Pump up the volume: L-citrulline formula shows promise in muscle study

NutraShure Distribution recently announced the results of a new study that evaluated the efficacy of its patented dietary supplement blend, 3DPump Breakthrough. The study, conducted at the Center for Applied Health Sciences, showed using 3DPump Breakthrough achieved similar effects in muscle endurance, muscle pump, hydration and inflammation markers when compared to using nearly three times more L-citrulline alone. The findings were published in the Journal of Exercise and Nutrition​

The nutraceutical ingredient distributor described the novel blend as a triple-action pump ingredient that combines L-citrulline, high yield glycerol and a standardized extract of Amla fruit (Phyllanthus emblica​) that fuels muscle pump by enhancing blood flow and nitric oxide
production.

Amla fruit, rich in polyphenols, fuels muscle “pump” by enhancing nitric oxide production, increasing vasodilation, and cellular swelling. L-citrulline is an amino acid that enhances nitric oxide production which in turn boosts nutrient delivery, blood flow, and muscle pump. Glycerol is an osmolyte that encourages cells to absorb more water, thus improving cellular hydration, muscle fullness and cellular swelling.

Study details

The randomized, single-blind crossover study evaluated the efficacy of 3DPump Breakthrough on biomarkers of hydration, muscle size, inflammation, and muscle endurance. About 30 healthy and recreational active male and female subjects with an average age of 29 years old were randomized to either 3DPump Breakthrough (3g L-citrulline, 1.2g glycerol, 165g of Amla fruit extract) or 8g of L-Citrulline alone 45 minutes before an aerobic and resistance-training workout. Testing measures included body fluid shifts, markers of hydration, and appendicular girth, which were taken pre and post exercise. Markers of damage and inflammation were also measured and taken 24 hours after exercise.
Findings

The results of the study show that 3DPump Breakthrough achieved similar results on acute muscular endurance, muscle damage and inflammation, as well as appendicular muscle girth when compared to 8g of L-citrulline alone. The 3DPump Breakthrough group also reported 50% fewer adverse events.

“3DPump, which contains 3g L-citrulline, was able to provide similar effects in muscular endurance, muscle pump and other subjective feelings of affect, hydration, damage and inflammation markers, and body fluid shifts as an 8g dose of L-citrulline alone. 3DPump may have unique benefits on improving post exercise vascular tone,” the authors concluded.

Formulation

“The outcome of this study shows that over-engineering finished product formulations does not always equate to better results. 3DPump Breakthrough was developed using proper synergy and provided comparable results at nearly half of the active ingredient dose,” Brandon Sojka, founder, NutraShure Distribution, told NutraIngredients-USA. ​

When determining the need for this kind of supplement, Sojka shared that the pre-workout/pump category has made the top 5 list of consumer favorites for the last few decades, so the demand for these types of products continue to be strong in the sports nutrition category.

“Because our goal was to do more than simply promote increases in nitric oxide, we tried at least two dozen iterations over a span of twelve months, with ingredients ranging from taurine, creatine, and glutamine to arginine/citrulline, beetroot and all sorts of exotic herbs and fruits,” added Sojka. “The final ingredient deck for the 3DP Breakthrough formula was in a league of its own. In fact, the results were so unexpected and dramatic that we were granted a patent for the invention.”

While 3DPump Breakthrough is exclusively licensed to NutraShure for global distribution and commercialization, Sojka noted that KLZ Holdings owns the patents, with founders that include Bruce Kneller, Tim Ziegenfuss and the late Hector Lopez.

More to come

Looking ahead, Sojka told us that further research studies are planned with a large-scale trial on the branded antioxidant ingredient Polynol. NutraShure is also in discussions with a few companies to license IP, although nothing has been made official yet. The company is also looking to expand into several categories, including gut health, energy, nootropics, healthy aging and sports performance.

Source: Journal of Exercise and Nutrition​
May 2023 doi.org/10.53520/jen2023.103144​
“A Randomized, Single-Blind, Crossover Study to Evaluate the Efficacy of a Novel Dietary Supplement Blend with L-Citrulline on Biomarkers of Hydration, Muscle Size, Affect,
Inflammation, and Muscular Endurance”
Authors: M. La Monica et al.