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.