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Glutamine is at the top of my “standard issue”
group of supplements, meaning it’s not an option. If
you train hard and you’re serious about growing, it’s
a given that you should be taking supplemental glutamine.
I assume you’re getting the vitamin/mineral and antioxidant insurance you need by taking a quality multivitamin/multimineral pack in addition to eating a wide variety of healthy foods,
including plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables. I also figure
you’re getting the protein you need (at least a gram
[g] per pound of lean bodyweight per day, and preferably 1
g or more per pound of total bodyweight).
If you could buy only one supplement to
support muscle growth, it should be glutamine, not creatine.
In fact, if the primary source of protein in your diet
is whole foods (rather than supplements), it’s even
more important that you supplement your diet with glutamine.
Surprised? Don’t be.
Creatine is the most popular supplement for fast mass
and strength gains, and it’s a standard issue in
most cases. Taking 5 g per day without any loading is
plenty to keep the muscles flushed with high-test contractile
fuel, while fully supporting recovery and growth over
the long term.
Glutamine, however, is unquestionably the most amazing,
versatile and cost-effective supplement you can take.
I’ll get to the why and how shortly, but the bottom
line is that you shouldn’t have to make a choice
between glutamine and creatine. Although few people can
afford every supplement they’d like to take, even
a daily dose of |
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| 20 g of glutamine shouldn’t set you
back more than a buck, tops. You should be able to keep
plying the creatine as well without getting a second job
or pawning your guitar. |
WHY YOU NEED GLUTAMINE
Here’s a brief, but convincing, list of reasons why
you should supplement with glutamine.
1) Your body can’t make enough of it when you’re
training hard.
Glutamine is an amino acid: one of the building blocks of
protein. It’s classified as a “conditionally essential”
amino, meaning that, although the body can make glutamine
from a variety of precursors like the branched-chain aminos,
it can’t always make enough to satisfy the body’s
needs. The shortages occur during various types of diets and
when stress levels are elevated due to illness, injury, surgery,
hard or prolonged exercise, etc.
2) Glutamine can be considered the controlling amino
acid for muscle growth.
During times of stress, glutamine is released from muscle,
which is the major site for its synthesis and storage. This
happens because glutamine is more critical to other tissues
of the body that cannot make it, including cells of the immune
system and the intestine. When glutamine leaves muscle, the
muscle begins to dehydrate. Dehydration, in turn, leads to
muscle protein catabolism. Raising glutamine levels in the
body leads to increased cell hydration and greater protein
synthesis, both of which drive muscle growth.
3) It is essential for optimal immune function.
This function is the most critical key to recuperation and
repair of musculoskeletal tissues. Furthermore, a healthy
immune system enables you to train hard without the interruptions
of minor, but nonetheless frustrating, colds and viruses.
4) Glutamine enables you to train harder.
Glutamine does this not only by improving recovery, but also
by acting as a buffer for fatigue-inducing acids inside muscle.
5) Glutamine can enhance brain function.
You may be unaware of the relationship between brain chemistry
and muscle growth, but there definitely is one. For example,
glutamine can boost the level of neurotransmitters such as
gamma amino butyric acid (GABA), which supports relaxation
and recovery, among other things, and can even increase growth
hormone secretion. I bet you like the sound of that.
6) You can’t get enough glutamine from your
food.
Even if your diet is high in protein, you still won’t
get enough glutamine. Sure, you get some glutamine from your
diet since it makes up 4-8% of most food proteins (with the
highest concentrations in milk, meat and some nuts). However,
a high-protein diet derived mainly from whole foods (as opposed
to supplements) may actually lead to decreased availability
of some amino acids (glutamine among them) potentially causing
reduced muscle protein synthesis. Adding supplementary glutamine
can help correct any relative deficiency, as well as increase
the amount and efficiency of protein synthesis.
7) Glutamine is the major energy source for many critical
intestine cells.
Taking care of those cells not only helps ensure better digestion
and absorption of nutrients, but safeguards the enormous contribution
the gut makes to the immune system. You can’t minimize
the importance of this.
So there you have Glutamine 101: the basics of why you need
this amazing supplement. Start using it now you’ll thank
me for it later.
HOW TO USE GLUTAMINE
• What kind of glutamine should I take?
Take either or both the free-form amino acid (L-glutamine)
or the more stable peptide-bonded form found in some protein
supplements and meal replacement powders.
How much should I take?
• Suggested amounts range from 5 to 40 g per day. For
significant effects, 8-10 g per day is the minimum suggested
dose; theoretically, even 5 g per day may be effective in
small athletes. When using the free-form amino, start with
4 or 5 g (a slightly rounded teaspoon) two or three times
a day. Depending on your size, how hard you’re training
or cutting calories, and how much glutamine you’re getting
in other supplements, adjust the dose upward over a period
of a week or two.
When should I take it?
• You can take glutamine every day, after waking, before
training, after training, before going to bed and between
meals, preferably on a empty stomach, since glutamine is sensitive
to stomach (and other) acids, as well as to heat. There’s
no need to cut back or cycle in glutamine.
How should I ingest it?
• Each dose should be 5-10 g. Simply put it on your
tongue and swallow with a swish of water or low-acid juice.
If you prefer, you can add it to a protein drink, provided
the drink is low in fat and will pass through the stomach
quickly enough to limit exposure to stomach acid. Some glutamine
supplements come in capsules, and you should follow the same
direction for that form, as well.
Is glutamic acid the same thing as glutamine?
• No, Don’t mistake glutamic acid or glutamate
for L-glutamine. They’re not the same substances and
will definitely not produce the same effects. Read labels
and accept only products that clearly identify glutamine as
the free-form or peptide-bonded version.
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