It's a conditionally essential amino acid, which means your body produces enough of it under normal circumstances. According to a November study published in Nutrients certain conditions like cancer, infections, surgeries and possibly intense exercise can lower your body's reserve of glutamine to dangerous levels.
To understand why glutamine has been suggested for athletes, you have to understand what it does and where it's used. About 40 to 60 percent of the amino acids in tissues in your body are made of glutamine according to the November study published in Nutrients, making it the most prominent amino acid in the body.
Your body naturally produces 40 to 80 grams of glutamine per day, according to the study. It can be used as an energy source for your immune system, normalizes growth hormone and keeps muscles hydrated. Glutamine also supports your immune system as an antioxidant.
When you work out or even just digest food, molecules are sometimes released. These are called free radicals because they're free to bind to other molecules. Glutamine can help control these free radicals, reducing the amount of damage they can do, according to a December study in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. In hospitals, glutamine is used for patients who are in critical condition, such as burn victims.
It can be given intravenously or as a supplement. An August study in published in Critical Care shows that burn victims had decreased mortality and shorter stays in the hospital when supplementing with doses ranging from.
Burns are extremely taxing on the body, particularly the immune system. Skin comprises a large part of the immune system, and when it's damaged your body has to work harder to fight infection. A February study published in the Journal of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition showed that glutamine supplementation could help patients with acute pancreatitis. The researchers found that patients who were given glutamine intravenously had fewer infections and a greater chance of survival than those who didn't get glutamine.
While these studies are encouraging, there's still some doubt as to whether glutamine can work even for extremely sick patients.
An August research review published in Medicine showed that groups of patients who supplemented with glutamine were only slightly better off than those who did not in terms of infection and mortality. Going even further, a November paper published in Critical Care argued that glutamine shouldn't be given indiscriminately to extremely sick patients. The paper explains that in some cases, patients were given too much glutamine , which had detrimental effects.
Seeing how glutamine helped some patients who were ill or had their immune systems compromised, supplement companies tried to sell glutamine to athletes and gym-goers. The logic is that exercise is damaging to your body, thereby draining it of nutrients like glutamine, which you'd need to replenish to boost your immune function and ability to recover.
Fortunately, your glutamine stores can't be wiped out from exercise, according to the December study in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. Plasma amino acid concentrations in the overtraining syndrome: possible effects on the immune system. Med Sci Sports Exerc. Effect of exercise on protein turnover in man. Clin Sci. Effect of oral glutamine on whole body carbohydrate storage during recovery from exhaustive exercise. J Appl Physiol. Does glutamine contribute to immunosuppression after major burns?
A communicational link between skeletal muscle, brain, and cells of the immune system. Int J Sports Med. Glutamine, exercise and immune function. Links and possible mechanisms. Sports Med. Changes in blood ammonia, lactate and amino acids in relation to workload during bicycle ergometer exercise in man. Hyperammonaemia in relation to high intensity exercise duration in man. Effects of exercise intensity, duration and recovery on in vitro neutrophil function in male athletes.
Plasma glutamine and upper respiratory tract infection during intensified training in swimmers. Role of glutamine in human carbohydrate metabolism in kidney and other tissues. Kidney Int. The effects of diet on muscle pH and metabolism during high intensity exercise. Contrasting plasma amino acid patterns in elite athletes: association with fatigue and infection.
Br J Sports Med. Does glutamine have a role in reducing infections in athletes? The effect of glutamine supplementation on the functions of neutrophils from exercised rats. Cell Biochem Funct. Effect of glutamine supplementation on changes in the immune system induced by repeated exercise. Effect of glutamine supplementation on exercise-induced changes in lymphocyte function. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol. Effect of glutamine and protein supplementation on exercise-induced decreases in salivary IgA.
Effect of oral glutamine supplementation on human neutrophil lipopolysaccharide-stimulated degranulation following prolonged exercise. Int J Sport Nutr.
The effects of oral glutamine supplementation on athletes after prolonged, exhaustive exercise. Safety and metabolic effects of L-glutamine administration in humans. Gleeson M , editor. Immune function in sport and exercise. Edinburgh : Elsevier ; Gleeson M. Immune system adaptation in elite athletes. Effect of glutamine on immune function in the surgical patient.
Blanchard M. Carbohydrate supplementation and high intensity exercise: glutamine metabolism and immune function in well trained athletes.
PhD thesis, University of Queensland , Australia ; Hiscock N , Pedersen BK. Exercise-induced immunodepression: plasma glutamine is not the link. Castell LM. Glutamine supplementation in vitro and in vivo, in exercise and in immunodepression. Jeukendrup AE , Gleeson M. Sports nutrition: an introduction to energy production and performance.
Champaign IL : Human Kinetics ; Efficacy of a glutamine-based oral rehydration solution on the electrolyte and water absorption in a rabbit model of secretory diarrhea induced by cholera toxin. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. Welbourne TC. Increased plasma bicarbonate and growth hormone after an oral glutamine load.
Am J Clin Nutr. Acute L-glutamine ingestion does not improve maximal effort exercise. J Sports Med Phys Fitness.
An oral essential amino acid-carbohydrate supplement enhances muscle protein anabolism after resistance exercise. Postexercise net protein synthesis in human muscle from orally administered amino acids.
Am J Physiol. Independent and combined effects of amino acids and glucose after resistance exercise. The effect of severe eccentric exercise-induced muscle damage on plasma elastase, glutamine and zinc concentrations.
Manninen AH. Protein hydrolysates in sports and exercise: a brief review. J Sports Sci Med. Oral glutamine in paediatric oncology patients: a dose finding study. Eur J Clin Nutr. Chronic glutamine supplementation increases nasal but not salivary IgA during 9 days of interval training. Effect of dietary protein and amino acids on immune function. Crit Care Med. Nutrient risk assessment as a tool for providing scientific assessments to regulators. Hathcock JN , Shao A.
Expanded approach to tolerable upper intake guidelines for nutrients and bioactive substances. An approach to defining the upper safe limits of amino acid intake.
The metabolism of proline as microenvironmental stress substrate. Inborn errors of proline metabolism. However, some scientists have raised concerns about their sustained use Adding glutamine to a regular diet may cause a variety of changes in the way the body absorbs and processes amino acids. Yet, the long-term effects of these changes are unknown Therefore, more information is needed concerning long-term supplementation, particularly when high doses are used.
It is possible that glutamine supplements may not have the same effects if you eat an animal-based, high-protein diet, compared to a plant-based, lower-protein diet.
If you follow a plant-based diet with low glutamine content, you may be able to consume supplements while still receiving a normal daily amount of it overall. If you decide to take a glutamine supplement, it is probably best to start with a conservative dose of around 5 grams per day. L-glutamine is the important form, which is produced naturally in the body and found in many foods. It is estimated that a typical diet contains 3 to 6 grams per day. It provides fuel for immune and intestinal cells and helps keep the connections in the intestines strong.
During times when your body cannot produce optimal amounts, such as during injury or severe illness, supplementing with it may be beneficial for your immune health and recovery. Glutamine is also frequently used a sports supplement, but most research does not support its effectiveness.
Supplementing appears to be safe in the short-term, but more research is needed on its long-term effects. Before taking a glutamine supplement, consider whether the reason for taking it is supported by current evidence.
There are several dietary supplements that can help increase muscle mass and strength. Here are the 6 best supplements to gain more muscle. Testosterone is crucial for many body processes, including fat loss and muscle growth.
Here are 8 of the best testosterone boosting supplements. There are many protein powders to choose from, so we've compiled some of the best options to help you pick the right one for you. Creatine is a very popular sports supplement. It is used to increase muscle mass, boost strength and enhance exercise performance.
Glucosamine supplements are popular but controversial. This article takes a look at whether or not they are effective at treating arthritis. Protein is incredibly important for your health, weight loss, and body composition.
This article explains exactly how much protein you should eat. When it comes to sports, injuries are an unfortunate part of the game. Here are 14 foods and supplements to help you recover from an injury more…. Though weight loss is a goal for many people, others hope to gain weight, often to look and feel more muscular or to improve athletic performance…. Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Glutamine is an important amino acid with many functions in the body.
It is a building block of protein and critical part of the immune system. Share on Pinterest. What Is Glutamine? Glutamine is an amino acid. Amino acids are molecules that play many roles in the body. Their main purpose is to serve as building blocks for proteins.
Like many other amino acids, it exists in two different forms: L-glutamine and D-glutamine. Summary Glutamine is an important amino acid. L-glutamine is the form found in foods, supplements and the human body. It is part of the proteins in your body and involved in immune function and intestinal health.
0コメント