2 Weeks of Citrulline Supplementation on Arterial Function in Postmenopausal Women With Elevated Blood Pressure or Hypertension

What this trial studies

The objective of this project is to elucidate the effect of L-Citrulline (L-CIT) supplementation on vascular function at rest and during rhythmic handgrip exercise and functional sympatholysis via lower-body negative pressure in postmenopausal women with elevated blood pressure and hypertension.

Conditions in scope

• Menopause
• Hypertension

Interventions

• L-Citrulline (Dietary Supplement) — 2 weeks of L-Citrulline supplementation (6 grams/day)
• Placebo (Dietary Supplement) — 2 weeks of microcrystalline cellulose supplementation (8 capsules/day)

Who can join

Women only · Ages 50 Years to 70 Years · Accepts healthy volunteers.

Inclusion criteria

• Postmenopausal women (defined as the absence of menstruation for at least 1 year).
• Resting systolic blood pressure 120-150 mmHg.
• Between the ages of 50 - 70 years.
• Sedentary (\< 120 minutes of exercise/week).
• Body mass index of 25 - 39.9 kg/m2.
• Fasting glucose \< 126 mg/dL and HbA1c \< 6.5%.

Exclusion criteria

• Body mass index ≥ 40 or \< 25 kg/m2.
• Systolic blood pressure \> 150 mmHg.
• Taking more than two antihypertensive medications.
• Cardiovascular diseases, type I/II diabetes, musculoskeletal disorders, or cancer.
• Changes in hypertensive medication in the past three months.
• Began or changed hormone replacement therapy in the past 6 months.
• Current smoker.
• Heavy drinking (\> 7 alcoholic drinks/week).

Eligibility wording paraphrased from the public record. View the full criteria on ClinicalTrials.gov before contacting a site.

Where it’s happening

Status & timeline

• Overall status: Completed
• Study type: Interventional
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: 2023-07-20
• Primary completion: 2024-07-01
• Last update posted: 2025-05-15
• First posted: 2023-09-06

Sponsor & contact

Lead sponsor: Texas Tech University (Other)

For trial site contact information, use the official record at ClinicalTrials.gov. Contact details change frequently and the public record is the source of truth.

Outcome measures

Primary outcomes

• Macrovascular endothelial function at rest (2 weeks of each intervention)
  Endothelial function will be assessed via brachial artery flow-mediated vasodilation (ultrasonography) during reactive hyperemia at baseline and after 2 weeks of each supplementation.
• Microvascular endothelial function at rest (2 weeks of each intervention)
  Endothelial function will be assessed via peripheral arterial tonometry (endoPAT) during reactive hyperemia at baseline and after 2 weeks of each supplementation.
• Microvascular endothelial function at rest (2 weeks of each intervention)
  Endothelial function will be assessed using forearm muscle oxygen saturation (near-infrared spectroscopy) during reactive hyperemia before and after 2 weeks of each supplementation.
• Brachial artery blood flow at rest and during rhythmic handgrip exercise with and without lower-body negative pressure (2 weeks of each intervention)
  Blood flow will be measured via Doppler ultrasound before and after 2 weeks of each intervention.
• Forearm muscle oxygenation at rest and during rhythmic handgrip exercise with and without lower-body negative pressure (2 weeks of each intervention)
  Muscle oxygen saturation will be measured via near-infrared spectroscopy before and after 2 weeks of each intervention.

Related ClearedRx care

If you’re reading this trial because you have menopause symptoms now, you don’t have to wait for a trial to access evidence-based care. ClearedRx prescribes the same FDA-approved and compounded HRT products that have been studied in trials like this one for decades.