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Is It Worth Taking Glutamine, What Are The Benefits?

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Obi Obadike

Obi Obadike

Celebrity Fitness & Nutrition Expert, CFT, SFN, M.S. Founder & CEO – Ethical Inc.
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Is it worth taking glutamine, what are the benefits? Glutamine is an amino acid, and its main purpose is to serve as building blocks for protein. L-Glutamine can be found in food or supplements and some supplements are called L-Glutamine and some are just called glutamine. L-glutamine can be produced naturally in the body. Part of its features is supporting immune function and intestinal health.

If you choose not to get your glutamine through supplements you can get it through these types of protein food.

Eggs- 4.4% protein

Beef- 4.8% protein

Tofu- 9.1% protein

Skim Milk- 8.1% protein

White Rice- 11.1% protein

Corn- 16.2% protein

Is it worth taking glutamine, what are the benefits? Photo Credit: iStock- vdvornyk

Almost any food that contains protein will contain glutamine. If you get enough protein from animal foods sources, it should give you enough glutamine. One of the most important rules in glutamine is its role in the immune function capabilities.

Research studies have shown that glutamine supplements can improve health, decrease sickness or infections and lead to a shorter stay at the hospital after surgery. Also, glutamine supplements help to preserve protein stores in the body.

Another important role glutamine plays are in intestinal health. It is an important energy source for intestinal and immune cells. One of the additional features it plays is by maintaining a barrier between the inside of your intestines and the rest of your body. It additionally helps by preventing the bacteria from your intestines to go to other places of your body.

There are research studies that have shown that glutamine supplements can help relieve muscle soreness and improve recovery after intense exercise.

“If your goal is to take glutamine through a supplement, then it is best to conservatively start with a dose of 5 grams per day.” Celebrity Fitness & Nutrition Expert Obi Obadike

There was also a research study on muscle gain and exercise performance and the study results revealed there were no effects on muscle gain and performance.

It is important to know that if you consume an abundant amount of high protein through foods then you are most likely consuming a high amount glutamine without glutamine supplements. You would only take glutamine powder if you were not getting enough glutamine from protein food sources.

How much glutamine should you take per day? In the average diet you would consume 3 to 6 grams per day of L-glutamine. If your goal is to take glutamine through a supplement, then it is best to conservatively start with a dose of 5 grams per day.

The Bottom Line is glutamine is an amino acid that comes in two forms, and it is L-Glutamine and D-Glutamine. It is naturally produced in the body, and it is found mainly in animal food sources. It can help reduce soreness, recovery and support immune function.

If you have any interest in trying any of our Ethical Supplement products to help you heighten your immune system or assist you with your fitness, weight loss or health goals.

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https://offer.ethicalinc.com/suppressant-offer/ ?utm_source=blog

References

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  2. Song QH, Xu RM, Zhang QH, Shen GQ, Ma M, Zhao XP, Guo YH, Wang Y. Glutamine supplementation and immune function during heavy load training. Int J Clin Pharmacol Ther. 2015 May;53(5):372-6. doi: 10.5414/CP202227. PMID: 25740264.
  3. Rohde T, MacLean DA, Pedersen BK. Effect of glutamine supplementation on changes in the immune system induced by repeated exercise. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1998 Jun;30(6):856-62. doi: 10.1097/00005768-199806000-00013. PMID: 9624643.
  4. Castell L. Glutamine supplementation in vitro and in vivo, in exercise and in immunodepression. Sports Med. 2003;33(5):323-45. doi: 10.2165/00007256-200333050-00001. PMID: 12696982.
  5. Legault Z, Bagnall N, Kimmerly DS. The Influence of Oral L-Glutamine Supplementation on Muscle Strength Recovery and Soreness Following Unilateral Knee Extension Eccentric Exercise. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2015 Oct;25(5):417-26. doi: 10.1123/ijsnem.2014-0209. Epub 2015 Mar 26. PMID: 25811544.
  6. Lehmkuhl M, Malone M, Justice B, Trone G, Pistilli E, Vinci D, Haff EE, Kilgore JL, Haff GG. The effects of 8 weeks of creatine monohydrate and glutamine supplementation on body composition and performance measures. J Strength Cond Res. 2003 Aug;17(3):425-38. doi: 10.1519/1533-4287(2003)017<0425:teowoc>2.0.co;2. PMID: 12930166.
  7. Antonio J, Sanders MS, Kalman D, Woodgate D, Street C. The effects of high-dose glutamine ingestion on weightlifting performance. J Strength Cond Res. 2002 Feb;16(1):157-60. PMID: 11834123.
  8. van der Hulst RR, von Meyenfeldt MF, Soeters PB. Glutamine: an essential amino acid for the gut. Nutrition. 1996 Nov-Dec;12(11-12 Suppl):S78-81. doi: 10.1016/s0899-9007(97)85206-9. PMID: 8974125.
  9. Rao R, Samak G. Role of Glutamine in Protection of Intestinal Epithelial Tight Junctions. J Epithel Biol Pharmacol. 2012 Jan;5(Suppl 1-M7):47-54. doi: 10.2174/1875044301205010047. PMID: 25810794; PMCID: PMC4369670.
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  11. Kim H. Glutamine as an immunonutrient. Yonsei Med J. 2011 Nov;52(6):892-7. doi: 10.3349/ymj.2011.52.6.892. PMID: 22028151; PMCID: PMC3220259.
  12. Demling RH. Nutrition, anabolism, and the wound healing process: an overview. Eplasty. 2009;9:e9. Epub 2009 Feb 3. PMID: 19274069; PMCID: PMC2642618.
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  14. Eroglu A. The effect of intravenous alanyl-glutamine supplementation on plasma glutathione levels in intensive care unit trauma patients receiving enteral nutrition: the results of a randomized controlled trial. Anesth Analg. 2009 Aug;109(2):502-5. doi: 10.1213/ane.0b013e3181a83178. PMID: 19608826.
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