L-Glutamine
It become more prominent as new studies reveal
its unique contribution to protein synthesis (muscle growth),
anti-proteolytic (prevents muscle tissue breakdown) functions
and growth hormone elevating effects.Glutamine provides a critical
link in muscle metabolism not shared by any other single amino
acid.
Glutamine is the most abundant single amino
acid in the blood and in the intracellular free amino acid pool
(most abundant amino acid in muscle tissue).It comprises 61%
of the amino acid pool in skeletal muscle. Glutamines unique
structure, containing two nitrogen side chains, consists of
19% nitrogen - making it the primary transporter of nitrogen
into the muscle cell.
In fact,
glutamine alone is responsible for 35% of the nitrogen that
gets into the muscle cell. Glutamine literally drives muscle
building nitrogen into the muscle cell where it is synthesized
for growth.Glutamine concentrations fall markedly after training
and remain low until complete recovery.
The very rigors of weight training leak nitrogen
carrying glutamine from muscle tissue.This fall in glutamine
is catabolic to muscle tissue - The Training Paradox. Supplementing
with glutamine spares free glutamine in muscle tissue, counteracts
the fall in muscle protein synthesis, and improves nitrogen
balance.
Glutamine overcomes The Training Paradox.You
train with weights to build muscle. The more intensely you train,
and the heavier the overload you subject your muscles to, the
greater the growth response will be.Glutamine is a key factor
in muscle growth, and controlling the skeletal muscle/whole
body glutamine gradient is critical in maintaining and building
muscle tissue.
The higher the muscle glutamine levels you
can maintain, the less chance you have of falling into catabolism
and the faster muscle will grow. But now there is more.We all
know growth hormone is an important anabolic hormone.The most
important anabolic hormone! It regulates the metabolic processes
in almost all tissues throughout the human lifespan.
Growth
hormone provokes several anabolic actions on skeletal muscle:
the uptake of glucose and amino acids,activation of muscle protein
synthesis, suppression of muscle protein catabolism, and the
utilization of body fat for energy.The results of a study on
glutamine revealed that a single 2 gram oral dose of glutamine
elevated circulating growth hormone levels by over 430%.
Keeping a consistently high level of circulating
growth hormone, you are able to combat the catabolic effects
of weight training, harness the anabolic activity of increased
glucose and amino acid uptake, improve whole body nitrogen retention,
and increase lean tissue protein accrual.
