Kyowa Hakko Receives Patent on L-Citrulline and L-Arginine Combination to Rapidly Increase Blood Flow

Kyowa Hakko Bio Co. Ltd. announces that it has received a patent for the combination of the amino acids L-citrulline and L-arginine. The patent protects the use of L-citrulline and L-arginine in formulations used to rapidly and effectively increase blood L-arginine levels.
L-arginine is an amino acid critical to the production of nitric oxide (NO) in the body. NO helps regulate and improve blood circulation. L-citrulline is a major precursor to L-arginine and has been shown in other studies to increase L-arginine levels, and thus improve NO production.
“We measured blood L- arginine levels and Nitric Oxide levels 40 minutes and 60 minutes after amino acids administration. At both time points, the combination of L-citrulline and L-arginine had a better effect than the single amino acids,” said Ryusuke Nakagiri, senior director of strategic science at Kyowa Hakko USA.
A related animal study published in November 2014 in Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications showed that L-citrulline plus L-arginine supplementation caused a more rapid increase in plasma L-arginine levels and marked enhancement of NO bioavailability, including plasma cGMP (Cyclic guanosine monophosphate) concentrations, than with dosage with the single amino acids.¹
Kyowa Hakko Bio Co. Ltd. manufactures both L-citrulline and L-arginine at its Cape Girardeau, Missouri, facility.

About Kyowa Hakko’s L-Citrulline

L-citrulline is an amino acid that plays an important role in nitric oxide metabolism and regulation. L-citrulline is converted to L-arginine in the body, leading to sustained increases in both L-arginine and nitric oxide. An ingredient with application in the areas of heart health and sports nutrition, L-citrulline is preservative-free, allergen-free, and contains no artificial flavors or colors. It’s non-hygroscopic, highly stable, and mild taste make it suitable for use in a variety of formulations. This pure, vegetarian ingredient is also self-affirmed GRAS. Manufactured in the US using a proprietary fermentation process, L-citrulline is an ultrapure amino acid that carries the Kyowa Quality logo, ensuring that the ingredient is backed by our commitment to the highest manufacturing standards.

About Kyowa Hakko USA

Kyowa Hakko USA Inc. is the North American sales office for Kyowa Hakko Bio Co. Ltd., an international health ingredients manufacturer and world leader in the development, manufacturing and marketing of pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals and food products. Kyowa is the maker of branded ingredients including Cognizin Citicoline, Pantesin Pantethine, Setria Glutathione, and Sustamine L-Alanyl-L-Glutamine. For more information, visit http://www.kyowa-usa.com.

Notes

1. Morita M, Hayashi T, Ochiai M, et al. Oral supplementation with a combination of L-citrulline and L-arginine rapidly increases plasma L-arginine concentration and enhances NO bioavailability. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 7 November 2014;454(1):53–57. ISSN 0006-291X. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.bbrc.2014.10.029.