L-Citrulline, Beta-Alanine & L-Tyrosine

L-citrulline, beta-alanine and L-tyrosine reference formula with default amounts of 6,000 mg, 1,600 mg and 500 mg per serving, developed as a powder.

L-Citrulline, Beta-Alanine & L-Tyrosine is a reference formula for brands building a pre-workout amino acid powder, with each ingredient declared by weight. The default serving carries 6,000 mg of L-citrulline, 1,600 mg of beta-alanine and 500 mg of L-tyrosine, and the brand sets the final amounts, the amino acid forms and the surrounding stimulant and flavor system for its market.

A powder is the only format on the reference labels, sold as a tub with a scoop. The reference labels commonly add caffeine and L-theanine, so the development work centers on the solubility and taste of three amino acids at gram doses, mixing, and how the brand treats caffeine and other stimulants around the three core ingredients.

Ingredient Composition

IngredientPer ServingRaw Material FormAlternative Form (same amount of active)
L-Citrulline6000 mg (default amount)L-citrulline free form; specification 6,000 mg per serving, with assay and optical purity set with the supplierCitrulline malate at the weight that gives the same L-citrulline, with the malate ratio stated
Beta-Alanine1600 mg (default amount)Beta-alanine powder, optionally in a slow-release form; specification 1,600 mg per serving, with assay set with the supplierA slow-release beta-alanine at the same weight
L-Tyrosine500 mg (default amount)L-tyrosine free form; specification 500 mg per serving, with assay set with the supplierN-acetyl-L-tyrosine at an adjusted weight, declared on a stated basis

The amounts are as declared on the label. If a brand uses citrulline malate, the label states the L-citrulline amount and the malate ratio. The labels name the ingredients as L-citrulline, beta-alanine and L-tyrosine; the forms are set in the specification.

Intended Benefits & Formula Rationale

This formula is designed for products positioned around pre-workout and sports nutrition. The three amino acids are combined so that the forms, the taste and the powder can be set together.

Intended Benefit DirectionKey IngredientsFormulation Rationale
High-intensity exerciseBeta-AlanineA systematic review and meta-analysis of 18 studies (331 trained young males) found a significant overall effect size of 0.39 (95% CI 0.09 to 0.69) in favor of beta-alanine against placebo for maximal intensity efforts lasting 0.5 to 10 minutes, with significant effects at 4 weeks and at 5.6 to 6.4 g per day [1]. Evidence: Referenced
Endurance performanceL-CitrullineA systematic review and meta-analysis of nine studies (158 participants) found no significant difference in time to exhaustion or time to completion after acute citrulline against a control in young healthy adults, and calls for more research [2]. Evidence: Mixed
Pre-workout amino acid blendL-Citrulline, Beta-Alanine, L-TyrosineIncluded as three amino acids commonly combined in pre-workout powders. Evidence: Product positioning

The default amounts are starting points, and the brand sets the final amounts and the format for its market.

Available Formats

The reference formula is built for a powder version; counts per serving are design choices that the brand can adjust.

FormatUnitPer ServingPack SizeOther Ingredients (typical)Suitability
Powder1 scoop6000 mg L-citrulline + 1600 mg beta-alanine + 500 mg L-tyrosine30 servings per tubNatural flavor, sweetener, acid, thickener, flow agentLead format; mixed in water

Raw Material Input & Fill (Design Estimate)

Design estimates. The three amino acids are assumed at 100% of the declared weight, so they weigh 8.1 g per serving, and the flavor, sweetener and acid system adds about 1.7 g to reach the scoop of 9.8 g seen on the reference label.

FormatRaw Material Input per ServingDesign FillBalance for ExcipientsVerification Before Scale-Up
Powder6.0 g L-citrulline; 1.6 g beta-alanine; 0.5 g L-tyrosineAbout 9.8 g per scoopAbout 1.7 g flavor, sweetener, acid and flow agentBlend uniformity, solubility, taste, caking, assay of each amino acid

Capsule and tablet versions are not offered, because gram-level amino acid doses are not practical in those formats. Ready-to-drink versions are separate projects.

Formulation Considerations

Solubility and taste. L-citrulline and L-tyrosine dissolve slowly and L-tyrosine is poorly soluble in water. Particle size and mixing are tested in cold water, and beta-alanine can cause a tingling sensation that brands often manage with a split serving or a slow-release form.
Blend uniformity. At gram doses with a 500 mg tyrosine component, the three amino acids must be blended evenly. A blending study with samples from the top, middle and bottom of the batch is part of the pilot run.
Caffeine and stimulants. The reference labels commonly add caffeine and L-theanine. The brand decides whether to add them, and the caffeine amount, the label statements and the market rules on stimulants are reviewed for each sales market.
Evidence and claims. The beta-alanine result rests on 5.6 to 6.4 g per day for the highest dose band and the citrulline result was not significant [1][2], so claims on a finished product are reviewed for each sales market before a product is developed.

Customization Options

Brands adjust the amino acid amounts and forms, the stimulant system and the flavor.

ParameterRangeNote
L-citrulline per serving2000 to 8000 mg across the reference labelsCitrulline malate changes the label basis
Beta-alanine per serving1250 to 3500 mg across the reference labelsA higher daily dose is spread over several servings
L-tyrosine per serving250 to 2000 mg across the reference labelsForm decides solubility
FormatPowderCapsule and tablet are not offered
Add-onsCaffeine, L-theanine, betaineEach add-on changes the label and the market review

The pilot run confirms the blend uniformity, the solubility and taste at the full scoop, and the assay of each amino acid.

Flavor Options

FormatSuggested FlavorsWhy
PowderFruit punch, blue raspberry, lemon-lime, watermelonStrong fruit and acid notes cover the amino acid taste

Technical Status & Data Sources

ItemStatusDetails
Reference formulaNIH DSLDThe ingredients and amounts come from a labeled product in the NIH DSLD (L-Citrulline 6000 mg + Beta-Alanine 1600 mg + L-Tyrosine 500 mg on the label of CF013663; example DSLD labels 202318, 277638, 278413). The label names the ingredients as L-citrulline, beta-alanine and L-tyrosine; the forms are set in the specification.
SpecificationSet in formulationL-citrulline, beta-alanine and L-tyrosine in the forms chosen with the suppliers; assay, optical purity, heavy metal and microbial limits and methods are fixed with the suppliers. Unit size, fill weight and stability are set in formulation.
Data sourceNIH DSLDDSLD v9.4.0, downloaded 2026-01-10: 50,824 reference formulas merged from on-market labels with complete ingredient amounts. Counts show how labels are distributed.
Market reviewPer marketDose limits, labeling and claims are reviewed for each sales market before a finished product is developed.
ReferencesSources[1] Georgiou GD, Antoniou K, Antoniou S, et al. Effect of Beta-Alanine Supplementation on Maximal Intensity Exercise in Trained Young Male Individuals: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2024;34(6):397-412. DOI · PubMed<br>[2] Harnden CS, Agu J, Gascoyne T. Effects of citrulline on endurance performance in young healthy adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2023;20(1):2209056. DOI · PubMed

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