| Glutamine and Muscle Regeneration |
When it comes to ‘fitness chemistry,’ few things are more complicated to understand, subject to rumour, and potentially misused than amino acids.
Wheat grass contains high levels of plant-based amino acids.
Glutamine is a ‘conditionally essential’ amino acid. While we can make it, in times of physical stress or injury our demand for it increases beyond our capacity to replace it, so taking supplemental amounts of it can be helpful. One challenge of using glutamine supplements is known as the ‘glutamine paradox.’ Between fifty to eighty-five per cent of ingested glutamine doesn’t make it to the muscles. It gets used up supporting the liver, intestines, and immune system first. Glutamine plays key roles in the synthesis of other amino acids, protein synthesis, and glucose. It is the most abundant amino acid in human muscle and plasma and makes up about sixty per cent of the free-floating amino acid pool in skeletal muscles. Additionally, it is an important building block for the very powerful antioxidant glutathione, and it boosts anti-inflammatory processes and increases glycogen stores. Some sources indicate that doses as small as two grams per day may enhance growth hormone release. Growth hormone is necessary for the repair of damaged tissues and is responsible, in part, for the increase in muscle mass when one begins to exercise. Physically stressful times and overtraining increase cortisol production and reduce glutamine levels, which weakens the immune response and has catabolic effects on muscle tissue. Breaking down muscle tissue, as happens in strenuous exercise, increases the amount of free nitrogen in the body. Glutamic acid, the precursor of glutamine, picks up that free nitrogen and morphs into glutamine becoming an amino acid that can be used to make other proteins and GABA. GABA is another amino acid that functions as a neurotransmitter. When properly balanced with other nutrients, GABA prevents anxiety and stress impulses in the nervous system from reaching their destinations. Glutamic acid is the only tool the brain has to detoxify itself of ammonia, and the resulting glutamine has proven useful in stimulating mental alertness, correcting some equilibrium problems, calming erratic behaviour in aging people, improving learning power, and strengthening memory. Other positive effects of glutamine include stopping sugar and alcohol cravings, speeding healing of peptic ulcers, speeding healing of intestinal tract issues, reducing arthritic symptoms, strengthening connective tissues, helping maintain proper pH balance, reducing fatigue, and minimizing auto-immune disorders. Specific contraindications to glutamine supplementation include the recommendation to avoid using glutamic acid supplements if you are allergic to MSG; and that you not use glutamine if you have cirrhosis of the liver, kidney problems, Reye’s syndrome, or any condition that results in an accumulation of ammonia in the blood. There is one known general negative side effect to taking glutamine. Large doses, generally considered to be more than ten grams per day, can lead to diarrhea and intestinal cramping. Most sources recommend starting with small doses and building gradually to upwards of twenty grams per day. While extensive studies have been done using glutamine with burn victims, surgery recovery, and trauma, all showing impressive results, no double-blind studies have been published showing the effects of glutamine on athletes, although athletic doses of one-half to one gram three times per day are recommended by some sources. So, while it remains unproven for athletic purposes specifically, other testing indicates it may be useful for healing from overtraining, inflammatory processes, injury, and bowel-related issues. Sources Complete Idiot’s Guide to Sports Nutrition. Weatherwax, Dawn and Weiss, Sonia. Alpha Publishing, New York, 2003 Prescription for Nutritional Healing. Balch, Phyllis. Avery Publishing, New York, 2006 The Complete Athlete. Winterdyk, John and Jensen, Karen. Alive Books, Burnaby, BC, 1998 Today’s Herbal Healing. Tenney, Louise. Woodland Publishing, Orem, Utah, 2007 https://healthlibrary.epnet.com/GetContent.aspx?token=e0498803-7f62-4563-8d47-5fe33da65dd4&chunkiid=21829 http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=nutrient&dbid=122#foodchart http://tsrf.com/supplements/supplements_lglut.htm About the AuthorJudith Cobb, the owner of Cobblestone Health in Calgary, Alberta, is a master herbalist, nutritional consultant practitioner, certified iridologist, sport nutritionist, and avid runner. |
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