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Completed

NCT Number: NCT00756080

"Effects of Oral Citrulline on Protein Metabolism in Healthy Humans: a Prospective, Randomized, Double-blind , Cross-over Study" (Citrugrêle)

The specific aim of this study is to determine whether oral citrulline administration enhances whole body protein synthesis in healthy humans in the postabsorptive state. Protein metabolism will be assessed using an intravenous infusion of stable isotope labeled leucine. The investigators hypothesize that citrulline supplementation will decrease leucine oxidation without altering proteolysis, and consequently stimulate protein synthesis .

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Key information

Conditions

Healthy Subjects

Age range

18 year–45 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Phase 1

Primary location

CHU Nantes

Nantes, 44093, France

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Healthy adult between 18 and 45 years of age
  • Absence of any earlier supplementation with citrulline, glutamine, ornithine a-ketoglutarate, or stimol®
  • Absence of any treatment with anabolic agents during the month prior to inclusion in the study- No current artificial feeding (enteral or parenteral)
  • No renal, cardiac, respiratory or hepatic insufficiency
  • No chronic inflammatory disease (intestinal or other
  • No current corticotherapy
  • Fasting blood glucose below 6mmol/L (126 mg/dL)
  • Body mass index between 19 and 24.9
  • Patient able to understand benefits and risks of protocol
  • Not pregnant, taking oral contraceptive measure if able to procreate
  • Subject affiliated to French health insurance (Sécurité Sociale)
  • Informed consent form signed
  • No concomitant participation to another clinical trial, and compliance with the exclusion period required by law

Exclusion criteria

  • Subject not fulfilling inclusion criteria
  • Subject mentioned in articles L1121-5 to L1121-8 of "code de la santé publique"
  • Subject for whom the participation in this clinical trial would result, by cumulating stipends received for other clinical trials, in earning more than 4500 € within 12 consecutive months

Treatment and study plan

Citrulline

Drug

0.06 G/kg three times/day during 7 days

Placebo

Drug

placebo (equimolar mixture of 6 non essential amino acids: alanine, aspartate, glycine, histidine, proline, serine) 0,006 g/kg 3 times/day during 7 days

Primary outcomes

  1. To determine whether oral citrulline administration enhances whole body protein synthesis in healthy humans in the psotabsorptive state, as measured using an intravenous infusion of stable isotope labeled leucine

Secondary outcomes

  1. Using a 12-h urine collection, to confirm the positive effect of oral citrulline administration on nitrogen balance observed in preliminary studies (Rougé et al, Am J Physiol 293:G1061, 2007)

  2. To determine whether the putative protein anabolic effect of citrulline is mediated by insulin or insulin-like-growth factor 1 (IGF-1), based on measurement of their plasma concentrations

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Nantes University Hospital

Other

Registry information

Official study title

"Effects of Oral Citrulline on Protein Metabolism in Healthy Humans: a Prospective, Randomized, Double-blind , Cross-over Study"

Important dates

Study start
2008
Primary completion
2009
Study completion
2009
First posted
Sep 19, 2008
Registry last updated
Sep 14, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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