Effect of Glutamine on Th1 Skin-quenching solutions Th2 Cytokine Responses of Human Perfrmance Blood Pefformance Cells NCBI. That means that your body can make it on its own. Last Name. Learn More: How to Calculate How Much Protein You Need.

Glutamine and athletic performance -

The first and possibly one of the most well-known uses for L-Glutamine in sports and fitness is its ability to prevent muscle breakdown and aids in muscle growth. L-Glutamine exerts its anti-catabolic, or anti-muscle breakdown effects through its role in wound healing and tissue regeneration.

Depending on the intensity of our training session, this can leave us quite deficient in glutamine post-exercise, hindering our ability to repair and create muscle growth.

Of course, we also need a good whey protein or plant protein powder post-exercise, but when we supplement with L-Glutamine , we can allow our concentrations to remain adequate during our workout Rahmani et al.

Our Sprouted Brown Rice Protein Powder is a great option for individuals looking to optimise exercise performance, endurance, and recovery, read more here.

One thing that L-Glutamine is absolutely essential for, and we briefly highlighted it previously, is its role in wound healing and tissue regeneration. When our bodies are under extreme stress, whether it be from muscle breakdown through intense exercise or a severe injury, we need higher levels of L-Glutamine for these repair processes to work optimally Kesici et al.

During extreme stress, we may also experience higher levels of oxidative stress, which can be harmful to the body, and long term, increase our risk of chronic disease Pizzino et al.

Collectively, all of the above allows us to recover faster from exercise, and may actually decrease the muscle soreness we get after a hard workout Legault et al.

Read more about our Super Clean, Organic Greens Boost Here. Lastly, something that gets constantly overlooked in exercise and athletic performance is the health of our gut. Gut health is super important , because not only does looking after it helps us digest our food properly, but a large portion of it represents our entire immune system Vighi et al.

This is why we formulated one of the best Gut Health Boosting Formulas , which you can read more about here. Similarly to our recovery in muscle, we need L-Glutamine for the growth and repair of the fairly delicate membrane that lines our gut.

Supplementing with L-Glutamine can help improve gut barrier function , which also prevents toxins and pathogens from getting into our body , improving our immune function Dignass, L-Glutamine also supports the health of our gut microbiota so we can digest and extract the highest amount of nutrients from our food, something absolutely critical for athletes and exercise enthusiasts alike Mohr et al.

L-Glutamine is an extremely important non-essential amino acid for individuals looking to maximise exercise performance, post-exercise recovery, and maintain good gut health.

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Pick up a jar today! You must be logged in to post a comment. Reading Now. Glutamine taken up by the muscle cells acts to draw fluid into cells through an increase in intracellular osmolality. This may then promote muscle fiber growth via the stimulation of an enzyme called nitric-oxide synthase in a similar way that a mechanical stretch influences gene expression.

Shabert et al reported that glutamine supplementation was successfully able to reverse muscle mass loss in non-exercising HIV patients 10 , while Rennie et al found evidence that the glutamine pool size may affect an osmotic signalling mechanism that regulates the whole body protein metabolism Glutamine and improved glycogen synthesis - Replenishing muscle glycogen stores after training is another crucial factor in recovery and adaptation to exercise, and glutamine seems enhance this process.

Perriello et al found that not only can glutamine itself be used as a substrate to synthesise glycogen which is normally synthesised from glucose units contained in dietary carbohydrates but also that glutamine can increase the process of gluceogenesis in the body where glucose and therefore glycogen can be made from carbon fragments other than those derived from glucose Put simply, glutamine seems to both provide a source of glycogen and tell other cells in the body to make glycogen from fragments of other molecules — thus adding to the normal glycogen replenishment that occurs when post-exercise carbohydrate is consumed.

Glutamine and brain function —Glutamine may also play a role in brain biochemistry. Glutamine is the precursor of glutamic acid GA and gamma-hydroxybutyrate GABA — see this article both of which are vitally important brain neurotransmitters GA is an important excitatory neurotransmitter while GABA is inhibitory or calming.

GA and GABA have to be synthesised in the brain from glutamine because of the three, only glutamine readily passes through the blood brain barrier. Recent glutamine research On the face of it, these early findings seem promising and suggest that optimizing glutamine intake could play a valuable role into boosting immune function, enhancing recovery and reducing fatigue, all of which should improve exercise performance.

Over the past decade or so however, more studies have been carried out looking into this very question, with a number of interesting findings. Summarized below are some of the key studies, outlining the study protocol and main findings studies that used glutamine in conjunction with other ergogenic nutrients such as creatine are not included here : Study design : Thirteen runners 9 male and 4 female who supplemented 0.

Protocol : Twice-daily interval training for a period of days. Findings: There was an increase in nasal IgA concentrations but no change in other immunological parameters or physical performance.

Protocol : Administered 30 minutes before the exercise, consisting of a protocol that simulates the movements of a soccer match intermittent exercise on the treadmill.

Findings: Improvement in the time and distance, and reduced feelings of fatigue after supplementation with glutamine peptide and carbohydrate. Study design : Ten physically active males who took L-glutamine in two doses 0. Findings: An increase in the time until exhaustion in the glutamine supplemented group compared to water only group.

Protocol : A minute basketball game. Findings: Improvement in basketball shooting performance and visual reaction time with a low dose of L-glutamine compared to water ingestion placebo. Study design : Twenty eight well-trained men who took one four supplementation types: 1 0.

Protocol : Running-based anaerobic sprint test consisting of 6 x 35 metres of discontinuous sprints. Carbohydrate alone did not produce a significant benefit. Study design : Elite rowers who supplemented for 7 days before a rowing test with BCAA 3.

Protocol : metres of rowing at the maximal intensity using an indoor rowing machine Concept II. Findings: Glutamine supplementation reduced the plasma levels of creatine kinase a marker of muscle tissue breakdown 30 minutes after exercise compared to the values measured immediately after training.

Study design : Twelve endurance trained males who undertook three trials: 1 a sports drink containing 4. Findings: Time to exhaustion was longer when supplementing with L-glutamine compared to the no-hydration trial, but there was no difference between L-glutamine supplementation and the sports drink only placebo.

Study design : Eleven physically active men and women who supplemented one hour prior to and immediately post exercise with 0. Findings: Glutamine supplementation reduced subjective fatigue, ratings of perceived exertion and markers of gastrointestinal damage. Taking the more recent findings on glutamine in the round, they are largely positive, with far more studies finding benefits than no benefits.

However, athletes who are looking for a magic bullet to boost performance should be under no illusion that glutamine is a universal panacea.

While most of the studies have found some benefits, caution is required. For example, improved times to exhaustion, less subjective fatigue or higher power outputs do not necessarily equate to improved race or time trial times the gold standard for assessing performance.

Nevertheless, improved reaction times, lower perceived fatigue, less muscle breakdown during exercise, lower levels of fatigue and more stamina during exhausting exercise are not to be sniffed at!

What we can say perhaps is that while extra glutamine in the form of supplementation does not by any means guarantee superior performance in the short term, its actions in the body reduced muscle damage, immune potentiation, reduced mental fatigue etc could be of value for athletes in terms of supporting the body during heavier or more intense periods of training.

Maintaining optimum glutamine status How can athletes ensure an optimum or increased intake of glutamine? Do athletes always need more glutamine compared to their sedentary counterparts? Is supplementation always necessary?

Short-duration intense exercise can also deplete plasma glutamine, and several bouts in close proximity can cause a cumulative depletion.

This depletion may last for anything from a few hours to several days in overtrained athletes. The answer therefore is that athletes may well benefit from higher than standard intakes. The obvious place to start with optimizing glutamine intake is the day-to-day diet. Beans — especially soybeans — are a good source of glutamine but some low-protein vegetable foods are too.

In particular, red cabbage is a surprisingly good source of this amino acid! Of particular interest to athletes in that list perhaps is whey protein a milk protein , which is very rich in glutamine. Whey is the staple protein used in many recovery drinks, and which for various reasons is particularly suited to athlete recovery see this article on whey.

There is a downside however in that simply eating more protein glutamine rich in the diet does not necessarily seem to increase the rate of glutamine replenishment, and this is where a pure glutamine supplement may help Although more research is needed, many athletes have anecdotally reported substantial benefits by using a 2 to 5-gram dose immediately after training and again and two hours later.

Additional doses on an empty stomach, either last thing at night or first thing in the morning in periods of heavy may also help. Pure L-glutamine is readily soluble in water and compared to many pure amino acids tastes quite pleasant, so you can easily dissolve a few grams of pure L-glutamine into water or your favourite cordial.

As stated above, whey is already a really excellent source of glutamine, but some of the better whey recovery drinks also contain additional glutamine to ensure that a 5-gram intake can easily be achieved without the need to consume large amounts of other proteins. Be aware however that some manufacturers provide this extra glutamine in the form of hydrolyzed wheat protein.

Athletes who are allergic to wheat gluten should stick to pure free-form glutamine instead, adding it to a whey protein recovery drink as required. A final caveat here is to remind athletes that the very best way of enhancing performance through nutrition is to ensure that they build a strong nutritional foundation based on an excellent diet.

This should consist of a whole unprocessed diet rich in complex unrefined carbohydrates, fresh fruits and vegetables and high-quality, lean proteins such as lean meats, fish, dairy products and nuts and seeds.

References Nutr Clin Pract. Front Biosci. Jul-Aug ;13 Can J Physiol Pharmacol. Biochem J. doi: Sports Nutr. Sports Med. Small-scale studies have shown that overtrained athletes have been found to exhibit lower plasma glutamine concentrations than non-overtrained athletes Castell and Newsholme , Keast, Arstein, Harper, Fry, and Morton What this tells us is that because of the high demands for glutamine from the lymphocytes and macrophages during intense training and overtraining syndrome, immune system function may be compromised and contribute to the incidence of infectious disease or slower wound healing.

Viral infections such as the everyday cold and flu to HIV all dramatically lower glutamine levels. Having a glutamine deficiency will lower the levels of our protective T cells and reduce the ability of macrophages to kill viruses and bacteria Hack, Weiss, Friedmann, Suttner, Schykowski, Erge, Benner, Bartsch, and Drodge But, not all studies show an effect of glutamine supplementation after intense exercise.

Castell, Poortmans, Leclercq, Brasseur, Duchateau, and Newsholme reported that there was no effect of glutamine ingestion of lymphocyte distribution in runners who had competed a marathon.

Furthermore, glutamine supplementation provided no additional benefit in immune function to exercise-trained rats, but it did to sedentary rats Shewchuk, Baracos, and Field An example of the importance of glutamine in curbing infection and illness is clearly evident in a study done at Oxford University by Castell, Poortmans, and Newsholme The study compared the health status of more than marathon runners up to one week following a strenuous run.

Half of the test subjects were given 5 grams of glutamine after the strenuous bout of exercise, while the other half took a placebo. The end result was that the subjects that were given the glutamine were twice as likely to stay healthy for the 7 days following a strenuous marathon than the placebo group.

One further note is that glutamine also increases the production of glutathione, the most powerful antioxidant in the body. Glutathione in turn protects tissues from oxidative damage and detoxifies harmful substances such as free radicals leading to an increased immune function.

Based solely on glutamines' immune system properties, glutamine supplementation may be very important for athletes who engage in heavy, strenuous, or intense activity. It may allow them to remain healthy and consequently to train more frequently without the down periods of sickness Greig, Rowbottom, and Keast A decreased ratio of testosterone to cortisol is believed to be directly responsible for losses in muscle mass since cortisol promotes the synthesis of glutamine synthetase.

By maintaining intracellular concentrations of glutamine within the skeletal muscles, the synthesis of glutamine synthetase mRNA may be inhibited and thus the loss of intracellular nitrogen through glutamine may be prevented. Furthermore, by enhancing plasma concentrations of glutamine, the demand for free glutamine by other tissues and cells e.

the small intestine and immune cells is attenuated and thus the release of glutamine from muscle tissue is reduced Antonio and Street, During the infusion of glutamine, the rate of luecine appearance in the plasma remained unchanged, indicating that glutamine supplementation inhibited the breakdown of muscle protein.

In addition, the oxidation of luecine decreased and nonoxidative leucine disposal increased, indicating an increase in protein synthesis.

The Glycine infusion also inhibited protein breakdown but did not result in an increase in protein synthesis. Further evidence from Boelens, Nijveldt, Houdijk, Meijer, and Van Leeuwen , and Hickson and Wegrzyn , and Hickson and Czerwinski shows that glutamine is important as an anticatabolic and prevents muscle tissue atrophy muscle wasting and prevents downregulation of myosin heavy chain synthesis.

Studies by Haussinger, Lang, and Gerok and Vom Dahl and Haussinger suggest that glutamine supplementation may induce an anabolic effect as an osmotically active agent.

These two studies indicate that changes in the cellular hydration state and thus changes in cell volume may act as a metabolic signal.

An increase in cell volume has been associated with cellular anabolism, while cell shrinkage has been associated with cellular catabolism. The effect of cell hydration by glutamine supplementation was enhanced when the rats in the study were starved for 24 hours Vom Dahl et al, Glutamine also plays a role in glucose regulation.

The exercise protocol was designed to deplete glycogen stores. Two hours following exercise, muscle glycogen concentration increased significantly more in the subjects receiving glutamine than the other subjects.

Another study done by Perriello, Nurjhan, Stumvoll, Bucci, Welle, Daily, Bier, Toft, Jenssen, and Gerich took sixteen postabsorptive human subjects and infused them with glutamine, so that glutamine appeared in the plasma at a rate similar to that observed following a high protein meal.

Rennie, Bowtell, Bruce, and Khogali also reports that intravenous or oral glutamine supplementation promoted skeletal muscle glycogen storage.

Because glutamine may serve as a precursor to glucose, independently of glucagons regulation, glutamine supplementation may also enhance glycogenolysis breakdown of glycogen to glucose in the liver and thus increase muscle glycogen stores even when insulin levels are low Varnier and Leese , Perriello, Nurjhan, Stumvoll, Bucci, Welle, Daily, Bier, Toft, Jenssen, and Gerich The most notable study that showed glutamine had an effect on growth hormone levels was done by Welbourne when he administered an oral glutamine load to nine healthy subjects.

Two grams of glutamine was dissolved in a cola drink and ingested over a min period 45 minutes after a light breakfast. Forearm venous blood samples were obtained at zero time and at minute intervals for 90 minutes. Eight of the nine subjects responded to the glutamine supplementation with an increase in plasma glutamine at 30 and 60 min before returning to the control value at 90 minutes.

So, supplementing with a small amount of glutamine may elevate alkaline reserves as well as plasma growth hormone. Ziegler, Benfell, Smith, Young, Brown, Ferrari-Baliviera, Lowe, and Wilmore indicate that glutamine supplementation is safe for humans short-term. However, there is little data regarding long-term usage more than a few weeks of glutamine supplements Antonio and Street, Furthermore, more research is needed which investigate the safety of glutamine supplementation at doses that would be used to promote nitrogen retention in the muscles 0.

Generally speaking, the consumption of any one, single amino acid in large doses may inhibit the absorption of other amino acids since amino acids tend to compete for transport across the intestinal epithelium. Regardless, Dechelotte, Darmaun, Rongier, Hecketsweller, Rigal, and Desjeux report that glutamine is absorbed effectively in the small intestine.

Results of the cumulative data on glutamine supplementation show that glutamine may have athletic performance enhancement ability and because of this may serve as an ergogonic aid.

Research on glutamine supplementation has shown to increase growth hormone levels, promote glycogen formation, promote protein synthesis, protect the immune system, and have anti-catabolic properties.

All evidence seems to indicate that glutamine can possibly favor recovery in all of these ways. But, little research has been done on resistance training athletes, with the majority of the research having been done with aerobic athletes such as marathon runners and cyclists.

Further research is warranted for anaerobic training athletes such as bodybuilders, weightlifters, powerlifters, and other athletes who train in the anaerobic energy system. Studies incorporating more subjects are also warranted.

Methods: Skin-quenching solutions review athletc meta-analysis. Glutamine and athletic performance related to Glitamine mass, lean body mass, body performamce percentage, Vo2 max, lymphocytes, leukocytes and neutrophil counts were extracted Avocado Smoothie Popsicles determine Skin-quenching solutions effects of GLN on performance outcomes. Amd sources: The literature search was conducted across the databases Pubmed, Scopus, ISI Web of Science, SID Scientific Information Database and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, covering a period up to January Eligibility criteria for selecting studies: Clinical trials evaluating glutamine supplementation outcomes on athletes aged over 18 were included. Results: A total of 47 studies were included in the systematic review, and 25 trials matched the inclusion criteria for the meta-analysis. Athlteic helps muscles grow and recover from tissue Free radicals and tobacco smoke that occurs during intense Glutamine and athletic performance. What Glutaimne Skin-quenching solutions not know is that Glutamins is the most Skin-quenching solutions amino acid found in protein, which is why it Glutanine be a beneficial supplement for many athletes or fitness enthusiasts. Supplementing with glutamine after intense exercise can help speed up muscle recovery and growth, especially if you find it difficult to obtain enough protein through your diet. These proteins are involved in digestion, immunity, tissue repair, hormone regulation, and most other vital processes that take place in the body. Glutamine is one of 11 nonessential amino acidsmeaning that our bodies produce it naturally.