L-Glutamine is a huge favourite within the world of athletics, body building, strength training and any high-intensity activity. Body builders have traditionally used L-Glutamine when preparing for a competition and embarking on a restricted-calorie diet in an attempt to restrict muscle-loss and maintain strength levels. Athletes and strength trainers similarly have used L-Glutamine in an attempt to assist recovery and compliment a healthy diet.
What is L-Glutamine?
L-glutamine is an amino acid found in proteins of all life forms. It is classified as a semi-essential or conditionally essential amino acid. L-glutamine is the most abundant amino acid in the body, and plasma glutamine levels are the highest of any amino acid. L-glutamine is predominantly synthesized and stored in skeletal muscle. The amino acid L-glutamate is metabolized to L-glutamine in a reaction catalyzed by the enzyme glutamine synthase, a reaction which, in addition to L-glutamate, requires ammonia, ATP and magnesium.
Who needs L-Glutamine?
Any athlete taking part in a physically demanding activity that requires a certain level of muscle mass.
The potential benefits of L-Glutamine supplementation
L-Glutamine is becoming one of the most widely-used supplements within the health supplement industry. Not only is it proving extremely popular with body builders, strength athletes and those interested in maximising physical strength and power, it is also becoming a hot product for the non-athletic individual interested in optimal health and strong immunity from illness.
Using PhD L-Glutamine may:
- Potentially improve athletic performance.
- Increase protein synthesis
- Decrease the risk of infection in hard-training athletes. (2)
There are a number of key windows for using L-Glutamine powder:
- Pre-exercise- Many athletes use L-Glutamine prior to intense exercise. By topping up levels of this important amino acid we are ensuring that our body may not be depleted as significantly as they would be without use. L-Glutamine may play a vital role in helping athletes stay in an anabolic state during intense exercise.
- Post-exercise - Many body builders and weight training athletes may use L-Glutamine in conjunction with Creatine Monohydrate post workout, in an attempt to facilitate recovery. Studies have shown that using Creatine Monohydrate and L-Glutamine together may increase muscle mass. (1)
- Upon waking- Many strength athletes use L-Glutamine immediately upon waking. As sleep has enforced a prolonged period of fasting, use of L-Glutamine in the morning may help to improve intra-muscular levels of this powerful amino acid.
- Prior to sleep - As the period of sleep may last up to 8-10 hours, use of L-Glutamine prior to sleep may help ensure high intra-muscular levels of the amino acid during the period when catabolism is most likely to occur.
As with many individual amino acid supplements, L-Glutamine may be best consumed on an empty stomach, between meals!
L-Glutamine is part of the PhD Mass and Strength range and can be used successfully with all other PhD Nutrition products.
References:
1) Lehmkuhl M, Malone M, Justice B, Trone G, Pistilli E, Vinci D, Haff EE, Kilgore JL, Haff GG. The effects of 8 weeks of creatine monohydrate and glutamine supplementation on body composition and performance measures.
J Strength Cond Res. 2003 Aug;17(3):425-38
Department of Nutrition and Food Science, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA.
2) Castwell LM, Poortman JR, Newsholme, EA (1996). Does Glutamine have a role in reducing infections in athletes? European Journal of Apllied Physiology, 73(5), 488-490
