Glutamine

Glutamine or L-glutamine is a non-essential amino acid that serves as fuel for immune cells. The amino acid supports the activity of the phagocytes and killer cells, ensuring that pathogens cannot multiply unchecked. Not only your cells, brGlutamine also supports intestinal health and can make an important contribution to muscle maintenance and regeneration, especially for athletes.

Contents

• What is glutamine?
• How does glutamine work?
• Glutamine and exercise
• Supplementation n – do I need glutamine as a dietary supplement?

What is glutamine?

Glutamine is a proteinogenic, non-essential amino acid, and as such can be produced by the body itself. The amino acid is one of the free amino acids and is closely related to Glutamine.. Glutamine is the most at around 20% (some sources even say 50%) Amino acid most commonly found in the human bloodstream. The demand for is correspondingly high Glutamic acid: The amino acid is involved in more metabolic processes than other amino acids, and plays a particularly important role in fighting disease and injury. When you're sick, five to ten times as much glutamine as usual is pulled out of the muscles and made available to immune cells because, among other things, the amino acid serves as fuel for your immune system, accelerates recovery after exercise and injuries, and helps prevent burns heal.

Most tissue types in your body - particularly skeletal muscles, lungs, brain and fatty tissue - are capable of Glutamine to produce and then release it into the blood. The skeletal muscles take up the largest share. Because a large proportion of circulating glutamine is reused for protein synthesis, glutamine nourishes and supports your muscles, making it particularly valuable for athletes.

Glutamine and Glutamine occur both free and bound in food. It is found bound in meat such as beef, mutton and pork. Soy, wheat or spelled serve as plant sources.

What is the difference between glutamine and L-glutamine?

Glutamine forms different Glutamine Form, from which no proteins can be formed. When we talk about glutamine, we mean it strictly speaking in colloquial language Glutamine. A variety of positive effects can be observed with this form of acid, which we would like to discuss in a moment.

How does glutamine work?

Glutamine takes on a variety of functions in the human metabolism. The most important thing is probably the function Glutamine takes care of the immune system and thus ensures the maintenance of your health. But other effects such as a balanced energy balance, improved nitrogen transport and improved regenerative ability should not go unmentioned.

immune system

L-Glutamine is particularly valued for its effect on the immune system. Immune cells such as lymphocytes and macrophages must constantly be adequately supplied with the acid - even if you are perfectly healthy and the cells of your immune system are therefore not particularly challenged. If, on the other hand, you are sick, these cells – phagocytes and immune cells – are under increased stress and have to multiply in order to form antibodies. Here, the consumption and need for L-glutamine increases dramatically. Depending on how short or long the need is increased and how long the period in which immune cells are produced, BCAA is either used from your muscle tissue for production or, if this is no longer sufficient, muscles are broken down. In addition, your immune system is severely weakened.

L-Glutamine is not equally important for all parts of your immune system. The amino acid plays a particularly important role in the immune function of the airways, sexual organs and the gastrointestinal tract. In the mucous layers of the body parts described here, antibodies can be produced with the help of the amino acid, which only occur in these layers of the body. However, if there is a deficiency here, this can manifest itself in a reduced defense against pathogens in the intestines and airways. Fungal diseases in the intestine are also suspected to be due to a lack of L-glutamine. The amino acid promotes the regeneration of the intestinal mucosa and thus prevents disorders of intestinal function. People who suffer from chronic intestinal inflammation, such as Crohn's disease, often have a deficiency in L-glutamine.

Stable energy supply

L-Glutamine also makes an important contribution to energy supply: Because L-Glutamine is an important building block of glucose molecules, it indirectly ensures that your blood sugar remains stable and that you are evenly supplied with energy. This goes so far that the free amino acid is considered the most important source of energy for the small intestine. The immune cells also rely on glutamine and are therefore happy to have an adequate supply.

Drugs for diabetes

When we talk about intestinal health and a functioning immune system, lifestyle diseases such as diabetes and obesity cannot be far away. L-glutamine also has a positive effect here: the supplement releases the intestinal hormone gucagon-like peptide 1, which stimulates glucose sensitivity and thus promotes the release of insulin. What is that supposed to be good for? The release of insulin lowers blood sugar levels and makes you less hungry. The intestinal hormone gucagon-like peptide 1 also suppresses appetite. Glutamine is therefore currently the subject of research in studies to treat diabetes and obesity.

Nitrogen transport and elimination of ammonia

L-Glutamine supports nitrogen transport and the breakdown of metabolic waste products. When the body uses the amino acid, ammonia is released in the body. This is released into the blood and enters the urea cycle via the liver. From here, glutamine leaves the body and the released ammonia can be used to transform glutamic acid back. Overall, around a third of the total nitrogen produced during protein breakdown is transported between your organs in this way and ultimately released. On the other hand, if the liver is not functioning optimally, the muscle tissue can help detoxify from ammonia.

Building material for protein

As an amino acid, L-glutamine is of course - like all other amino acids - significantly involved in the formation of proteins and acts as a building material. A quick reminder: From all 21 amino acids that occur in your body, your body can produce proteins. Your body cannot produce all the amino acids itself, which is why you have to get some amino acids - the essential amino acids - through your diet. However, your body can produce non-essential amino acids such as glutamic acid itself, while semi-essential amino acids can partly be produced by yourself. Nevertheless, you should keep an eye on a sufficient supply of all amino acids.

Glutamine and exercise

Muscles and glutamine interact on both sides: on the one hand, muscle tissue is the largest glutamine producer in the human body. On the other hand, L-glutamine is significantly involved in the muscle building process. L-Glutamine is both the most abundant amino acid in muscle tissue and the most needed. If there is a deficiency, protein synthesis suffers.

Especially after intensive and long-lasting training sessions, such as basic exercises or long runs, glutamine levels suffer and it can take a few hours until glutamine levels return to their normal level. For this reason, regenerative units such as a short run at a reduced pace or yoga are often recommended. These help your body restore itself and the Glutaminsynthese to stimulate. (On the other hand, if you rest completely, there will be less from the amino acid produced.) However, this only applies if you have normal fitness and are not overexerted.

Protection against overtraining

However, the situation is different for athletes with very high training volumes or athletes in the competition phase. Here, the ability to regenerate may have already been affected, so that the glutamine level in the plasma is permanently low - and as you have already learned, glutamine is necessary for a variety of physical processes. Athletes who have a glutamine deficiency often suffer from allergies, infections or the low glutamine level is noticeable in slowed wound healing. Such a deficiency can often occur, especially in intensive endurance sports such as triathlons or marathons. You will notice a lack of L-glutamine during training when your performance suddenly drops sharply. Anyone who often suffers from exhaustion or tiredness should supplement L-glutamine. There may be a deficiency behind the symptoms and L-glutamine can also help you feel more energetic and cope with hard training sessions better.

Help for building muscle

But glutamine is not only valued by endurance athletes - strength athletes also benefit from the effect of glutamic acid: Because glutamine is used to produce proteins, it can also make an important contribution to building and maintaining muscle. L-Glutamine prevents your body from drawing energy from the body's own protein from the muscles during training. Even in situations outside of training in which glutamine is otherwise stressed from the tissue, a higher L-glutamine level can protect muscles from breakdown.

Better regeneration

In general, L-glutamine accelerates regeneration after training and ensures improved recovery even with frequent training sessions. This effect can be attributed primarily to the accelerated replenishment of glycogen stores. Glycogen is a storage form of glucose and is used for energy in situations where your body does not have enough carbohydrates available. Empty glycogen stores become noticeable during training as a lack of strength and fatigue. L-Glutamine helps your body replenish its energy reserves for the next workout. L-glutamine is even more effective than consuming carbohydrates alone. Consequently, if you want to save calories, you can use L-glutamine instead of glucose and the like after an intensive training session. Glutamine powder is in contrast to sugar and co. almost calorie-free and yet increases your energy level in a remarkable way. Once your energy stores have been replenished, you will have strength again for the next training session and nothing will stand in the way of your training progress.

Supplementation – do I need glutamine as a dietary supplement?

Since L-glutamine is a non-essential amino acid and as such can be produced by your body's cells themselves, the acid has long received no attention in terms of supplementation. Wrongfully so, because as we now know, it is true that almost all body cells can produce glutamine; However, your own production can be inadequate due to stress or unfavorable nutritional patterns. For example, malnutrition or fasting can lead to inadequate production of the amino acid. Intensive exercise or liver diseases and infections can also make it difficult to produce sufficient amino acids. Athletes who train often and for long periods of time, such as marathon runners, often have problems fully covering their L-glutamine needs. In this respect, supplementation – even if the amino acid is not essential – can definitely have advantages.

How do I take glutamine?

Glutamine supplements usually come in the form of glutamine powder. If you have decided to supplement the amino acid, we recommend the optimal one Glutamine effect, after training a dosage of around 7 g of ours Gym Nutrition L-Glutamin Ultrapure To be taken with sufficient liquid (approx. 400 ml). If you train frequently and hard, taking it daily makes sense. side effects Too high a dosage can only be observed from a glutamine intake of 30 g per kilo. Such a dosage is normally practically impossible (for this you would have to take several doses of the Gym Nutrition L-Glutamin Ultrapure take in. In addition, you should make sure to get the amino acid in your diet by eating soy products and grains such as spelled. Meat is also an important source of L-glutamine and can therefore make an important contribution to your diet.

Glutamine & Food

The amino acid is found in soy products, spelled and meat.

Here summarized again for you:

• L-Glutamine & dosage: around 7 grams
• Glutamine & side effects: can only be observed from 30g per kilogram of body weight and can therefore be neglected with normal use

When does L-glutamine start to take effect?

Sometimes you immediately feel an effect after taking a supplement. With boosters, for example, this is sometimes the case when you suddenly become wide awake after taking them and you could literally tear up trees. This is not the case when taking L-carnitine. The supplement has no mental effects and only works on your body. Here, the intake becomes noticeable immediately and effects on the immune system and support of the immune system occur immediately. If you have trained hard - for example, you wanted to improve your strength in a basic exercise such as deadlifts or squats - and you take L-glutamine after training, your immune system will be supported and the risk of getting a cold due to the high exertion will decrease. The increased glutamine level also supports the replenishment of your glycogen levels, which you need in order to continue to perform at your full potential in the future.

Glutamine & effect: the effect only sets in gradually!

2 Messlöffel in 400-500 Ml Wasser

L-Citrullin, L-Tyrosin, Säuerungsmittel (Citronensäure), L-Arginin, L-Ornithinhydrochlorid, Rote Beetewurzelextrakt, Aroma, D-Glucuronolacton, Guaranasamenextrakt, Trennmittel (Siliciumdioxid), Citicolin a, Süßungsmittel (Steviolglykoside aus Stevia, Sucralose), Koffeinanhydrat, Dextrose, Bittterorangenfruchtextrakt, Schwarzer Pfefferextrakt, Farbstoff (Carotin)