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Supplement ReviewsL-Glutamine/Glutamine Peptide
Glutamine is a neutral amino acid and is the most abundant amino acid found in human muscle and plasma. In fact, 60% of the free-floating amino acid pool in your skeletal muscle cells is made up of glutamine. Glutamine has come to be known as a "conditionally essential" amino acid because in times of stress (exercise is stress), the body requires more of it to maintain both blood and muscle stores of glutamine. It is derived from wheat molasses for commercial production.
Glutamine has a tremendous amount of benefits to exercising individuals and those looking to increase lean muscle mass and decrease body fat. Supplemental glutamine can help promote cell volumization. This phenomenon is the drawing of water INSIDE muscle cells which can help increase muscle "fullness", increase protein synthesis (the making of proteins), and decrease proteolysis (the breakdown of protein). In fact, some of the "muscle building" benefits of taking creatine have to do with its ability to enhance cell volumization. Glutamine has also been shown to aid in recovery and recuperation, help boost immune function by being one of the building blocks for the body’s most powerful anti-oxidant, glutathione, possibly cause extra growth hormone release with just a 2 gram oral dosage (it is yet to be determined whether that leads to an ergogenic benefit but it couldn't hurt), partially determine the rate of protein turnover in muscles, boost anti-inflammatory cell function, and helps increase muscle glycogen deposition through an unknown mechanism. Many of these powerful effects can help increase lean body mass and prevent the breakdown of hard earned muscle. While glutamine has its great benefits, a large majority of ingested free form L-glutamine does not actually make it into the blood stream and get into muscle tissue. Anywhere from 50-85% of an oral glutamine load is used by the intestines, liver, and the immune system. This is what many scientists refer to as the "glutamine paradox". Well, with the use of glutamine peptide, this problem may be solved. This form of glutamine is peptide bonded (a chain of amino acids) to allow for better transport into the blood stream and muscle tissue where it is needed. Glutamine peptide is also much more stable in solution, higher temperatures, and low PH than free form glutamine (free form L-glutamine tends to break down to ammonia and glutamic acid rather quickly in solution). The digestive tract has peptide transport systems that allow peptides to be better absorbed and utilized than free form amino acids. So basically, the peptide bonded glutamine enhances bioavailability of glutamine in the bloodstream which may allow more glutamine to be available to the muscle tissue. The best time to take a glutamine or glutamine peptide supplement is right after a hard exercise session since glutamine stores in muscle can be depleted up to 40% after exhaustive exercise. A dosage of around 5-10 grams at this time is what I recommend to my clients. Some excellent glutamine supplements are Cytovol by EAS, GL3 by AST Research, and Juven by MTI (this product also has HMB and arginine in it). |
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© 2002-2005 Supplement Research Foundation, Inc. All rights reserved. The content on this site is for informational purposes only and does not replace the advice of a qualified physician. Please consult a doctor before starting any nutrition, training, and supplementation program.
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