Glutamine

What is Glutamine?

L-Glutamine is an amino acid which helps regulate muscle mass and more importantly boosts the immune system.  Over trained athletes are consistently found to have a Glutamine deficiency.  Glutamine supplementation should help minimise athletic down time due to illness and permit harder training regimes to be maintained.

Does Glutamine affect the immune system?

Immune systems are challenged by intensive exercise and such overtraining decreases blood glutamine levels. Studies have shown that overtraining causes a drop in plasma glutamine levels causing a high infection rate in over trained athletes. Glutamine supplementation should restore normal physiological levels, thus providing ideal conditions for cells of the immune system to function normally and to fight viral/bacterial attacks more effectively.

How does Glutamine prevent loss of muscle mass?

Overall evidence indicates that maintaining high levels of intramuscular glutamine is essential to prevent muscle wasting. Bodybuilders use glutamine in different ways: Some “load up” on it when they first start taking it, consuming up to 20 extra grams a day to help support cell volumizing and enhance muscle fullness. For bodybuilders consuming glutamine-fortified meal replacement powders daily, supplementing with 2-4 extra grams of glutamine a day immediately after workouts and before going to sleep, may offer advantages.

Does Glutamine affect the metabolism of sugar?

Because Glutamine can be converted to glucose itself, and doesn’t really result in increased insulin levels you won’t get the fat storing effect that insulin produces. A low glucose or carbohydrate intake when on a low fat diet may result in muscle breakdown. Supplemental Glutamine could protect muscle tissue during dieting phases.

Glutamine is a versatile supplement. It can provide a good basis for an athlete to train intensively but also to minimise illness. Therefore consistent and uninterrupted training can combine with a nutritious diet to produce the best results.