is about 56.64 percent citrulline (NIH ODS, arginine and citrulline). So 500 mg of the salt holds about 283 mg of citrulline at most.
| Name on the label | L-Citrulline DL-Malate |
|---|---|
| What it is | L-citrulline (an amino acid) bound to DL-malic acid |
| Place on the label | 1 of 3 in the 500 mg proprietary blend |
| Amount per capsule | Not listed; #1 of 3 in the 500 mg blend, so at most 500 mg per capsule |
| At the label maximum (2 capsules) | at most 1,000 mg |
| Amount used in research | 3-9 g a day of L-citrulline in blood pressure trials (1-17 weeks) |
| Strength of evidence | Small systolic drop in short, small trials; no trial of Melonex |
| Role | Amino acid the body turns into arginine |
| Main caution | Do not combine with nitrates or erectile-dysfunction drugs (PDE-5 inhibitors); caution with blood pressure medicines. |
No. 02How much
How much citrulline DL-malate is in a Melonex capsule?
One capsule holds at most 500 mg of citrulline DL-malate, because it is listed first in a 500 mg blend. The true amount is not printed.
The label lists the blend order from most to least by weight (21 CFR 101.36). First place can claim the whole 500 mg only if the other two lines are almost empty, which is unlikely.
Divided evenly, each line would be about 167 mg. At the label's top of two capsules a day, the ceiling is 1,000 mg of the salt.
These are weights of the salt, not of citrulline alone. Ask the order desk if you want the maker's figure.
No. 03The studies
What dose of citrulline malate did studies use?
In a review of 8 small trials, adults took 3 to 9 g of L-citrulline a day for 1 to 17 weeks. A Melonex capsule is a small fraction of that.
Researchers pooled the trials and found systolic pressure about 4.10 mm Hg lower on average. The diastolic drop of about 2 mm Hg was not statistically significant, though it reached 2.75 at 6 g a day or more (Barkhidarian 2019, citrulline and BP).
The trials were small, with 12 to 34 people each. The NIH adds that research on citrulline for exercise is not strong, and its safety has not been well studied (NIH ODS, arginine and citrulline).
| Measure | Amount per day |
|---|---|
| Lowest trial dose of L-citrulline | 3,000 mg |
| Highest trial dose of L-citrulline | 9,000 mg |
| Melonex at 1 capsule, ceiling of the salt | 500 mg |
| Melonex at 2 capsules, ceiling of the salt | 1,000 mg |
No. 04Blood pressure
Does L-citrulline affect blood pressure?
In short trials, L-citrulline at grams a day went with a small drop in systolic pressure. That does not show Melonex does the same.
Search for "l-citrulline blood pressure" and you will find that review (Barkhidarian 2019, citrulline and BP). It reports an average across small trials.
We never say a capsule lowers blood pressure. We say that grams of citrulline went with a drop of about 4 mm Hg in small trials, and that one capsule holds a fraction of those grams.
If you have high blood pressure, work with your doctor. Keep taking your prescribed medicine, and do not swap it for a supplement.
No. 05Cautions
Who should avoid L-citrulline?
Anyone taking a nitrate or a sildenafil-type drug should not combine it with citrulline. Pregnant or nursing women are advised to avoid it.
Reference monographs list nitrates, such as nitroglycerin, and PDE-5 drugs, such as sildenafil, tadalafil and vardenafil, as a major interaction. Both can lower pressure, and together they may cause dizziness (RxList, L-citrulline).
Blood pressure medicines such as losartan or amlodipine are a moderate interaction, since pressure might go too low (RxList, L-citrulline). There is not enough information on pregnancy or breast-feeding, so the same source advises avoiding it.
It says pregnant or nursing mothers, children under 18 and people with a known medical condition should consult a physician first.
No. 06Form check
Is citrulline malate different from plain L-citrulline?
No. Citrulline malate is a salt that holds citrulline and malic acid together, so a gram of it gives less than a gram of citrulline.
That matters when you compare Melonex with a study. A trial dose of 6 g of L-citrulline would take about 10.6 g of the malate salt, going by the 56.64 percent figure (NIH ODS, arginine and citrulline).
Melonex also lists DL-malate, a mix of two mirror forms of malic acid. The label does not explain that choice.
No. 07Keep reading
Where should you read next?
The other two blend lines are forms of arginine, with their own studies and cautions.
See the arginine alpha-ketoglutarate profile next, then the full supplement facts. For the order desk and prices, go to pricing.
No. 08FAQ
L-citrulline DL-malate questions
What is L-citrulline DL-malate?
L-citrulline DL-malate is the amino acid citrulline joined to malic acid in one salt. It is the first ingredient in the Melonex blend. About 57 percent of its weight is citrulline (NIH ODS, arginine and citrulline).
How much L-citrulline is in Melonex?
The label does not say. The salt is listed first in a 500 mg blend, so one capsule holds at most 500 mg of it, and less actual citrulline. An even split among three lines would be about 167 mg.
What is a normal citrulline malate dose?
No standard dose is set. Studies of L-citrulline for blood pressure used 3 to 9 g a day (Barkhidarian 2019, citrulline and BP), and a reference monograph says there is not enough information to set a dose range (RxList, L-citrulline). Melonex is far below those amounts.
Does L-citrulline lower blood pressure?
In 8 small trials, citrulline at 3 to 9 g a day went with systolic pressure about 4 mm Hg lower on average (Barkhidarian 2019, citrulline and BP). Whether a capsule of Melonex does the same is unknown, since no trial tested it.
Can I take citrulline with Viagra or nitroglycerin?
No, do not combine them. Citrulline with sildenafil-type drugs or nitrates is a major interaction, and blood pressure may fall too far (RxList, L-citrulline). Check with your doctor or pharmacist before starting.
Is citrulline malate safe in pregnancy?
There is not enough reliable information, so one monograph advises avoiding it while pregnant or nursing (RxList, L-citrulline). The Melonex label also asks pregnant or nursing mothers to consult a physician first.
Why is the malate written as DL-malate?
DL means a mix of two mirror-image forms of malic acid. The Melonex label does not explain why it uses that form. It is the partner in the salt and is not the part studied for blood pressure.
No. 09Who wrote this
Written and reviewed by
Pages built from the bottle label, the seller’s order page and linked NIH, FDA, CDC, AHA, FTC and peer-reviewed sources.
Last updated . Learn about our editorial standards and how we check reviews. This website is run by Melonexcare, which describes itself as an authorized American Melonex outlet. It is not the manufacturer or the label’s distributor. Buying through our order links earns us money.
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