Citrulline malate (CitMal) is a dietary supplement that is suggested to enhance strength training performance. However, there is conflicting evidence on this matter. Thus, the purpose of this meta-analysis was to determine whether supplementing with CitMal prior to strength training could increase the total number of repetitions performed before reaching voluntary muscular failure. A systematic search was conducted wherein the inclusion criteria were double-blind, placebo-controlled studies in healthy participants that examined the effect of CitMal on repetitions to failure during upper body and lower body resistance exercises. The Hedges’s g standardized mean differences (SMD) between the placebo and CitMal trials were calculated and used in a random effect model. Two separate subanalyses were performed for upper body and lower body exercises. Eight studies, including 137 participants who consisted of strength-trained men (n = 101) and women (n = 26) in addition to untrained men (n = 9), fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Across the studies, 14 single-joint and multijoint exercises were performed with an average of 51 ± 23 total repetitions during 5 ± 3 sets per exercise at ∼70% of one-repetition maximum. Supplementing with 6–8 g of CitMal 40–60 min before exercise increased repetitions by 3 ± 5 (6.4 ± 7.9%) compared with placebo (p = .022) with a small SMD (0.196). The subanalysis for the lower body resulted in a tendency for an effect of the supplement (8.1 ± 8.4%, SMD: 0.27, p = .051) with no significant effect for the upper body (5.7 ± 8.4%, SMD: 0.16, p = .131). The current analysis observed a small ergogenic effect of CitMal compared with placebo. Acute CitMal supplementation may, therefore, delay fatigue and enhance muscle endurance during high-intensity strength training.

瓜氨酸苹果酸 (CitMal) 是一种膳食补充剂，建议用于提高力量训练表现。然而，在这个问题上存在相互矛盾的证据。因此，这项荟萃分析的目的是确定在力量训练之前补充 CitMal 是否可以增加在达到自愿肌肉衰竭之前进行的总重复次数。进行了系统搜索，其中纳入标准是在健康参与者中进行的双盲、安慰剂对照研究，这些研究检查了 CitMal 在上半身和下半身阻力练习中对重复力竭的影响。对冲的g计算安慰剂和 CitMal 试验之间的标准化平均差 (SMD) 并将其用于随机效应模型。对上半身和下半身锻炼进行了两个单独的子分析。八项研究，包括 137 名参与者，其中包括受过力量训练的男性 ( n  = 101) 和女性 ( n  = 26)，以及未经训练的男性 ( n  = 9)，符合纳入标准。在这些研究中，进行了 14 次单关节和多关节练习，每次练习 5 ± 3 组，平均总重复次数为 51 ± 23 次，最大重复次数约为 70%。与安慰剂相比，在运动前 40-60 分钟补充 6-8 克 CitMal 可使重复次数增加 3 ± 5（6.4 ± 7.9%）（p = .022)，SMD 较小 (0.196)。对下半身的子分析导致补充剂的影响趋势（8.1 ± 8.4%，SMD：0.27，p  = .051），而对上半身没有显着影响（5.7 ± 8.4%，SMD：0.16，p  = .131)。目前的分析观察到 CitMal 与安慰剂相比具有较小的增效作用。因此，急性 CitMal 补充剂可以在高强度力量训练期间延缓疲劳并增强肌肉耐力。