Is it true that citric acid can help with fatigue recovery?
This article explains the effects of citric acid based on evidence, including the appropriate methods and timing of intake, as well as important precautions.

What is citric acid?

Citric acid is an organic acid found in foods such as citrus fruits and pickled plums, as well as in plants. In the body, citric acid can be synthesized during the process of sugar metabolism, and the citric acid synthesized in the body becomes the starting point of a metabolic process called the citric acid cycle.

Citric acid, a component that gives food its sour taste, is used as a food additive and also plays a role in metabolism in the body, such as inhibiting sugar breakdown and promoting fatty acid synthesis.

What foods contain citric acid?

Citric acid is abundant in the following foods:

• Lemon
  
• Salted plum
• Cassis
• dried tomatoes
  
• passion fruit
  
• Dried mango

Although the amount is lower, citric acid is also found in citrus fruits such as grapefruit and oranges.
Commercially available lemon juice is easier to use than fresh lemons and can be easily incorporated into daily life. Dried fruit and dried mango have a long shelf life, so there is less worry about them spoiling.

Drugstores and online retailers offer citric acid products in jelly and powder forms, as well as citric acid supplements. These are convenient for efficiently replenishing citric acid.

Evidence that citric acid can help with fatigue recovery

Some research reports suggest that consuming citric acid, a component that supports energy metabolism, can help reduce fatigue caused by energy deficiency.
This article provides a detailed explanation of the research content, results, and the mechanisms of energy metabolism that require citrate.

Research report suggests citric acid is helpful for relieving fatigue.

A study was conducted on 18 healthy men and women who orally administered citric acid (2,700 mg/day) and L-carnitine (1,000 mg/day) to investigate the effects on fatigue. *1

Citric acid is an essential organic acid in the process of converting the three major nutrients into carbon dioxide and water to generate energy. Ingesting citric acid is thought to activate a part of energy metabolism and increase the amount of energy source produced, thus helping to reduce fatigue when energy is depleted during prolonged exercise.

Furthermore, those who ingested citric acid reported reduced subjective fatigue levels before, during, and after exercise compared to those who did not ingest citric acid. Since L-carnitine intake did not result in a reduction in subjective fatigue, citric acid may be promoting fatigue recovery.

However, this study involved a small number of participants, making its reliability questionable. Furthermore, research on citric acid and fatigue recovery is currently limited, so over-reliance on these findings should be avoided.

The citric acid cycle helps prevent summer fatigue.

In the body, energy is basically produced through three reactions: glycolysis, the citric acid cycle (TCA cycle), and the electron transport chain. Ingesting citric acid can activate the citric acid cycle, which may help prevent energy deficiency during the summer.

Energy is generated through the following process:

1. Glucose is metabolized to pyruvate or lactate (glycolysis).
2. Pyruvate is broken down into acetyl-CoA, which then produces citrate.
3. A series of chemical reactions begin with citric acid (the citric acid cycle).
4. The hydrogen generated in the citric acid cycle is used to produce a large amount of ATP (electron transport chain).
5. ATP is broken down to generate energy.

ATP is an energy source, and when ATP is broken down, the energy necessary for physical activity and maintaining life is generated.
Citric acid is essential for the process of producing ATP, an energy source. By consuming citric acid and promoting the activation of the citric acid cycle, you can expect more efficient energy replenishment. As a result, it may be easier to prevent summer fatigue caused by energy deficiency.

The appropriate way and timing to take citric acid to maximize its effects

Taking citric acid alone is unlikely to provide sufficient fatigue recovery. It is important to take citric acid in a balanced way with other nutrients that are expected to have anti-fatigue effects, such as vitamin B1, alpha-lipoic acid, pantothenic acid, L-carnitine, and imidazole peptides.

In studies where a reduction in subjective fatigue was confirmed, citric acid was consumed at breakfast. *2
Furthermore, when taking citric acid to promote the removal of lactic acid produced by exercise, the rate of lactic acid metabolism is the same whether you take it 30 minutes before exercise or immediately after exercise.

Citric acid is best consumed in combination with other nutrients, at times such as breakfast or before and after exercise. It's also recommended to consume citric acid during hot weather.

Even when you have no appetite due to the heat, you might be able to eat refreshing dishes that use pickled plums or lemons. Since reduced food intake due to summer fatigue can lead to energy deficiency, it's a good idea to consume citric acid to stimulate energy production.

What are the downsides of citric acid? What precautions should be taken when consuming it?

Citric acid is generally safe when consumed in moderation, but it can damage tooth enamel, so it's a good idea to rinse your mouth with water after consuming it.
Additionally, consuming large amounts at once may cause symptoms such as stomach pain or abdominal pain, and taking citric acid on an empty stomach may irritate the stomach.

This article will introduce three disadvantages of citric acid and explain precautions to take when consuming it.

Consuming large amounts at once can put a strain on the digestive system.

Ingesting large amounts of acidic citric acid at once can strain the digestive system and cause symptoms such as stomach pain and abdominal pain.
Supplements and powdered products are convenient for easily supplementing citric acid, but consuming more than the recommended daily amount may lead to an excess of citric acid. Some supplements contain concentrated ingredients, so it is essential to always follow the indicated dosage to use them safely.

According to food health risk assessments based on the Basic Food Safety Act, oral intake of citric acid from food or food additives is considered unlikely to result in excessive intake and therefore poses no risk to health. *3
When taking citric acid supplements or powders, be sure to follow the recommended dosage to avoid digestive symptoms.

Because it is acidic, it may damage tooth enamel.

Because citric acid is acidic, frequent consumption may have adverse effects on tooth enamel.
Citric acid has the following effects, which can easily lead to tooth softening:

• It removes phosphate from the calcium phosphate in teeth.
  
• It removes calcium ions from tooth structure.

The process of removing calcium ions from tooth enamel is accelerated when sugar is added to citric acid.
To reduce the strain on your teeth, consume foods and soft drinks containing citric acid quickly and in a short amount of time, and rinse your mouth with water afterward.

Taking it on an empty stomach may irritate the stomach.

Some people experience stomach irritation and discomfort when consuming citric acid on an empty stomach.
Stomach acid is secreted even when you're hungry, but the amount secreted is less than after a meal. Since stomach acid also plays a role in protecting the stomach lining, the stomach tends to be more susceptible to irritation when its secretion is low due to hunger.

It's important to incorporate citric acid into your diet in a way that suits your physical condition and doesn't strain your body. If you have a sensitive stomach, it's best to avoid taking citric acid on an empty stomach and instead take it after meals.

Summary

Ingesting citric acid is thought to activate a metabolic process called the citric acid cycle, which in turn increases energy production. Therefore, it can be expected to reduce fatigue caused by energy deficiency.

Although citric acid is generally safe, it may damage tooth enamel, so rinse your mouth with water after ingesting it. Also, taking more than the recommended daily intake of supplements or powders may cause stomach pain or abdominal pain due to excessive citric acid intake, so be sure to strictly adhere to the recommended dosage.

If you consume citric acid from food or food additives, there is no risk of harming your health. If you want to use citric acid to help with fatigue recovery, please refer to the precautions for consumption introduced in this article and try to incorporate it into your diet safely.