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Glutamine: Can it Help You Recover Better from Workouts? Part 2

Shawn Sales

Part 1 of Glutamine: Can it Help You Recover Better from Workouts? appeared in the last issue of Nutrition & Health OnLine Magazine. If you have not read Part 1 please Click Here

Another result of training is the production of lactic acid by the body. One cause for lactic acid buildup may be from the body not being able to generate enough glutamine during intense physical activity to keep up with the demands placed upon it. There is now new research that suggest glutamine supplementation may provide additional buffering power when the acid/base balance becomes more acidic; enabling longer, harder workouts with less muscle soreness the next day. ⁵

One area that must be examined from overtraining is the release of stress hormones a phrase used for this is the "fight or flight syndrome". Meaning when under stress, an individual may choose to run from the stressful situation or choose to stay and fight the situation. Either way, for the body to prepare itself for competition, stress hormones are released to help the body prepare itself during this time of stress. Often athletes release large amounts of stress hormones during competition as away of priming their bodies for the activity in which they are going to participate.

One stress hormone that the body releases is cortisol. Current research has looked at glutamine as being a way to blunt the effects of cortisol release from stress to reduce muscle catabolism that may take place in the body from the stress response. Stress induces a hypermatabolic state of increased urinary nitrogen loss and increased metabolic rate. The principal reason for such a response is the mobilization of amino acids and the production of glucose to provide energy for the cells involved in the host immune response and wound repair. The endocrine hormones e.g., cortisol, the catecholamines, and glucagons, are largely responsible for these effects. Insulin and growth hormone administration can produce anabolic effects to block the loss of body protein. Administration of specific amino acids, such as glutamine, also appears to be beneficial. ⁷

While glutamine may play a role in blunting the stress response that may occur from exercise induced stress or injury, glutamine has also been found to be effective to long distance (aerobic) events. This in turn may lead to a further supply of the amount of muscle glycogen an athlete has in storage during training. Recent research has shown that including glutamine with a glucose-based drink may help to increase muscle glycogen storage after exercise. The addition of glutamine to the glucose polymer drink appears to facilitate a resynthesis of both liver and muscle glycogen stores, with the potential benefit of prolonging the availability of glucose in the blood for use by the central nervous system and thus possibly endurance time in a subsequent bout of exercise.² This research in glutamine supplementation could lead to fascinating results for athletes who participate in endurance events. For an athlete to have the ability to replenish their glycogen stores to a greater level may ultimately give the athlete the ability to perform at a more efficient rate over a greater period of time.

Another area where glutamine has proven to be beneficial is the body's immune system. With athletes and trauma patients under severe stress, the body's immune system is often compromised. Research has shown glutamine to be effective in enhancing the immune system. Many athletes tend to be more susceptible to developing upper respiratory tract infection as a result of decreased immunity from prolonged strenuous exercise. Glutamine plays an important role in normal immune function. One protective aspect concern's glutamine's role as metabolic fuel for disease fighting cells, particularly the lymphocytes and macrophages that defend against infection. Because glutamine plasma concentrations decrease following prolonged high intensity exercise, a glutamine deficiency has been linked to the immunosuppression caused by strenuous exercise. Researchers speculate that glutamine supplementation might reduce the increased susceptibility to upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) frequently observed following prolonged competition or a bout of exhaustive training. ⁸

While glutamine has been proven to be beneficial to the cells of the immune system during strenuous exercise, glutamine also has been shown to have other beneficial effects to critically ill patients. Glutamine is the primary source of energy for the various cells of the immune system, including T cells and Macrophages. Strenuous exercise, viral and bacterial infections and stress and trauma in general cause glutamine depletion that starves the immune cells. They decline in number and/or show diminished activity. Up to 40 grams of glutamine a day can be used to sustain the immune system of AIDS patients or cancer patients undergoing bone marrow transplantation. ⁹

While 40 grams of glutamine may be used for critically ill patients, the question must be asked as to what a safe dosage would be for a healthy athlete to ingest and when the appropriate time would be to consume the supplement. In one study, normal individuals were evaluated for the their short term response to oral loads of glutamine at doses of 0, 0.1, and 0.3 g/kg. This amount would be between 7.5 and 22.5 grams for an average person weighing 75kg. In this study, no evidence of clinical toxicity or generation of toxic metabolites (ammonia and glutamate was observed.⁴

While research has shown that up to 22.5 grams of glutamine can be taken without toxic effects, smaller doses have proven to be beneficial. In fact recent research has shown that taking 2 grams of glutamine after an intense workout has proven to be the most effective and beneficial to the highly trained athlete. In a study, two grams of glutamine were dissolved in a cola drink and ingested over a 20 minute period 45 minutes after a light breakfast. Ninety minutes after the glutamine administration load both plasma bicarbonate concentration and circulating plasma growth hormone concentration were elevated these findings demonstrate that a surprisingly small oral glutamine load is capable of elevating alkaline reserves as well as plasma growth hormone. ¹⁰

In conclusion, recent research has shown the amino acid glutamine to have many different uses in both the medical field and as an ergogenic aid in sports performance. Research has shown glutamine to be effective to help cancer patients, along with other critically patients who may suffer from illness or injury in preventing muscle catabolism. Current research on athletes using glutamine as an ergogenic aid to prevent immunosupression and muscle wasting from overtraining has been positive. Research has shown that consuming 2 grams a day after a heavy bout of exercise has been beneficial to prevent the onset of muscle catabolism and decreased immune system function. While further research must be conducted to look at the complexities of glutamine as an ergogenic aid, current research has shown this amino acid to have a promising future in the prevention of muscle catabolism.

¹McLaughlin, T. "The Biomechanics of Powerlifting: The Deadlift," Powerlifting USA, Jul. 1981, p. 15.
²Ibid.
³Gotshalk, L. "Analysis of the Deadlift", NSCA Journal, Jan. 1985, p.76.
⁴Nachenson and Elfstron, "measurments of Forces in the Human Spine and their Clinical applications", Perspectives in Biomedical Engineering. ed. R.N. Kenedi (Baltimore:University Park Press), p. 114.
⁵McLaughlin, T. "The Biomechanics of Powerlifting: Low Back Training," Powerlifting USA, Jan. 1982, p. 31.
⁶McLaughlin, T. "The Biomechanics of Powerlifting: Abdominal Training," Powerlifting USA, Sep. 1981, p. 27.

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