What is glutamine for, useful properties and contraindications for use, instructions for using the drug in different forms. Glutamine is an amino acid that is part of the protein and is essential for the normal functioning of the body. Its concentration in human blood is high, because it is found in sufficient quantities in food. However, this amino acid is essential for athletes because it speeds up metabolic processes in muscles and at the same time slows down catabolic processes after hard training. In other words, glutamine is an excellent remedy for rebuilding and building muscle tissue after exercise. In order for this substance to give strength and strengthen the body, it is important to know how to take it correctly.
What is glutamine for?
When a person is healthy and in a calm state, there is an excess of glutamine in the body, it accumulates in the muscles and is gradually consumed depending on the activity. With serious physical exertion, this substance is quickly spent, and muscle growth is impossible without its presence. It is for this reason that glutamine is often used by athletes, in particular bodybuilders, to build muscle.
When to take glutamine:
- When an athlete is exercising and striving to build muscle tissue faster. The substance is involved in the synthesis of muscle proteins.
- If it is necessary to slow down the process of protein breakdown - to have an anti-catabolic effect. In other words, this amino acid keeps muscles elastic for a long time.
- To increase the level of growth hormones in the body.
- To enhance the protective functions of the immune system.
- If necessary, recharge the body with energy during heavy physical exertion. By its nature, glutamine is as powerful a source of energy as glucose.
When certain foods are consumed, glutamine will be synthesized naturally in the body. Best suited for its production are: beef, fish, eggs, chicken, dairy products, beets, cabbage, spinach and parsley. It is the interaction of protein and plant foods that contributes to the production of high-quality amino acids. However, in the process of digestion, the volume of the beneficial substance decreases, so it is believed that it is more effective to take pure glutamine in the form of a special supplement. As doctors note, it is in its pure form that it is absorbed better, strengthening muscle tissue and increasing immunity.
Important! The main reason for taking the supplement is to replenish the volume of the protein amino acid during active sports training, when its level decreases by 20-30%, thereby reducing the effectiveness of training.
Benefits of the amino acid glutamine
Glutamine is a building block for the body that can help an athlete not only build muscle, but also make training more effective and less painful.
The beneficial properties of glutamine include:
- Fast recovery from injuries … The amino acid has the ability to heal fiber microtrauma from exercise.
- Increased muscle mass … With the right training system, this supplement helps nourish muscles by improving protein synthesis. Forms smooth and striated muscles.
- Strengthening immunity … It has been proven that athletes who use glutamine are less likely to get viral diseases.
- Anesthesia … Reduces severe post-workout pain in the legs and arms, also called DOMS. Its reception allows you to make subsequent workouts more effective.
- Energy boost … Despite the fact that there is no research confirming this thesis, athletes from different countries note that while taking the supplement, they are engaged in training more actively, without complaining of fatigue, loss of strength and bad mood.
- Stabilization of the emotional state and functioning of the nervous system … The amino acid improves the nerve conduction of cells and normalizes the metabolism of neurons.
- Boosts brain activity … This is a short-term result that appears almost immediately after taking the substance and lasts for several hours.
Note! The amino acid glutamine is not a chemical compound, but a natural substance necessary for the growth of muscle tissue, so its beneficial properties help many athletes.
Contraindications to the use of glutamine
Pure glutamine is a dietary supplement that has a significant effect on the body, so it cannot be completely safe and suitable for absolutely everyone.
The categories of persons who do not want to take it include:
- People who lead a measured lifestyle, do not bother themselves with physical activity. Glutamine is in excess in their bodies, and taking any supplements with this substance can cause an overdose and is pointless.
- Athletes with kidney disease, anemia, increased excitability, because the constituent components of the supplement activate all processes in the body and can exacerbate any of the above conditions.
- Athletes who take complex biological supplements in parallel. This can lead to diarrhea, nausea, nervous excitement, dryness of the mucous membrane in the mouth, cracked lips.
- People on certain medications. The parallel intake of this amino acid can cancel the therapeutic effect.
Any complications associated with taking this supplement can only arise if it is used uncontrolled.
Important! Always check with your doctor before consuming glutamine.
Admission rules in the instructions for glutamine
Most instructions for any form of glutamine indicate that the dose of the substance must be calculated individually. To do this, multiply your body weight by 0.3 g of the amino acid.
What other important points are indicated in the instructions:
- Glutamine is an absolutely safe amino acid. Even if an overdose occurs, the excess is naturally excreted from the body.
- It is possible to take the daily norm at a time in full only in case of overactive workouts. If the athlete has several days off between classes, you need to take only half of the daily dose in the morning.
- When training ends or the person plans to stop taking the supplement, do it gradually. 3-5 days it is worth drinking half the daily dose, another two days - a quarter, only then you can complete the intake.
- You can drink glutamine along with some other sports supplements, but for this, you should first consult with your doctor to determine the dosage.
Instructions for the use of glutamine
Taking glutamine is straightforward: you need to add it to your main diet. The daily dose of the amino acid is 10-30 grams, depending on the person's weight, diet and training intensity. There are several regimens for taking the drug, which differ due to the different packaging.
Taking glutamine capsules
Protein amino acid capsules are considered a very convenient option because they are easy to drink with water under all conditions. On average, one capsule contains 5 g of dry matter, covered with a gelatinous shell. After a person swallows the capsule, it dissolves, and the powder quickly enters the bloodstream, starting to work. Due to the fast action of the glutamine capsules, it is recommended to drink immediately before and immediately after training. Each athlete needs his own individual dose. Take half of the daily allowance before class and the second after.
Be sure to drink the capsules with plain water, not juices or fruit drinks, because sugar can slow down the absorption of the amino acid into the blood.
The only drawback of this form is the difficulty, if necessary, to measure dry powder to a gram. In this case, you can open the gelatin capsule with your hands, pour out the substance and measure it on a special scale.
How to take glutamine powder
The powdered form of glutamine is more popular due to the fact that it is cheaper and more economical. It is believed that dry matter is easier to measure, but this can also be a minus, because every day you need to manipulate the scales and a measuring spoon. And not everyone likes unnecessary actions, because they take time. The amino acid supplement powder must be dissolved in room temperature water before use and sipped slowly.
The scheme for taking glutamine in powder is slightly different from the capsule form: the daily dose must be divided in half and drink one part first in the morning, and the second in the evening. So the body will receive the maximum amount of substance that is well absorbed. You do not need to be tied to workouts - they can take place at any time.
How to take glutamine with a protein shake
The most enjoyable form of glutamine supplementation is with a protein shake. To do this, divide the daily dose of the substance into four equal parts and mix each one with 100 grams of the drink. You need to consume a protein shake with glutamine four times: the first time in the morning, the second before training, the third after, and the fourth before bed.
Protein shakes for this purpose can be easily prepared at home. To do this, take 50 g of strawberries, 100 ml of milk and 50 g of cottage cheese. Mix everything with a blender, add glutamine and drink.
For those who do not like fruit cocktails, you can prepare a spicy drink. To do this, mix 50 g of water, 100 g of cottage cheese and 15 g of a dry mixture of peppers to your taste, add glutamine.
Such cocktails in tandem with an amino acid will give a more powerful result: they will add physical endurance and saturate the body with useful microelements.
How to drink glutamine with creatine
Athletes who exercise daily often consume glutamine along with another effective supplement, creatine. It is a carboxylic acid that is essential for increasing physical strength and endurance. This substance is found naturally in different types of meat, but it is better absorbed in the form of an additive. Together with glutamine, creatine forms resistance to viruses in the body, the ability to withstand severe stress and build muscles even faster.
Drinking an amino acid with creatine follows a certain pattern - this is an important condition for better absorption of the components. Divide the daily dose of creatine (5-7 g) into two parts. Drink one part 30 minutes before training, and after another 20 minutes, drink half the daily dose of glutamine.
Be sure to drink creatine with sweet tea or compote, it is important that the drink contains glucose, this will facilitate its absorption. After exercising, take the second half of the creatine dose and, accordingly, after 20 minutes of glutamine.
How much glutamine to take
Do not expect your muscles to grow on their own when you take glutamine. An amino acid is a working substance that gives an effect only with a properly developed training complex. There are three points to consider when determining when to take a supplement:
- You can take a daily dose every day during a period of particularly strong physical exertion. Every six months, you need to undergo a general examination by a doctor.
- If the degree of load is average and the question is only about building muscle, it is better to introduce the maximum amount of foods with glutamine into the diet, and consume the supplement itself at intervals. For example, do supplementation for a month, and then take a break for a couple of weeks.
- If you need to strengthen the immune system after an illness, correct the nervous system or quickly provide the body with protein, glutamine is prescribed for a course of 20 days. You can continue taking it only after consulting a doctor.
Note! In fact, there are no hard restrictions on the duration of taking this supplement, but immunologists say that if you drink it constantly, the body will refuse to absorb this amino acid from natural products. How to take glutamine - watch the video:
Glutamine is an amino acid that is present in the body in high concentration, but athletes need it because the substance is consumed very quickly during physical activity. That is why this food supplement is so popular, it provides the body with energy, strengthens the immune system and forms powerful muscles. It is only necessary to calculate the dose and develop a glutamine regimen under the supervision of a doctor or trainer.
