There are a couple of things you should have when you exercise: you should have a good nutrition plan in place, you should get enough rest, etc. To “complement” this list of essentials is the glutamine supplement (excuse the pun). Regardless of whether you’re a beginner or a pro, whether you’re trying to lose weight, get bigger, or tone up, glutamine is a must have in your cupboard. It has many diverse benefits to help you perform more efficiently and conveniently, as well as help you maintain good overall health.
First of all, you are probably wondering what glutamine is. Glutamine is the most abundant amino acid in the human body that is used to help regulate cell growth and function. In addition to being produced by our bodies, glutamine can be found in beans, meats, fish, poultry, dairy products, many protein powders, and of course, on the shelves of your local supplement store in pure powder form or pill. Some of its benefits are that it serves as a “brain fuel” that increases brain function and mental activity, promotes a healthy digestive tract, significantly shortens the healing time of ulcers, reduces depression, impotence, fatigue; it decreases sugar cravings and perhaps more importantly to us (considering this is a fitness article), it helps build and maintain muscle tissue by minimizing muscle breakdown and increasing protein metabolism AND glutamine helps too to tighten the skin, which is perfect for someone who has recently lost a lot of weight
There is simply no denying the benefits of glutamines for our bodies. However, even though it is the most abundant amino acid in our system, the complication is that it is always being depleted. During intense training, glutamine levels are significantly reduced in our bodies, which reduces endurance and muscle recovery. Research indicates that after intense workouts, glutamine levels may drop by up to 50% and it may take up to 6 days for glutamine levels to return to normal levels.
Reducing glutamine levels will slow down the progress you see in exercise, and since one of glutamine’s main jobs is to maintain collagen levels, which is critical for healthy skin, a deficiency will make your skin look older , while glutamine supplementation may actually be effective in tightening loose skin. The most common dose of glutamine is 5 to 10 grams on an empty stomach 25 to 30 minutes before exercise and then 5 to 10 grams immediately afterward. Many also take 5-10 grams upon waking and directly before bed to combat muscle breakdown that occurs during sleep. If you have recently lost a significant amount of weight and part of your goal is to firm your skin, you would take 20 grams of glutamine every day, even on non-exercise days, divided into 2-4 servings taken on an empty stomach if possible to maximize absorption.
If you are not taking glutamine, you should start; I’m sure you can appreciate why I consider it a must. Also, as amazing as Glutamine is in terms of its effectiveness, it is also amazing in terms of its affordability and is one of the most reasonably priced supplements you will find on the market. Put simply, glutamine has so much to offer you, you can’t afford not to take it!
