What Are The Best Glutamine Supplements in 2017

When it comes to training, everyone wants to push themselves to the limit to reach their next goals in performance. That said, you don’t want to end up sick or injured. This is where glutamine supplements could lend a helping hand.

Glutamine benefits have been the topic of discussion in the changing rooms for quite some time now. Is it just another supplement on the long list of pills you already consume? Or could it help you maximize your training, as well as contributing to health and well being?

I thought I would get the lowdown on this hot topic and try to find out which is the best glutamine supplement out there.

What is Glutamine?

Glutamine is an amino acid. Not only that, it’s the most abundant amino acid in the body. I suppose you could call it the “powerhouse” of protein. It is also responsible for carrying nitrogen around the body.

It’s a conditionally essential amino acid, which means sufficient amounts can be produced by the human body so it doesn’t need to be consumed externally through foods or supplements.

If however, the body is subjected to major stress such as intense exercise, illness or injury, your glutamine requirements exceed the ability of your body to produce sufficient amounts. So, you do need to consume a little extra via supplements or through diet to meet these needs.

When it comes to amino acids and protein, most people think it’s all about the muscle. Well that’s only half of the story. Glutamine does provide notable benefits for muscle growth, but it does have other health advantages which may not be so widely known.

Benefits of Glutamine

Helps Repair and Prevents Damage to Muscle

When you exercise, your body is subjected to stress. This causes your glutamine levels to decrease and muscles to break down. To stop this from happening and allow your body to recover, protein synthesis (muscle growth) must commence to rebuild the damaged muscle.

Glutamine helps by preserving muscle mass and preventing catabolic effects. In simple terms, it prevents the breakdown of muscle tissue in the body so you maintain more of what you already have. This will inevitably lead to faster recovery times.

Improving Immune System

If you like to train continuously hard and fast, chances are you’ve come to a point where your body has said “enough is enough”. You get sick.

Reason being, the more intensely you work your body and the more stress you put yourself through, the more your body will use glutamine. Your stored levels will decrease.

One study on endurance athletes found that after one hour’s marathon running, glutamine levels had depleted by approximately 20%.

It has been proven that glutamine plays an important role in the body’s natural defences. The the cells in the immune system rely on glutamine for fuel. By supplementing your regime could build up a stronger defence against disease and infections.

One case study observed the effects on bone marrow transplant patients who were provided with glutamine supplements. The result was a lower level of infection and a shorter stay in hospital than patients who were given glutamine-free nutrition after care.

Prevention of Chronic Health Issues

Glutamine plays an important role when it comes to protecting the intestines from infections,

Many digestive diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease can benefit from taking additional glutamine.

People who suffer with stomach ulcers also reap benefits from glutamine supplements. Glutamine is an import fuel source for the small intestine, and can help people who suffer from leaky gut.

Cancer Treatment/Prevention

Cancer patients who are undergoing a course of chemotherapy are often advised to take additional glutamine supplements to reduce some of the side effects of radiation treatment.

Clinical evidence suggests that taking glutamine contributes to diminishing risks of high-dose chemotherapy and radiation. In patients with bone marrow cancer, it goes as far to say there could be reduction in the disease.

Surgery or Injury

Reports suggest that glutamine, plays an important role in the healing process by reducing recovery time in patients who have had surgery and in burn victims.

What to Look for in a Glutamine Supplement

There are some very compelling reasons to use glutamine if you were on the fence about it. Whether it’s all about your fitness goals and trying to increase performance, or build muscles and gain some bulk, or perhaps you could do with some additional help because of a health condition. Whichever way you look at it, the benefits far outweigh the negatives.

Dosage

Check the label for glutamine content. Most supplements are based on a 5 to 10 gram serving size. The amount required though depends on how much stress you intend to put your body through in your training program. But you really shouldn’t exceed 30 grams in any given day.

Other Ingredients

Many products have additional vitamins and nutrients added to the mix, which sounds like an advantage, but do take into consideration what other supplements you are already taking. Glutamine is often found added into BCAAs and protein powders.

Types of Supplement

Glutamine supplements usually come in powder or tablet form. Which you prefer is down to personal preference. It’s normally a tasteless substance, so should mix well with the drink of your choice.

The Best Glutamine Supplement

There are a number of products to choose from and it can often be hard to tell which manufacturer offers the best quality supplement. So I have looked at the options available and chose five top contenders for the best glutamine supplement which I think should suit almost everyone.