Table 3 Changes in serum levels of CIT, glycemic response and inflammatory factors over the study

Citrulline (nmol/mL)

 Baseline

13.38 (11.74, 44.52)

11.01 (3.62, 72.07)

2.37

0.318^e

 End

30.47 (20.91, 68.76)

7.09 (3.27, 55.45)

0.79 (0.24, 1.35)

0.006^f

 MD (95% CI)

17.09

− 3.92

 p

< 0.001^d

0.168^d

Fasting blood glucose (mg/dL)

 Baseline

157.91 (41.73)

163.40 (59.76)

− 5.49 (− 36.36, 25.37)

0.721^b

 End

134.91 (32.23)

160.72 (61.44)

− 21.64 (− 41.32, − 1.96)

0.032^c

 MD (95% CI)

− 23 (− 33.52, − 12.47)

− 2.68 (− 21.01, 15.64)

 p

< 0.001^a

0.764^a

HbA1c (%)

 Baseline

7.21 (1.21)

6.97 (1.53)

0.24 (− 0.59, 1.07)

0.562^b

 End

6.75 (1.35)

7.28 (1.31)

− 0.66 (−  1.02, − 0.307)

0.001^c

 MD (95% CI)

− 0.46 (− 0.74, − 0.17)

0.31 (0.04, 0.58)

 p

0.003^a

0.024^a

HOMA-B

 Baseline

66.77 (39.46, 109.87)

55.93 (25.49, 112.40)

10.84

(0.555)^e

 End

68.05 (28.37, 124.22)

79.52 (35.54, 152.95)

− 0.08 (− 0.22, 0.05)

0.238^f

 MD (95% CI)

1.28

23.59

 p

0.808^d

0.277^d

QUICKI

 Baseline

0.28 (0.27, 0.31)

0.29 (0.27, 0.36)

− 0.01

(0.874)^e

 End

0.30 (0.28, 0.34)

0.29 (0.27, 0.30)

134.96 (− 81.30, 351.24)

0.214^f

 MD (95% CI)

0.02

0.00

 p

0.211^d

0.140^d

MCP-1(ng/l)

 Baseline

67.02 (56.04, 593.27)

102.38 (59.22, 798.10)

− 35.36

(0.570)^e

 End

60.30 (43.37, 686.51)

95.38 (50.79, 916.19)

0.02 (− 0.16, 0.22)

0.757^f

 MD (95% CI)

− 6.72

− 7.00

 p

0.094^d

0.338^d

TLR4)ng/ml)

 Baseline

4.98 (4.41, 19.11)

7.79 (4.73, 18.38)

− 2.81

(0.555)^e

 End

4.31 (4.07, 18.17)

7.29 (4.63, 18.94)

− 6.45 (− 13.89, 0.98)

0.087^f

 MD (95% CI)

− 0.67

0.50

 p

0.002^d

0.846^d

IL-6 (ng/l)

 Baseline

94.40 (61.38, 592.51)

90.78 (59.65, 269.62)

3.62

(0.794)^e

 End

88.62 (50.77, 480.35)

97.20 (70.60, 386.25)

− 0.08 (− 0.18, 0.01)

0.109^f

 MD (95% CI)

− 5.78

6.42

 p

 < 0.001^d

0.042^d