Citrulline Malate vs. Citrulline HCl: The Two Forms in MemoHoney Compared
Citrulline HCl is citrulline bound to hydrochloride (~80% citrulline by weight); citrulline malate binds it to malic acid (~55–65% citrulline). MemoHoney's 100 mg of each delivers roughly 140–145 mg of actual citrulline combined. Malate adds a Krebs-cycle intermediate with minor energy relevance; HCl is a purer citrulline source. Both feed the same nitric oxide pathway.
- HCl ≈ 80% citrulline
- Malate ≈ 60% citrulline
- ~145 mg real citrulline combined
- Same downstream pathway
Why citrulline comes as a salt
Free-base citrulline is a stable crystalline amino acid, but manufacturers often use salts to improve solubility, flow and taste in powders. Hydrochloride salts are compact and deliver a high proportion of active. Malate salts pair the amino acid with malic acid, which is itself a metabolite and adds a tart taste that works well in flavoured powders. In a capsule the taste advantage is irrelevant, so the choice is mostly about sourcing and label appearance.
Citrulline malate: what the research uses
Almost all sports-nutrition trials use citrulline malate, typically 6–8 g in a 2:1 citrulline-to-malate ratio, taken an hour before exercise. Outcomes include modest improvements in repetitions to fatigue and reductions in post-exercise soreness. Whether malate contributes anything beyond the citrulline is unresolved — a few studies suggest malate's Krebs-cycle role helps aerobic energy, but the effect is not separable from the citrulline in most designs.
Citrulline HCl: the purer option
HCl salts carry less non-active weight, so gram for gram they supply more citrulline. Fewer trials use the HCl form specifically, but because the active molecule is identical the pharmacokinetics are expected to match pure citrulline. Including both forms in MemoHoney is likely a formulation decision — two named sources on the label — rather than a synergy claim.
Converting MemoHoney's label
100 mg citrulline HCl ≈ 80 mg citrulline. 100 mg citrulline malate (assuming a 2:1 ratio) ≈ 65 mg citrulline. Combined: roughly 145 mg of active citrulline, plus about 35 mg of malate. Against a research range of 3,000–6,000 mg of citrulline, that is around 3–5%. The direction is right and citrulline is the most efficient precursor available; the amount is small.
What this means for MemoHoney
MemoHoney's two citrulline forms are the same active ingredient in two wrappers. Combined they deliver about 145 mg of citrulline — the formula's best-designed component, at its most modest dose.
| Ingredient | Per capsule | Research / RDA range |
|---|---|---|
| Niacin (Vitamin B3) | 7.5 mg NE | 14–16 mg NE (RDA) |
| Calcium | 18 mg | 1,000–1,200 mg (RDA) |
| L-Arginine (base) | 200 mg | 3,000–6,000 mg |
| L-Arginine AKG 2:1 | 200 mg | 3,000–6,000 mg |
| L-Citrulline HCl | 100 mg | 3,000–8,000 mg |
| L-Citrulline Malate | 100 mg | 3,000–8,000 mg |
| Beta-Alanine | 40 mg | 2,000–6,000 mg |
Every MemoHoney amount is printed on the label — no proprietary blend. Full analysis on the ingredients page; mechanism on how it works.
Key takeaways
- Convert salt weights: ~145 mg real citrulline from two 100 mg lines.
- Malate may add a trivial energy contribution; HCl is purer.
- Both feed nitric oxide; neither approaches research doses here.
FAQ
Pure L-citrulline or the HCl salt deliver the most citrulline per gram. Malate is the most-studied form for exercise, mainly by historical convention.
It is a Krebs-cycle intermediate and, at gram doses, may support aerobic energy. At ~35 mg in MemoHoney it is inconsequential.
Most likely for label presentation and sourcing. There is no evidence of synergy between the two salts.