glutamine, my favorite supp

[MOUNTAIN-MAN]

Research shows that
Research shows that L-Glutamine helps facilitate the release of growth hormone.
By: Phil Campbell
Aug 22, 2002



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L-Glutamine is the most abundant amino acid in the body. It's found in high-protein foods - fish, beans, meat and dairy products. Research shows that L-Glutamine helps facilitate the release of growth hormone.

GH Release

After a review of the research concerning L-Glutamine and its impact on GH release, I conclude in my book that 2 grams of glutamine before training may be a wise fitness improvement strategy. And new research seems to keep heading in this direction. (Note: sometimes glutamine is confused with glucosamine used for joints/cartilage)

Personally, I take 2 grams of glutamine before training. And I know many that do the same and get great results. There's still not a body of research, however, that says this should be an absolute strategy for everyone.

My gut feeling is that one day, when the research is mature, Glutamine supplementation will become a pre-workout fitness strategy, but we're not quite there yet. Here's the latest.

Recent Glutamine Research Highlights

Glutamine may have a significant impact on the immune system. In clinical situations and during high-intensity exercise, Glutamine has been shown to decrease the incidence of infections, (The relation between glutamine and the immunodepression observed in exercise, 2001, Castell).

Glutamine has a positive impact on heart disease. "Glutamine may be cardioprotective in patients with coronary heart disease," (Is glutamine beneficial in ischemic heart disease? 2002, Khogali).


"2 Grams of Glutamine gets the job done for me"
These studies follow earlier research that shows that two grams of Glutamine supplement increases HGH significantly. Many of the protein recovery drinks sold today contain up to five grams of glutamine - so two grams may be considered a small dose.

Earlier research by Dr. Welbourne at LSU Medial Center shows that 2 grams of glutamine is effective in increasing GH, "These findings demonstrate that a surprisingly small oral glutamine load is capable of elevating alkaline reserves as well as plasma growth hormone," (Increased plasma Bicarbonate and growth hormone after an oral glutamine load, 1995, Welbourne).

What does this mean to you?

High-intensity training significantly reduces the body's supply o and it needs to be replaced. Actually filling up the glutamine fuel tank before training may do much more than simply help to replace a nutrient that is reduced during exercise. Glutamine may help facilitate the release of HGH during training.

What I hear from those who use glutamine as a pre-training strategy, "I feel stronger at the end of a workout," (or at the end of a tennis match, or round of golf).

The Take Home

L-Glutamine is a powerful supplement and has many wonderful benefits. But there can be drug interactions with glutamine and some forms of chemotherapy. It's always a good idea to let your physician know what supplements you are taking. helps facilitate the release of growth hormone.
By: Phil Campbell
Aug 22, 2002



EMAIL
MORE
SHARE
L-Glutamine is the most abundant amino acid in the body. It's found in high-protein foods - fish, beans, meat and dairy products. Research shows that L-Glutamine helps facilitate the release of growth hormone.

GH Release

After a review of the research concerning L-Glutamine and its impact on GH release, I conclude in my book that 2 grams of glutamine before training may be a wise fitness improvement strategy. And new research seems to keep heading in this direction. (Note: sometimes glutamine is confused with glucosamine used for joints/cartilage)

Personally, I take 2 grams of glutamine before training. And I know many that do the same and get great results. There's still not a body of research, however, that says this should be an absolute strategy for everyone.

My gut feeling is that one day, when the research is mature, Glutamine supplementation will become a pre-workout fitness strategy, but we're not quite there yet. Here's the latest.

Recent Glutamine Research Highlights

Glutamine may have a significant impact on the immune system. In clinical situations and during high-intensity exercise, Glutamine has been shown to decrease the incidence of infections, (The relation between glutamine and the immunodepression observed in exercise, 2001, Castell).

Glutamine has a positive impact on heart disease. "Glutamine may be cardioprotective in patients with coronary heart disease," (Is glutamine beneficial in ischemic heart disease? 2002, Khogali).


"2 Grams of Glutamine gets the job done for me"
These studies follow earlier research that shows that two grams of Glutamine supplement increases HGH significantly. Many of the protein recovery drinks sold today contain up to five grams of glutamine - so two grams may be considered a small dose.

Earlier research by Dr. Welbourne at LSU Medial Center shows that 2 grams of glutamine is effective in increasing GH, "These findings demonstrate that a surprisingly small oral glutamine load is capable of elevating alkaline reserves as well as plasma growth hormone," (Increased plasma Bicarbonate and growth hormone after an oral glutamine load, 1995, Welbourne).

What does this mean to you?

High-intensity training significantly reduces the body's supply of glutamine, and it needs to be replaced. Actually filling up the glutamine fuel tank before training may do much more than simply help to replace a nutrient that is reduced during exercise. Glutamine may help facilitate the release of HGH during training.

What I hear from those who use glutamine as a pre-training strategy, "I feel stronger at the end of a workout," (or at the end of a tennis match, or round of golf).

The Take Home

L-Glutamine is a powerful supplement and has many wonderful benefits. But there can be drug interactions with glutamine and some forms of chemotherapy. It's always a good idea to let your physician know what supplements you are taking.

[MOUNTAIN-MAN]

Re: glutamine, my favorite supp

Glutamine is an amino acid (a building block for proteins), found naturally in the body.

Glutamine is used to counter some of the side effects of medical treatments. For example, it is used for side effects of cancer chemotherapy including diarrhea, pain and swelling inside the mouth (mucositis), nerve pain (neuropathy), and muscle and joint pains caused by the cancer drug Taxol. Glutamine is also used to protect the immune system and digestive system in people undergoing radiochemotherapy for cancer of the esophagus. Additionally, glutamine is used for improving recovery after bone marrow transplant or bowel surgery, increasing well-being in people who have suffered traumatic injuries, and preventing infections in critically ill people.

Some people use glutamine for digestive system conditions such as stomach ulcers, ulcerative colitis, and Crohn’s disease. It is also used for depression, moodiness, irritability, anxiety, insomnia, and enhancing exercise performance.

People who have HIV (AIDS) sometimes use glutamine to prevent weight loss (HIV wasting).

Glutamine is also used for attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), a urinary condition called cystinuria, sickle cellanemia, and for alcohol withdrawal support.

Glutamine powder can be ordered through most wholesale drug suppliers. Glutamine for commercial use is made by a fermentation process using bacteria that produce glutamine.

How does it work?
Glutamine is the most abundant free amino acid in the body. Amino acids are the building blocks of protein. Glutamine is produced in the muscles and is distributed by the blood to the organs that need it. Glutamine might help gut function, the immune system, and other essential processes in the body, especially in times of stress. It is also important for providing "fuel" (nitrogen and carbon) to many different cells in the body. Glutamine is needed to make other chemicals in the body such as other amino acids and glucose (sugar).

After surgery or traumatic injury, nitrogen is necessary to repair the wounds and keep the vital organs functioning. About one third of this nitrogen comes from glutamine.

If the body uses more glutamine than the muscles can make (i.e., during times of stress), muscle wasting can occur. This can occur in people with HIV/AIDS. Taking glutamine supplements might keep the glutamine stores up.

Some types of chemotherapy can reduce the levels of glutamine in the body. Glutamine treatment is thought to help prevent chemotherapy-related damage by maintaining the life of the affected tissues.

[MOUNTAIN-MAN]

Re: glutamine, my favorite supp

L-Glutamine Guide: Uses and Benefits
Amino acids serve as an important part of our chemistry. Every part of us is constructed of cells which require protein to work correctly and to reproduce. Amino acids promote protein growth and help break it down to form different proteins. Specific groups or chains of amino acids work as units that perform various functions. We naturally produce certain non-essential amino acids, while others called essential, must come from our diets or supplements. Although Glutamine generally lands on the list of non-essential amino acids, some people refer to it as conditionally essential. That’s because although we do produce it, there are times when supplementation is beneficial because our activities use it up before we can manufacture more.

For example bodybuilders or other intense athletes tend to use all their L-glutamine stores when they work out. Although our bodies normally make it as we need it, extreme muscle use depletes the reserve before it has a chance to catch up. Also, it helps the body metabolize or absorb the protein, and bodybuilders burn a lot of protein. Much of it resides in skeletal muscles, which experience extreme stress during training. It also helps protect the immune system. Because of the high demand put on the body and depletion of amino acid and protein reserves during strength training and other major forms of exercise, athletes put themselves in jeopardy of infection on a daily basis. A protein powder or other delivery method containing L-Glutamine can dramatically help them avoid getting sick.

To give you an idea of its importance, Glutamine constitutes somewhere in the neighborhood of 50% to 60% of amino acids in muscle tissue. It also lives in the brain, liver, blood, and lungs.

DIFFERENT FORMS
As with most protein and amino acid supplements, L-Glutamine comes as a powder with various degrees of granularity, capsule, tablet, or liquid. It’s most commonly used in capsule or powder form. It’s easiest to swallow a pill, but if you want the extra nutrition that juice provides you can just stir in some L-Glutamine powder. Whichever form you choose, look for a pure product with no additives. Not only is it better for you, but it will dissolve easily.

WHO SHOULD USE IT
Bodybuilders
Bodybuilders often exist in a sort of “Catch 22″ world. They spend hours working to grow lean, strong, big muscles but in the process they also partially destroy them. They constantly go through the anabolic (building up) and catabolic (breaking down) stages. These men and women and others that continually strain their muscles through exercising and working out greatly benefit from protein powders containing L-Glutamine (or other forms of it). Since muscle isn’t the only tissue that needs this amino acid, strenuous exercise causes muscles to take it from other areas.

Some studies show that heavy training depletes the glutamine levels of athletes by up to 50%. Unless it’s replaced, this puts not only their muscle tissue in jeopardy, but also can compromise their immune systems and tax other organs. Bodybuilders are especially prone to various infections because they’re so hard on their bodies.

L-Glutamine also promotes growth hormone levels, so important to those working to get big. Additionally, it helps muscle cells to retain water which in turn increases their size. Since it also helps preserve muscles during the catabolic state, taking L-Glutamine supplement improves the quality of the workout by cutting down on fatigue.

All Athletes
A number of studies have been done using all sorts of athletes, such as regular runners, marathon participants, rowers, cyclers, and others. Results show that L-Glutamine reduces occurrences of illness and the effects of overtraining, both conditions frequently experienced by those participating in extreme exercise.

Digestion
More studies on amino acids and proteins, as well as general nutrition and supplementation, are taking place now than at any other time in history. It’s true that in the US we have a serious obesity problem, even among children, but many are beginning to realize how important health is and how easily eating poorly and not exercising cause it to deteriorate.

L-Glutamine makes up as much as 60% of our amino acids so it’s pretty obvious how important it is. One important discovery shows that it brings many benefits to our gastrointestinal tract. For example it helps prevent “leaky gut” a condition in which the intestinal lining is unusually porous, allowing toxic substances into our bodies instead of being eliminated. Researchers now believe that much of the glutamine we make and ingest works in the intestinesOemore so than the other aminos and therefore it’s responsible for digestive health. Additionally many believe that it helps level out the alkaline acid balances and thus diminishes lactic acid, which causes distress to a lot of people.

To add insult to injury, we live in a fast-paced, stressful age. We’re always on the go so we eat junk food or skip meals. We also smoke, drink coffee, and use too much alcohol. All of these negatively contribute to overall digestive health. We’re not saying you should stick with these habits if you have them and just take supplement. The point is we aren’t always aware of what we’re doing to ourselves on a daily basis. We need to tune into how we treat ourselves and improve our mental and emotional health by learning to relax and slow down; and help our physical health by eating right and using protein and amino acid supplements.

Surgery
Surgery patients, especially those undergoing abdominal operations tend to recover more quickly and comfortably when taking L-Glutamine supplements. In fact some hospitals, especially in Europe, give L-Glutamine to all trauma patients.

Brain Function
L-Glutamine becomes glutamic acid in the brain a substance we all need to enhance our mental abilities. It also helps control nitrogen levelsOetoo much creates ammonia toxicity. When glutamine bonds with the nitrogen it makes glutamic acid that allows the body to excrete it.

Immunity
We mentioned the fact that bodybuilders and other athletes tend towards infections such as colds, flu, sore throat, and other ailments. This happens because exercise causes the depletion of glutamine levels in the blood, leaving tissues and organs ripe for illness because they can’t work the way they should. Additionally, as the globe shrinks, we are continually exposed to new strains of flu’s and infections. Supplementing with L-Glutamine can help us stay healthy in spite of this.

Elderly
L-Glutamine helps prevent painful muscle cramping in the legs. In addition to benefiting athletes, it’s also useful to all of us as we age. As our natural stores of amino acids deplete and muscles and bones dry out and become brittle, we become more prone to this condition.

Others
Actually there are numerous conditions and uses for L-Glutamine that various studies highlight. Some of them are more conditions relating to digestion such as irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn’s disease, ulcers, as well as HIV/ AIDS and other autoimmune deficiencies, stress, exhaustion, severe burns, alcohol abuseOein short anything that severely stresses any part of the body.

We’re made up of many different systems and organs and each depends on the whole body maintaining good health. When something goes wrong in one area, the rest of this complex system is compromised. The traumatized portion pulls energy from the healthy places and pretty soon the entire body suffers.

That’s why L-Glutamine and other amino acids as well as protein powders and supplements do so much good. They not only help when there’s distress, they also prevent severe catabolism and other effects of heavy training. Additionally they help promote general good health even during rest or low activity.

Disclaimer: These uses are suggestions resulting from various studies. They are not to be considered medical advice. If you experience symptoms related to these conditions or wish to improve any functions, don’t do so without consulting a healthcare professional.
FOODS
L-Glutamine constitutes one of the most popular supplements, but it also exists in certain high protein foods such as fish, poultry, red meat, beans, and dairy products. We do need to be aware though that many of our food sources are polluted by pesticides, hormones, antibiotics, and other substances harmful to our health. Using an L-Glutamine protein powder or other form of the supplement can help restore our natural balance.

SIDE EFFECTS
L-Glutamine causes no side effects if used correctly. It’s natural to our bodies so it’s easily absorbed. However, overdoing anything can cause problems. Be sure to look for a quality product without sugars and other fillers and follow the advice on the label.

Also anyone thinking about using supplementation should discuss it with their trainer, coach, nutritionist, doctor, or other healthcare professional. This is especially wise if you have any health conditions or problems or take medication.

Most in-the-know recommend taking L-Glutamine following your workout to help repair those stressed out muscles, although it certainly helps build muscle. Again we recommend talking with nutritional experts, as well as others who use this supplement.