Glutamine: Uses, Peculiarities And Benefits

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Nowadays, the benefits and incredible capabilities of glutamine are called out everywhere. Athletes use it in their diet to increase their strength. Despite its vast popularity, not everyone knows how to take it correctly and what effect it produces.

Features of Glutamine

As was already mentioned before, glutamine is vital for the proper functioning of the body. It’s one of the 20 most useful amino acids that form protein molecules. Glutamine amounts for 60% of muscle composition, the rest of it is in the liver, stomach, and lungs.

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There are controversial opinions on the matter in general. Some say that glutamine is a non-essential amino acid, while others claim it to be essential. The truth is in the middle. Glutamine is a so-called conditionally essential amino acid. It means that our body produces some of it, but not in the amount sufficient to cover all the body’s need for it. The deficit is felt most hard by heavily-training athletes who spend a huge amount of energy.

The Main Purposes Of Glutamine

Glutamine protects muscles from catabolism, at the same time, accelerating their growth and GH production. It is also partially responsible for restoring muscles after hard training. The substance supports the immune system, strengthens it, reduces injury risks, and protects against overtraining.

Glutamine intake stabilizes and boosts the work of the nervous system. Studies have shown that this amino-acid, among other things, has nootropic properties and can even act as a mild psychostimulant. The course of several months normalizes the functioning of the brain, thus enhancing mental capabilities.

The amino acid is suitable for everyone, regardless of age or other factors; it has practically no side effects. Any rumors of this supplement being secretly dangerous and harmful are just that – rumors, for there is no scientific proof of such claims. However, it’s good to adhere to the dosage and intake recommendations. The substance is best to take in the most active phases (more on this later). The body will not absorb the excess amount of the substance. A slight gastric upset might appear in sporadic cases, as well as some other side effects.

Intake Peculiarities

The supplement should be administered in the correct dosage. For professional athletes, the daily dose is about 0.3 g per 1 kg of body weight. So, your weight in kilos multiplied by 0.3 will be your daily dose. However, it is no use taking the entire dose at once.

There are several intake regimens. The first one – divide the daily dose into two parts, taking one in the morning and another –  before bed (or before and after training). The second one is to divide the daily dose into four parts and take one at each of four stages – morning, before a workout, after a workout, evening. The choice of regimen is entirely up to you. Consider your preferences and capabilities.

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Glutamine is good because it can be combined with other supplements – for example, creatine or protein. Why is this done? In this case, you can increase the training process’s efficiency and develop the body simultaneously in several directions. For example, protein helps to acquire relief, improve strength and endurance, and glutamine has a general strengthening function and is effective in the recovery process. It turns out the perfect “duet.” Another pro of glutamine is that it’s completely okay to combine it with other supplements, like protein, carnitine, creatine, etc. With each supplement, glutamine can have a synergetic effect. For example, proteins help to get muscle definition, increase endurance and strength, while glutamine makes you stronger in general and helps you recover. It’s the royal flush of supplements.

To obtain the desired results, you should follow the recommendation to take glutamine on an empty stomach. Wash it down with plain water, if possible. However, mixing it with a protein shake is also acceptable (for the reasons said above).

Conclusion

Now you know why it is worth taking glutamine, and what functions it performs. It is an indispensable supplement, without which it’s hard to count on any significant results in bodybuilding.