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.
- Pure L-Glutamine
- Lab tested for verification & guaranteed purity
- Promotes muscle growth & prevents muscle loss
- FERMENTED & HPLC Tested- NutraBio L-Glutamine is vegetable based, naturally fermented 100% L-Glutamine manufactured right...
- WITHOUT COMPROMISE - NutraBio's L-Glutamine provides 5000 mg of pure raw unflavored glutamine per serving. No fillers or...
- FULL LABEL DISCLOSURE AND TRANSPARENCY - All NutraBio products feature fully transparent labels with no proprietary blends....
- PURE GLUTAMINE FOR DEVELOPMENT & RECOVERY: AMRAP Nutrition's L-Glutamine Powder is a pharmaceutical-grade amino acid...
- FORMULATED FOR OPTIMAL ABSORPTION: Each scoop contains undiluted free-form l-glutamine in a finely micronized powder designed...
- GREAT POST-WORKOUT BENEFITS: AMRAP Nutrition Glutamine protects your body from the negative effects of overtraining. You will...
- Nitrogen Transporter*
- Pure - Free Form
- Informed-Sport Certified, Informed-Choice Certified
- 5G OF PURE L-GLUTAMINE PER SERVING
- MOST ABUNDANT AMINO ACID IN THE BODY
- PLAYS AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN MUSCLE PROTEIN DEVELOPMENT*
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 doneed 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.
BulkSupplements
BulkSupplements Bulk supplements are a good option if you like to train naturally and want a pure no frills supplement. It is based on a convenient 10 mg serving, but as it comes in powder form and provides clear directions on the label, you can adjust this to your needs. This product is non GMO, gluten free and does not contain any additives, sugars, dairy or yeast, so could be a good match for those that have intolerances. Like all Bulksupplements products, it has been lab tested for verification and comes with guaranteed purity. It is very good value for money too. The only downside is some people found the powder to have an ammonia-like smell.
NutraBio
NutraBio Nutra Bio has put a lot of thought into the quality and purity of their product. With it being suitable for vegetarians, gluten and dairy free and non GMO it appeals to a wide audience. This product has been independently tested for quality and purity and is made in the USA, which gives confidence in this well priced supplement. According to some people who have used this product, it has a strange, some say unpleasant taste. Therefore, it may not appeal to all palettes.
AMRAP Nutrition
AMRAP Nutrition This glutamine powder is designed for maximum absorption due to its finely micronized form. It’s based on 5 g per serving and is non GMO, gluten free and suitable for those who follow the paleo diet. This product also benefits from being free from any preservatives, colors or flavors. Made in the USA and third party tested for purity, safety in a GMP certified facility, this reinforces the quality of this product. In fact, when it comes to quality, it’s really a good product in every way the only major let down is the large price tag it carries.
Now Sports
NOW Foods Now Foods have come up with this well priced supplement offering 5g per serving in a 100% pure form of glutamine. This product is made in the USA, is free from preservatives and all other ingredients that could contain allergens and is suitable for both vegetarians and vegans. However, some people have experienced headaches and mild side effects when taking this product.
Optimum Nutrition
Optimum Nutrition Optimum Nutrition is a well known and respected manufacturer in the fitness community. Many of their products stand out from the competition when it comes to quality, price and taste. With 200 servings per container based on 5 grams per scoop, this is a reasonably good value for money supplement that mixes well. It is also suitable for vegetarians and GMP certified. However the slightly unpleasant taste could put some people off.
our #1 rated
Pros
10mg glutamine per serving
Lab tested for verification & guaranteed purity
Made in the USA
Produced in a GMP facility
Non GMO
Soy
sugar
dairy
yeast and gluten free
No additives
Good value for money
Cons
Powder smells unpleasant to some
our #2 rated
Pros
5 grams per serving
100 servings per container
Non GMO
Gluten/dairy free
Suitable for vegetarians
Hypoallergenic
GMP certified
Made in USA
Independently lab tested for purity
No additives or fillers
Cons
Strange and unpleasant taste
our #3 rated
Pros
5 g glutamine per serving
Gluten free
Paleo diet approved
Third party tested for purity
safety and nutritional value
Made in USA
Free from preservatives
colors or flavors
Non GMO
Fine micronized powder designed for maximum absorption
GMP certified
40 servings per container
Cons
Expensive
our #4 rated
Pros
5 g per serving
90 servings per container
100% pure free form
Suitable for vegetarians and vegans
Free from sugar
salt
starch
soy and preservatives
Made in USA
GMP certified
Mixes well
Cons
Some people report mild side effects
our #5 rated
Pros
5 g per serving
200 servings per container
GMP certified
Suitable for vegetarians
Good value
Mixes well
Cons
Very unpleasant taste
Our Choice
For me, the winner would have to be the glutamine supplement from Bulk Supplements. They always seem to provide a quality product with good value for money.
There’s no hype or fancy packaging, you get exactly what it says on the tin – a natural pure approach. And let’s face it, at the end of the day, it’s what’s inside that counts.
If you like to think natural with no frills, then this could be the one for you.
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