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Head-to-head evidence comparison — which supplement is right for you?
Citrulline Malate vs Electrolyte Complex: Electrolyte Complex has the stronger overall evidence (7 vs 6/10); they're alternatives for speed up recovery — the best pick depends on your goals. Take the 60-second quiz for a pick tailored to your goals.
Electrolyte Complex wins 2 of 3 categories. Both are solid choices — the best pick depends on your specific goals.
Verdict
Probably helps
2 of 3 studies with measurable effects showed benefit.
Top outcomes
Verdict
Too few graded studies
Top outcomes
Shared outcomes (2)
Outcomes where both Citrulline Malate and Electrolyte Complex have evidence — compare verdict strength side-by-side.
6-8g citrulline malate pre-workout
30-60 minutes before exercise, Empty stomach or with light carbs
Citrulline Malate 2:1 powder
Sodium 1000-3000mg, Potassium 1000-3500mg, Magnesium 200-400mg daily (varies by needs). These are typical label doses, no cited trial states the dose it used.
Before/during/after exercise, Throughout the day on keto/fasting
Powder or capsules with balanced electrolyte blend
and 1 more not shown
Acute (within session)
Acute
24-48 hours
Acute
Immediate
Immediate
Immediate
Immediate
Acute Effect of Citrulline Malate on Repetition Performance During Strength Training: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism (2021) · Meta analysis · n=137
Meta-analysis of 8 double-blind placebo-controlled studies with 137 participants, most of them strength-trained men.
Impact of Chronic Nitrate and Citrulline Malate Supplementation on Performance and Recovery in Spanish Professional Female Soccer Players: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Nutrients (2025) · Rct · n=34
Plasma NO3- concentrations significantly increased from baseline in the NIT + CM group and remained elevated 24 h after the final dose, confirming sustained systemic exposure.
Effects of Acute Citrulline Malate Supplementation on CrossFit(®) Exercise Performance: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Cross-Over Study
Nutrients (2024) · Crossover · n=21
The results indicated no significant difference in the number of rounds completed between the CM and placebo conditions (13.5 ± 5.2 vs. 13.8 ± 6.7 rounds, respectively; p = 0.587).
Polymer-based oral rehydration solution for treating acute watery diarrhoea
The Cochrane database of systematic reviews (2016) · Meta analysis · n=4284
Polymer-based ORS may decrease mean stool output in the first 24 hours by 24 mL/kg (mean difference (MD) -24.60 mL/kg, 95% CI -40.69 to -8.51; one trial, 99 participants, low quality evidence).
Oral rehydration salt solution for treating cholera: ≤ 270 mOsm/L solutions vs ≥ 310 mOsm/L solutions
The Cochrane database of systematic reviews (2011) · Meta analysis · n=718
We found no statistically significant difference in the need for unscheduled intravenous infusion.
Travellers' diarrhoea
BMJ clinical evidence (2015) · Systematic review
BMJ Clinical Evidence systematic review of 24 studies on treating acute mild to moderate travellers' diarrhoea in adults, with a GRADE rating for each treatment.
At 6 g, a single dose before resistance exercise did not change soreness over 72 hours in a double-blind crossover of 9 untrained men (PMID 29057836). At 8 g the three trials disagree. In a crossover of 41 men, soreness was 40% lower at 24 and 48 hours, and 14.63% reported stomach discomfort (PMID 20386132). In 19 resistance-trained adults doing German Volume Training, total soreness was lower than on placebo (PMID 30458655). In recreationally active adults on an isokinetic version of the same protocol, soreness was higher with citrulline malate over 72 hours (PMID 30097067). The effect at 8 g is set low for that reason. No trial compared doses. A meta-analysis of 13 trials, where 8 g was the most frequent dose, found less soreness at 24 hours but not at 48 or 72 hours (PMID 33308806).
AI-estimated from published studies. Interpret as directional guidance.
Electrolyte Complex has a higher evidence score (7/10 vs 6/10) and wins in 2 of 3 categories.
For speed up recovery, Electrolyte Complex has a higher relevance score (95 vs 62).
No documented interaction was found in the data searched. This does not establish that this exact combination is safe.
The right pick depends on your goals. Answer a few quick questions for a personalised recommendation — or dig into the full evidence on each.