Introduction
We all know this water-filled fruit is great for hydration. Intuitively, it makes sense. Watermelon is made up of many nutrients and vitamins, but the majority of its substance is just water. No wonder it is a highly favored snack in the heat of the summer. But, beyond its immense hydrating capabilities, new studies are showing the benefits of watermelon in optimizing your immediate recovery after a strenuous exercise.
We all know this water-filled fruit is great for hydration. Intuitively, it makes sense. Watermelon is made up of many nutrients and vitamins, but the majority of its substance is just water. No wonder it is a highly favored snack in the heat of the summer. But, beyond its immense hydrating capabilities, new studies are showing the benefits of watermelon in optimizing your immediate recovery after a strenuous exercise.
Background Imagine you are doing a high intensity exercise like bar dips. You are reaching your desired set number when you start to feel that burning fatigue in your muscles. That sensation is lactic acid building up in your muscles. Lactic acid isn't a bad thing. It's actually the biproduct of your muscles using |
energy in a high intensity exercise. The pathway is simple shown below with pyruvate (a glycolysis biproduct) is converted in to lactic acid to create energy within the muscles. Don't worry. There is a reason for this. Evolutionarily, lactic acid is a protective signal to warn you that if you were to continue much further, it might cause damage or injury. So, to keep you from hurting yourself, your body builds up lactic acid, creating acidosis in the muscle, and you feel burning in the muscles.
Notice that when you stop the exercise, the burning sensation slowly fades. Biologically, this is when your body is recovering. After a short amount of time your body reverts back to homeostasis by converting the lactic acid back to pyruvate where it can again be used for energy and the burning sensation disappears.
Therefore, lactic acid, although a good warning signal, is the limiting factor for reaching maximal effort and recovering faster so you can persist in breaking down the most muscle fibers.
Therefore, lactic acid, although a good warning signal, is the limiting factor for reaching maximal effort and recovering faster so you can persist in breaking down the most muscle fibers.
The Answer: L-Citrulline
L-citrulline is an amino acid that assists in biological functions that make lactic acid a limiting factor. Its main function is in the improved rate of recovering pyruvate from lactic acid. Once you begin reaching maximal effort, and lactic acid starts accumulating, L-citrulline gets right to work at cleaning it out. This means that you can perform MORE reps before the burning sensation kicks in, and you can recover more muscle fibers to be used for the next set FASTER.
L-citrulline is an amino acid that assists in biological functions that make lactic acid a limiting factor. Its main function is in the improved rate of recovering pyruvate from lactic acid. Once you begin reaching maximal effort, and lactic acid starts accumulating, L-citrulline gets right to work at cleaning it out. This means that you can perform MORE reps before the burning sensation kicks in, and you can recover more muscle fibers to be used for the next set FASTER.
SO, where can you find this pre-workout enhancer. L-citrulline is most commonly and abundantly found in watermelon. Just one or two pieces of a watermelon wedge can give you sufficient amount of this amino acid to get the absolute most out of your workouts. And, tis the season, so get as much watermelon as you can before it is out of the stores. Hydrate your body and prime it for exercise by eating watermelon this summer. |