Glutamine is the most common amino acid in the body making up over 60% of skeletal muscle tissue. Glutamine is listed as a non-essential amino acid as it can be produced in the body. The body can make what it needs for everyday life, however when under extreme stress such as heavy intense exercise the body requires more than it can provide.
Used for the treatment of a number of ailments glutamine has also become hugely popular among bodybuilders and strength trainers. 19% of glutamine is nitrogen making it a primary transporter of nitrogen too the muscles. However rather than the ability to promote growth it is used to minimize the breakdown of muscle.
During intense exercise up to 50% of glutamine levels can be depleted leaving the body open to catabolism. If the other parts of your body are lacking glutamine the body will take what’s needed from your muscle stores.
One of the best anti-catabolic ingredients around, glutamine is crucial to recovery. Recovering quicker from your session in the gym can mean that you get back gym fully fit and ready for another session.
Glutamine Functions and Benefits
Glutamine has a number of critical functions and parts it plays in the body. Glutamine is the primary energy source for the immune system and helps the immune system function and keeps it healthy.
- Removes excess ammonia from the brain and other organs in the body.
- Maintains structural integrity of the intestinal lining and maintains the health of the intestinal tract.
- Plays a major role in the synthesizing muscle protein and cell volumizing. Minimizes catabolism and as a result maintains muscle mass.
- Glutamine supports the body’s growth hormone levels.
- Helps produce glutathione a key antioxidant nutrient.
- Regulates blood PH.
Glutamine Sources
Glutamine can be obtained from dietary sources including animal and plant proteins such as beef, pork and poultry, milk, yoghurt, cheese, raw spinach and cabbage. However due its increased popularity there are now a huge range of supplement sources in order to make sure you get enough glutamine.
Glutamine supplements can come in the form of powders, pills and liquids meaning you should definitely be able to find one to suit your needs. However, be careful as some protein powders come packed with amino acids and nutrients. Optimum Nutrition 100% Whey Gold Standard
Glutamine Supplementing
Glutamine supplements have become hugely popular among bodybuilders and strength trainers for a number of reasons. The huge stresses undergone in the gym depletes the body’s glutamine stores and these need replaced. This is because glutamine reduces muscle breakdown and improves protein metabolism.
Glutamine depletion is also the main cause of overtraining symptoms. Therefore supplementing your diet with glutamine will keep you fully fit and ready for each session in the gym.
Glutamine is not popular because it packs on muscle instantly or quickly. It is because it prevents breakdown of muscle that you have already built. So you don’t want that time and work to go to waste.