Glutamine – what it is, benefits, foods, how to use it and indications!
Glutamine is a non-essential amino acid and represents 2/3 of the amino acids present in muscle. Most of the glutamine in the bloodstream is produced by muscles and some organs, such as the liver.
Many of the other amino acids, especially BCAAs , act as precursors. Studies have shown that increased muscle hydration can affect growth; the greater the hydration, the greater the rate of protein synthesis (which is also why it is advisable to drink plenty of water). Logically, the decrease in cell volume is strongly catabolic. It is also able to increase muscle hydration.
It is involved in various metabolic processes and in the maintenance of the immune system . However, scientific research has shown that the levels of this amino acid in the body drop by about 50% after intense physical activity , exposing us to the dangerous presence of free radicals.
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What is glutamine?
It is a non-essential amino acid CFH10N203, that is, an element formed from five carbon atoms that the body is able to produce independently from other amino acids such as arginine and ornithine.
The synthesis of this amino acid takes place at the muscular level, the area in which the substance is present for more than 60%, or it can take place from glutamate thanks to the action of the enzyme glutamine synthetase (it eliminates the definitive glutamate carbon group and replaces the carboxyl by an ammonium ion).
Doses and method of use:
As proposed by the various international public health bodies and adequately documented in the literature, dosages can vary significantly depending on the objectives. In sports, for example, the ideal range seems to be between 1.5 and 4 g per day.
In clinical practice, however, dosages can increase significantly and reach 8 g per day in the case of chemotherapy or radiation therapy, or 21 g/day in the case of major burns, trauma or other diseases related to a severe cachexia state. or immunosuppressant.
In order to improve absorption and reduce the occurrence of potential side effects, it is recommended to divide the total dose into several daily doses.
How to use glutamine?
Glutamine should be used with special care and under the supervision of the doctor, considering that its dosage in the body depends on the goals to be achieved.
Without intending to be exhaustive and reiterating the need to discuss it with your doctor, remember that in the sports field dosages between 1.5 and 4 g daily are usually recommended, while in clinical doses it can also be much higher and reach 8 g daily in the in the case of chemotherapy or radiotherapy, or 21 g daily in the case of major burns, trauma or other illnesses related to a severe cachectic or immunosuppressed state. However, the dosage is, in any case, subdivided throughout the day, using multiple divided doses.
In sports, dosing before training – along with carbohydrates – is suggested to optimize performance and reduce oxidative damage induced by intense physical exercise. After training, with simple sugars and branched-chain amino acids, it could serve to optimize the muscle recovery phase. Fasting, possibly before going to sleep, to stimulate GH secretion. However, here’s more about physical activity vs glutamine and how to use it:
- Pre-workout, along with carbohydrates , to optimize performance and reduce oxidative damage induced by intense physical exercise;
- Post-workout with simple sugars and branched-chain amino acids, to optimize the muscle recovery phase.
- A quick snack, possibly before bed, to stimulate GH secretion.
Glutamine and sport:
Glutamine maintains a privileged relationship with athletes with the body subjected to excessive muscular work, as it requires a higher proportion of this non-essential amino acid.
Essentially, increased needs promote taking a glutamine supplement in order to eliminate toxins and acid that build up during training, provide energy and prevent muscle catabolism.
The fact that the amino acid facilitates the formation of muscle glycogen and raises blood glucose makes it possible to take advantage of the glutamine food supplement in the case of sports that involve the development and construction of muscle mass:
- Bodybuilding (mass development and resistance increase);
- Cycling (physiological drops after pedaling);
- Swimming (increasing endurance and improving performance).
Health benefits of glutamine:
1. Control Lean Mass:
The use that our body makes of this substance is proportional to the intensity of physical activity . Therefore, the more intense the training, the greater the glutamine requirement . Some studies have recorded that healthy individuals lost lean mass and increased fat stores after 4 weeks of intense training, all because they had low glutamine levels .
2. Helps in protein synthesis:
It is involved in almost every biochemical process, from protein synthesis to detoxification. Anyway, for example, it is the main source of immune fuel and millions of cells that are part of the intestinal tract, responsible for 40% of the consumption of glutamine reserves .
3. Reduces stress:
Reduces post-workout muscle stress.
4. Improves liver function:
It is the main precursor of the most powerful antioxidant in the human body – glutathione, responsible for the proper functioning of the liver – and folic acid – which fights anemia and cardiovascular diseases.
5. Benefits the brain:
In the liver, it is used in the synthesis of urea and glucose. Thus, the brain uses it as a precursor to neurotransmitters, substances responsible for communication between cells.
6. Post-workout help:
Maintaining high levels of this substance is vital for anabolic processes. Furthermore, protein synthesis is proportional to glutamine levels in muscle cells. When they decrease, the ability to recover from muscle training also decreases.
7. Fights diseases:
The slightest illness can demand more glutamine from the body than it can assimilate in its state. However, a simple influence is enough to decrease the levels of glutamine in our body. Infections, a weak immune system , poor athletic performance, increased fat mass and loss of lean mass are all linked to low levels.
8. Transports nitrogen:
It is the main means of transporting nitrogen and ammonium from skeletal muscle to visceral organs and vice versa. Thus, it performs these three functions in most organs: 1) it serves as an intermediary in the detoxification process, 2) it is a source of nitrogen amide for the biosynthesis of important peptides, and 3) it participates in the formation of purines and pyrimidines, the building blocks of RNA and DNA.
9. Benefits in physical activity:
During physical activity , the body enters into metabolic stress and draws on available reserves. Without the constant synthesis of glutamine , stores of this amino acid would be depleted within 7 hours or less. Several studies have shown that, during this period, the body needs more glutamine than is normally available.
10. Increases lymphocytes:
When you are sick, taking a glutamine supplement increases the amount of T lymphocytes in your blood, the body’s main defense agents. In addition, it increases the role of neutrophils (a class of blood cells that are part of the immune system) in the destruction of bacteria.
Foods high in glutamine:
Like all non-essential amino acids , it is absorbed by the body through nutrition, especially protein -rich foods . However, this means that milk and dairy products, dried fruits, meat and vegetables ( soy and beans ) provide the body with the right amount of glutamine .
The bioavailability of the amino acid increases with the intake of vitamin C or foods with a high glycemic value.
Indications:
The utility of glutamine supplementation is closely associated with the scope of application. However, in the clinical setting, it is used as an agent:
- Immunomodulator;
- Catabólico;
- Antioxidant;
- Mucoprotective.
In sport, however, glutamine is attributed to ergogenic, anticatabolic and myoprotective properties. Therefore, this would all be due to the precious biological role.
Side effects:
Glutamine use was generally considered safe and well tolerated at the suggested doses. But the onset of transient abdominal disorders such as bloating and constipation has rarely been observed.
In psychiatric patients, however, the use, even in low doses of glutamine , would have, according to some authors, exacerbated the manic symptoms.
Precautions:
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The use of glutamine supplements should be avoided, or strictly supervised by a physician, during pregnancy and lactation. After all, similar precautions should be reserved for patients with kidney failure or liver disease .