Introducing Glutamine
Are you aware of the importance of glutamine? It is one of the body’s most important building blocks and is key to making proteins.
Glutamine has recently become an extremely popular supplement, especially among fitness enthusiasts and bodybuilders. It can help build muscle, burn fat, and speed muscle recovery. Furthermore, if that’s not enough, it can support the immune system and improve your overall well-being and health.
This article will discuss the types of glutamine available on the market and the benefits you can get from consumption. In addition, we’ll teach you how to choose the best supplement to fit your needs perfectly. At last, we’ll also give you a list of the top 10 glutamine supplements.
Key Takeaways:
- Our body produces glutamine, a non-essential amino acid
- Regular supplementation can improve performance, help build muscles and speed up recovery time
- The recommended daily dose of glutamine is 5-10 grams per day
What Is Glutamine?
It is a non-essential or conditionally essential amino acid and a building block for protein and plays a key role in many bodily functions.
Note
Glutamine is abundant in our bodies; around 80% concentrates on the skeletal muscles. This indicates that our body constantly produces it.
It plays a significant role in maintaining a healthy immune system and improving well-being and gut health. Therefore, this amino acid is especially important for athletes and bodybuilders who like to lift heavy-weight because it helps them improve their performance and speeds up muscle recovery.
Although the human body produces glutamine, it’s also available in various foods. So, if you need that extra amount, you can easily get it by consuming meat, tofu, spinach, beets, beans, white rice, peas, skim milk, and eggs. However, if you’re a vegan or don’t consume enough glutamine-rich foods, it would be best to incorporate a supplement into your daily routine.
Types of Glutamine
You can find many forms of the supplement, but here are the most common types available on the market:
- L-Glutamine: it’s a non-essential amino acid that the body produces on its own. It is the most abundant type and supports the gut’s health, immune system, and muscular recovery. In addition, it is the most popular one present in most supplements. You can also find this form naturally in foods such as eggs, milk, white rice, corn, beef, and tofu.
- D-Glutamine: this type is identical to L-glutamine, with small structural differences. It’s a non-essential amino acid but doesn’t play a huge role in biological functions. Furthermore, it is not bioavailable and doesn’t appear in supplements.
- N-Acetyl L-Glutamine: this form is an acetylated version of L-glutamine, only more digestible in the intestines than the regular version. Therefore, it is the most effective form for people who focus on gut health.
How Does Glutamine Work?
While the body usually produces enough glutamine, there are exceptions. For instance, during stressful times or an injury, the body needs more than it can make. This is where supplements come into play.
When you regularly consume this amino acid, your body boosts its own glutamine levels and synthesizes proteins more efficiently. This accelerates muscle and tissue repair and fights illnesses and infections. It also removes excess ammonia in the body, helps the immune system, and supports normal brain function and digestion.
Pro Tip
Although supplements are safe for most people, always consult your physician before consuming them. Your physician can advise you on the right dosage and how to safely consume the supplements to achieve the best results.
Benefits & Uses of Glutamine
Regular consumption has countless health benefits and can improve your overall well-being. Here are the main positive impacts you can expect.
Supports Your Immune System
Glutamine’s main role in the body is to support the immune system, especially when sick. Studies show that our bodies need this amino acid to activate and replicate white blood cells that help the body fight infections.
When your body desperately needs immune support, it starts breaking down sources of proteins like a muscle. If you’re sick or injured, we recommend taking supplements to help your body avoid breaking down any muscle mass.
Improves Your Gut Health
Glutamine can help you repair and maintain the gut barrier in your body. Maintaining your gut’s health is extremely important to prevent infections, harmful bacteria, and toxins from migrating from your intestine to the rest of your body. This amino acid helps fuel intestinal cell proliferation and prevents various gastrointestinal diseases.
Studies show that lacking L-glutamine in the body could cause a leaky gut. Therefore, regular consumption can restore tight junction protein in the gut and heal your leaky gut symptoms.
Promotes Muscle Growth and Muscle Recovery
Glutamine supplies nitrogen for muscle synthesis and helps build muscle mass. Moreover, the amino acids stimulate the secretion of hGH– the Human Growth Hormone that increases muscle growth.
In turn, L-glutamine supplements can help athletes and heavy-lifters to recover faster after a workout. It can also help you diminish muscle soreness.
Helps You Fight Fatigue
Glutamine prevents ammonia accumulation and therefore delays fatigue. This amino acid is even known as the anti-fatigue amino acid.
Our liver uses glutamine to produce more energy so you won’t feel drained during a workout.
Relieves Stress
There isn’t an athlete in this world that hasn’t felt performance stress. Glutamine can be handy in these situations because regular consumption can reduce anxiety and stress. The amino acid produces Gamma-Amino Butyric Acid, or GABA, a powerful neurotransmitter that can relax our brain nerves and calm our minds.
Note
Research also shows that regular glutamine consumption can help reduce sugar and alcohol cravings.
Who Can Consume Glutamine?
Anyone can consume it, but certain people find it incredibly beneficial:
- Endurance athletes: cyclists, runners, football players, and swimmers
- Strength athletes: gym-goers, bodybuilders, weightlifters, and powerlifters
- People suffering from gut issues: Inflammatory Bowel Syndrome and Leaky Gut
- People with weak immune health
- People who want to improve their recovery after an injury or surgery
Who Needs To Avoid Glutamine Supplements?
Glutamine supplements don’t work well with certain health conditions.
In general, these supplements should be avoided by:
- People who have kidney or liver disease
- People with Reye’s syndrome
- People who suffer from a seizure disorder
- Patients struggling with psychiatric disorders
- People who consume lactulose
- Pregnant women
- Breastfeeding mothers
Important
Always consult your doctor before getting supplements, especially if you have health problems or consume medicines. We also recommend older individuals reduce their daily glutamine intake.
What To Look For In A Glutamine Supplement?
If you want to choose a top-quality product with the best ingredients, which will give you excellent results, here are some simple rules to follow.
Third-Party Tested
Supplements tested by a third party are top-quality and have the certificate to prove that. The third-party certification implies the product has been lab tested for quality and contaminants. So, when you choose a product with a certificate, you can rest assured that you’ll only get the best ingredients. Some of the most trusted labels include USP and ConsumerLab.
However, some supplements are also top-notch, but they haven’t obtained a certificate. If you’re unsure whether to get them, check the manufacturer, the brand, and their reliability.
Warning
A third-party certificate doesn’t imply that the product is the best one available. You might find a cheaper alternative with better value for money.
Ingredients and Purity
One of the most important things to do before purchasing any supplement is to check the manufacturer’s label with all information regarding the ingredients. The label also contains information about added additives, texture, and flavor.
Form
Glutamine comes in multiple forms, including powder, capsules, and pills. Each form is excellent, so it all depends on your preferred consumption methods.
For instance, powders allow you to be more accurate about how much of the supplement you’re ingesting. In addition, you can easily mix it in with any drink or shake.
On the other hand, capsules are a bit more expensive than powder, but they’re more convenient for consumption. Swallowing a pill or a capsule takes one second, so it’s ideal for people with busier morning routines.
Note
Don’t be fooled by the price. A higher price doesn’t indicate that the product is the best. Similarly, a cheap glutamine supplement doesn’t mean a bad product. So, research and purchase a product that offers the best value for your money.
Things To Consider Before Buying Glutamine
Your priority should be quality, and you should always purchase a formula that fits your personal goals perfectly. However, don’t rush into the decision. Here’s what you should take into consideration before buying glutamine.
Training Goals
First, consider your training goals.
If you want to build massive muscles, glutamine might not be a good starting point.
On the other hand, if you want to pack on muscles while improving your immunity and gut health, it can be an excellent addition to your daily routine. Similarly, if you have suffered an injury and want to safely return to top condition, it will ease your path back into your program.
Current Diet
Is your diet rich in eggs, skim milk, beef, and tofu? You probably get enough glutamine from your diet if you love consuming these foods.
However, if you’re a vegan who doesn’t love consuming soy products; or trying to reduce dairy products from your diet, adding glutamine supplements to your daily routine will be helpful. By consuming these supplements, you’ll get the right amount of amino acids your body needs.
Substance and Flavor
The powder is the most popular form of glutamine, especially the unflavored and odorless versions. Users can mix them with other beverages and shakes. And if you don’t prefer this option, you can always choose from many delicious flavors.
Moreover, you can get pills or capsules if you want to avoid powder altogether. They’re super easy to swallow and easily absorbed in the body.
Conclusion
Some people are still hesitant to try glutamine because they consider them a supplement for athletes. They’re completely wrong because these supplements are for everyone, even for people who aren’t physically active. They can improve gut function, regulate stress levels, recover faster after an injury, and help your liver detox.
If you’re a vegan, don’t consume enough amino acids in your diet, or if you’re recovering from an intense injury or illness, start consuming glutamine supplements ASAP. Only one scoop or tablet a day can be life-changing, so it’s definitely worth trying!
