L-Glutamine

L-Glutamine is in the Healthy Goods Sports Performance RECOVER Category.

SUGGESTED USE

For adults, take 1 to 2 scoops daily (5 to 10 grams) after exercise or as directed by your healthcare provider. 90 servings per container.

GLUTAMINE HEALTH BENEFITS

A Building Block for Making Protein

Glutamine assists with making protein to be used throughout the body. As a result, glutamine supports muscle growth, increased athletic performance, healthy organ function, a high-functioning brain, and healthy intestines capable of absorbing nutrients.

Glutamine for Recovery after Exercise

For athletes and fitness fanatics, supplementing with Glutamine could potentially provide benefits such as:

• Enhances exercise tolerance.
• Helps support exercise stamina and endurance.
• Supports a healthy immune response, especially during times of overtraining.
• Supports the replenishment of muscle stores, aiding in quicker recovery.
• Promotes recovery and repair of lean mass, along with supporting bone, connective tissue, and organs.
• Helps offset the blood glutamine drops which happens during prolonged, strenuous exercise.
• Helps reduce sugar cravings by binding to the insulin receptors. The timing of taking the glutamine matters. Take the powder either before you know the cravings usually hit or if the cravings are extreme; take 1 tsp 4x/day.

Intense exercise lowers blood levels of glutamine, which can remain persistently low with overtraining. Overtraining syndrome is when an athlete is training vigorously, yet performance declines. One sign of overtraining syndrome is suppressed immune function, particularly with respiratory health. An increased incidence of problems in the respiratory tract are associated with high volume and/or high-intensity training, as well as with excessive exercise, such as marathon or triathlon training.  

The recovery period immediately after exercise, and for up to one hour after exercise, is the critical window when optimal nutrition becomes the most fundamental factor in exercise recovery. Ingesting adequate carbs, protein, and glutamine are all very important for the recovery process. Vitamin C and Vitamin E also support healthy exercise recovery.

Glutamine During Times of Stress

Glutamine is used by the immune system during times of stress such as physical trauma, infection, burns, malnutrition, chemotherapy, and injury. The body also uses glutamine during prolonged and intense exercise and training, which the body interprets as a stressful event. In addition, these various stress factors can adversely affect glutamine absorption in the small intestines.

Glutamine and Gut Health

Glutamine supports the lining of the gastrointestinal tract, which starts at your mouth and ends with your colon. Your intestinal lining uses Glutamine as fuel to create a strong surface for digestion and absorption, to promote a healthy mucosal lining in the intestines, and to promote gastrointestinal integrity.

Glutamine and Immune Health

Over 70% of the body's immune system resides in the lining of the intestinal tract in the form of immune cell receptors. Glutamine is found in high concentrations in the gastrointestinal tract and provides fuel for immune cells.

Glutamine is also needed for cellular production and cell growth and assists in the absorption and transport of nutrients within the gastrointestinal tract.

Glutamine and the Brain

L-Glutamine supports the brain by fueling two of the brain’s most important neurotransmitters, glutamic acid and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). As a result, glutamine supports mental energy, focus, and learning by supplying a direct source of energy to the brain.

Naturally Occurring Glutamine in Food Sources

If you're interested in naturally occurring, dietary sources of glutamine, all animal protein foods are high in glutamine. The list includes beef, bison, chicken, fish, free-range eggs, grass-fed dairy, lamb, pork, and turkey.

References:

1. Rowbottom DG, Keast D, Morton AR. The emerging role of glutamine as an indicator of exercise stress and overtraining. Sports Med 1996;21:80–97 [review].
2. Lakier Smith L. Overtraining, excessive exercise, and altered immunity: is this a T helper-1 versus T helper-2 lymphocyte response? Sports Med. 2003;33(5):347-64.
3. Rohde T, MacLean DA, Pedersen BK. Effect of glutamine supplementation on changes in the immune system induced by repeated exercise. Med Sci Sports Exerc1998;30:856–62.
4. Castell LM, Newsholme EA. Glutamine and the effects of exhaustive exercise upon the immune response. Can J Physiol Pharmacol1998;76:524–32 [review].
5. Castell LM, Poortmans JR, Newsholme EA. Does glutamine have a role in reducing infections in athletes? Eur J Appl Physiol1996;73:488–90.
6. Natural Products Foundation: Glutamine