L-Glutamine levels deplete during high-intensity training. Without supplementing and replenishing your body with the right nutrients for active muscle recovery, you can experience chronic muscle soreness, fatigue, muscle loss, and experience a decline in your athletic performance.

Not to mention, a loss of motivation because of debilitating discomfort. Supplementing with L-Glutamine is proven to be the best supplement for recovery since it prevents muscle mass breakdown for less muscle soreness and faster recovery. We believe that everyone can optimize not only their athletic performance but their human potential.

The way we believe we can optimize performance is through transparency, clinically effective doses, and clinically proven ingredients with evidence-based outcomes.

We provide the nutrients you need to power your active lifestyle. Boelens, P. and Leeuwen, P. Glutamine Alimentation in Catabolic State. full [Accessed 16 Jan. Legault Z, Bagnall N, Kimmerly DS. The Influence of Oral L-Glutamine Supplementation on Muscle Strength Recovery and Soreness Following Unilateral Knee Extension Eccentric Exercise.

Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. Song QH, Xu RM, Zhang QH, et al. Glutamine supplementation and immune function during heavy load training. Int J Clin Pharmacol Ther. Holecek M. Relation between glutamine, branched-chain amino acids, and protein metabolism.

Cleary, Michelle A et al. Hoffman, J. and Maresh, C. Examination of the efficacy of acute L-alanyl-L-glutamine ingestion during hydration stress in endurance exercise.

Norton LE, Layman DK. Leucine regulates translation initiation of protein synthesis in skeletal muscle after exercise. J Nutr. Gleeson, Michael. full ref Get exclusive access to discounts and the latest on fitness, nutrition, and wellness delivered straight to your inbox. Your email. Create your account Lost password?

First name. Last name. Your cart is empty. DAILY STACKS DIGESTIVE HEALTH JOINT HEALTH WEIGHT LOSS WELLNESS. What is L-Glutamine And What Does It Do? It is vital in the process of nitrogen transport between tissues, in acid-base regulation, gluconeogenesis, and as a precursor of nucleotide bases and the antioxidant glutathione 1 How Does L-Glutamine Work?

Glutamine Helps Reduce Muscle Soreness Exercise-induced muscle soreness is created by micro-tears in the muscle fiber and can cause extreme physical discomfort, tenderness, and even debilitating pain. RELATED ARTICLE How To Relieve Muscle Soreness and Optimize Recovery Glutamine Helps Boost Immune System Function Glutamine is essential for maintaining a healthy immune system.

The results found that T-cell ratings White blood cells that help mediate immune health were extremely different between the groups, indicating a positive correlation that glutamine supplementation may be able to restore immune function and reduce the immunosuppressive effects of heavy-resistance training in athletes [ R ] Glutamine Helps Increase Lean Muscle Mass Another reason why L-Glutamine is the best supplement for muscle recovery, is that L-Glutamine promotes a positive nitrogen balance, which is also required for the process of protein synthesis The process of generating amino acids into new proteins.

It also has an inhibitory effect on the breakdown of body proteins and decreases BCAA catabolism, expressing a direct effect on BCAA metabolism 4 5 RELATED: Swolverine's BCAA Powder lemon-lime has BCAAs, Glutamine, and Electrolytes for maximum muscle growth, hydration, and recovery.

Glutamine Helps Hydration An often-overlooked aspect of muscle recovery and reducing muscle soreness is hydration. If you are dehydrated following a workout, the process of protein synthesis will be hindered and subsequently delay the recovery process 6 In a study published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, ten male subjects were administered 0.

The enhanced sodium uptake by skeletal muscle may have contributed to a reduction in fatigue by maintaining strength and efficiency of muscle contractility 7 Therefore, a great benefit of L-Glutamine is in its ability to help sodium uptake for better hydration during training, making it a great supplement for faster muscle recovery.

The Best Supplement For Recovery: Takeaway L-Glutamine levels deplete during high-intensity training. Trying To Optimize Your Post-workout Recovery?

Glutamine is a conditionally essential amino acid, which helps rebuild repair and recover muscle mass after strenuous exercise to reduce muscle breakdown and exercise-induced muscle soreness.

Faster recovery times between training sessions will help increase training volume and endurance. Tags: Glutamine , L-glutamine , Nutrition , Recovery , Supplements. Previous article Next article. Join Over 1,, Fans Get the latest on fitness, nutrition, and wellness every week.

Follow us. Featured products. Popular posts. The Swole Friends Podcast Sep 06, If you're concerned, consult a health professional before taking dietary supplements or introducing any major changes to your diet.

Claire is a Registered Dietitian through the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and a board-certified Health and Wellness Coach through the I nternational Consortium for Health and Wellness Coaching.

Claire is also a certified indoor cycling instructor and loves the mental and physical boost she gets from regular runs and yoga classes. Skip to main content. Search all articles start article search. Claire Muszalski Registered Dietitian 3 years ago.

Looking for more advice from the experts? READ THESE NEXT:. Gleeson, M. Dosing and efficacy of glutamine supplementation in human exercise and sport training. The Journal of nutrition , 10 , SS. Holecek, M. Journal of parenteral and Enteral Nutrition , 37 5 , Hall, J.

British Journal of Surgery , 83 3 , United States Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service. USDA Food Composition Databases Nutrient List. The influence of oral L-glutamine supplementation on muscle strength recovery and soreness following unilateral knee extension eccentric exercise.

International journal of sport nutrition and exercise metabolism , 25 5 , Iwashita, S. The impact of glutamine supplementation on glucose homeostasis during and after exercise. Journal of applied physiology. Lehmkuhl, M. The effects of 8 weeks of creatine monohydrate and glutamine supplementation on body composition and performance measures.

Street, B. Glutamine supplementation in recovery from eccentric exercise attenuates strength loss and muscle soreness. McCormack, W. Effects of L-alanyl-L-glutamine ingestion on one-hour run performance.

Journal of the American College of Nutrition , 34 6 , Melis, G. Glutamine: recent developments in research on the clinical significance of glutamine. Shao, A. Risk assessment for the amino acids taurine, L-glutamine and L-arginine.

Regulatory toxicology and pharmacology , 50 3 , Claire Muszalski Registered Dietitian. Related Articles. Style Winter Activewear Essentials Men and Women 3 months ago By Jamie Haleva.

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Due to this wide availability in food, following a healthy diet can provide adequate L-glutamine for most people. However, during exercise, L-glutamine production changes based on the type and intensity of activity. Because L-glutamine is crucial for muscle building, increasing our levels via supplementation after exercise can be beneficial.

L-glutamine supplementation may have a greater benefit for those who have less protein in their diets, like vegans or vegetarians. This is because they may naturally have less of this amino acid. Many sports supplements are targeted towards strength training, but L-glutamine has potential benefits for both power exercise and endurance exercise.

Research has shown that athletes can benefit from L-glutamine supplementation to decrease muscle soreness and improve recovery time. This amino acid plays a crucial role in controlling glucose energy uptake by the muscles after exercise, which can help restore their energy stores for your next workout.

When your muscles have optimal glucose stores, you perform better and take longer to fatigue. Long periods of strenuous training have been shown to decrease blood glutamine levels, making L-glutamine potentially a very useful supplement for your post-workout nutrition plan.

When combined with creatine, L-glutamine supplementation has been shown to increase lean body mass and power with endurance exercise. Coupled with increased body mass often comes weight loss — muscle tissue burns more than fat tissue, and increases your metabolism over time.

Diets high in protein and amino acids like glutamine are more filling because they slow down digestion and signal to your brain that you are full - potentially reducing overall calorie intake.

Glutamine has also been shown to help with blood sugar regulation and prevention of obesity after consistent supplementation. Athletes who follow intense training schedules tend to have weakened immune systems due to the constant physical stress of high-intensity exercise.

L-glutamine is actually used to help the immune system of critically ill patients in hospital, due to its protective effect on cells in our immune system. For these reasons, there may be a potential benefit to your immune system from an L-glutamine supplement as well.

Intakes of g of glutamine or 0. It can be taken on its own or as part of your post-workout protein shake since protein is another key for muscle recovery and building. Dizziness was listed of a side effect in a research participant taking 25 grams per day, and went away when the dosage was decreased.

Amino acids like glutamine are transported through the body by specific systems, and often several amino acids compete for the same transporters. If there is a constant surplus of glutamine, it may be more difficult for the body to adequately use competing amino acids.

L-glutamine is an important amino acid that plays many roles in our bodies regardless of our level of exercise. However, the stress that exercise puts on our body can deplete our L-glutamine levels, making it a useful supplement for athletes. It shows many potential benefits to performance, recovery, and body mass, with limited side effects.

It can also be useful to boost our immune system and help sustain adequate levels in those who follow low-protein diets. Our articles should be used for informational and educational purposes only and are not intended to be taken as medical advice.

If you're concerned, consult a health professional before taking dietary supplements or introducing any major changes to your diet. Claire is a Registered Dietitian through the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and a board-certified Health and Wellness Coach through the I nternational Consortium for Health and Wellness Coaching.

Claire is also a certified indoor cycling instructor and loves the mental and physical boost she gets from regular runs and yoga classes. Skip to main content. Search all articles start article search. Claire Muszalski Registered Dietitian 3 years ago. Looking for more advice from the experts? READ THESE NEXT:.

Gleeson, M. Dosing and efficacy of glutamine supplementation in human exercise and sport training. The Journal of nutrition , 10 , SS. Holecek, M. Recently, glutamine was suggested to reduce the intestinal catabolism of amino acids, which may improve their bioavailability in the systemic circulation [ 29 ].

Notwithstanding, glutamine is also a potent inducer of the heat shock protein HSP response to maintain homeostasis, facilitating repair from injury and cell death [ 30 , 31 ]. Despite being originally classified as a non-essential amino acid [ 32 ] in healthy individuals [ 33 ], abundant evidence suggests that glutamine is essential in specific stress situations such as severe illness, trauma, and overtraining [ 9 , 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 ].

In hypercatabolic states, when the elevated demand exceeds the capacity to produce adequate amounts of this amino acid [ 39 , 40 , 41 ], the impairment of immune function may occur [ 37 , 42 ].

Due to the important pleiotropic roles in metabolism and tissue homeostasis, glutamine is one of the most studied amino acids in exercise immunology [ 33 ]. Given the high consumption of free glutamine by intestinal cells, glutamine dipeptides have been studied as an alternative for transposing the intestinal barrier and increasing the bioavailability of this amino acid to cells of the immune system.

Conversely, the effects of these supplements on muscle recovery from resistance training are poorly elucidated. Thus, the aim of this review was to summarize the evidence regarding the effects of free l -glutamine or the dipeptide l -alanyl- l -glutamine upon muscle injury and inflammation, as well as on muscle recovery from resistance training.

Muscle contractions from mechanical loading induce microtrauma in muscle fibers, resulting in the rupture of the extracellular matrix, basal lamina, and sarcolemma, in addition to the alteration of calcium homeostasis, which promotes changes in the cell membrane structure and permeability [ 48 , 49 ].

Following structural damage and functional impairment of the muscle tissue, myofibrillar rupture and extravasation of intracellular proteins such as myoglobin, creatine kinase CK , and lactate dehydrogenase LDH , into the extracellular medium, trigger the local inflammatory response [ 47 , 50 , 51 , 52 ].

Hence, exercise-induced stress response in the skeletal muscle is triggered by damage to protein structure and might be further increased by the secondary induced damage in addition to inflammatory processes [ 49 ]. The local inflammatory response involves muscle protein degradation systems that are orchestrated by a network of signalling pathways, activated or suppressed by hormones and cytokines [ 50 , 53 ].

Protein degradation in muscle tissue is accompanied by a systemic acute phase response that may vary according to the type of exercise and its frequency, duration, and intensity [ 54 ]. Local inflammation is characterized by an increased number of infiltrating and resident immune cells, such as mast cells [ 55 ], neutrophils and T regulatory lymphocytes [ 56 ], eosinophils [ 57 ], and CD8 T lymphocytes [ 58 ] at the injury site, thereby releasing pro-inflammatory effectors.

Macrophages are the predominant leucocytes observed during the regeneration phase of the stretch-injured skeletal muscle, exerting specific roles throughout the whole process. Briefly, exercise-induced inflammatory processes include the release of cytokines and chemokines driving a rapid influx of neutrophils, followed by the differentiation of monocytes into macrophages that promote the phagocytosis of necrotic muscle debris.

These cells switch then into anti-inflammatory macrophages and proliferate during the regeneration process of the damaged skeletal muscle [ 60 ]. During local inflammation occurs the synthesis and release of molecules such as monocyte chemotactic protein MCP -1, chemokine derived from macrophage MDC , tumour necrosis factor TNF -α, interleukin IL -8, vascular endothelial growth factor VEGF , leukaemia inhibitory factor LIF , fractalkine, and urokinase plasminogen activator uPA [ 53 , 61 ].

Most of these proteins act as chemotactic factors at the site of inflammation, promoting the initial recruitment of satellite cells, neutrophils, monocytes, and, later, lymphocytes for tissue repair [ 52 , 62 , 63 , 64 , 65 ].

Eccentric exercise is acknowledged for the generation of a local inflammatory response in the skeletal muscle with the timing and peak of neutrophil infiltration linked to the magnitude of muscle function decrements [ 66 , 67 ].

Intense exercise stimulates a well-defined systemic cytokine response, associated with the exercise-induced metabolic stress responses [ 68 , 69 ].

The systemic response initiates with a rapid increase of pro-inflammatory components IL-6, IL-8 , which in turn generates an anti-inflammatory feedback by increasing the release of interleukin IL and interleukin IL -1 receptor antagonist [ 70 ].

The resolution of inflammation characterizes a shift from a pro-inflammatory state to the anti-inflammatory phase, followed by repair and regeneration of injured tissues, processes markedly played by macrophages that include angiogenesis, matrix remodelling, and establishment of homeostasis [ 71 ].

This process is vital for the recovery of injured muscle; however, continuous muscle injury triggers a chronic inflammatory response, which can aggravate the underlying lesions by degrading intact proteins, implying reduced performance and compromised health [ 52 , 72 , 73 ].

Systemic inflammation is associated with reduced rates of protein synthesis in addition to an enhanced protein breakdown [ 74 ]. In this regard, pro-inflammatory cytokines may account for the loss of muscle mass by activating catabolic and downregulating the anabolic pathways [ 75 ].

Intense training with continuous rest deprivation increases the release of pro-inflammatory indicators, which may induce fatigue and overtraining syndrome in athletes [ 53 ].

The effects exerted by pro-inflammatory cytokines on muscle mass are partially mediated by the induction of the transcription factor NF-κB signalling [ 48 , 76 , 77 ]. In a single bout of intense resistance exercise and in an acute bout of treadmill run, NF-κB activity is increased in the skeletal muscle of humans and rats, respectively [ 78 , 79 ], in addition to an increase in genic expression of the interleukins IL-6, IL-8, IL-1β, and IL and of TNF-α, MCP-1, LIF, and TG-β [ 53 ].

It has been proposed that cytokines e. IL, IL, and IL may have anabolic effects and modify the contractile function of the skeletal muscle.

Cytokine secretion by the skeletal muscle involves several intracellular factors such as MCP-1, heat shock factor HSF -1, and histone deacetylases, besides nuclear factor of activated T cells and NF-κB [ 53 , 61 , 76 , 80 , 81 ].

The NF-κB signalling pathway acts as the central regulator of the stress-induced mechanical, oxidative, and inflammatory responses [ 52 , 77 ]. However, its persistent activation, as well as increased synthesis of inflammatory molecules, may excessively recruit immune cells, consequently promoting additional tissue damage [ 73 ].

Under these conditions, protective systems such as HSP are activated against excessive inflammatory damage induced by exercise, in order to restore homeostasis and ensure cell survival [ 30 , 31 ].

One of the most basic mechanisms of cellular defence includes the expression of HSP to neutralize harmful agents and events, induce cell protection and tolerance to injury, and warrant maximum cell survival in the skeletal muscle [ 82 ].

HSP is a highly conserved family of stress-inducible proteins, essential for cellular homeostasis, protecting against a variety of stress stimulus [ 83 , 84 ], injury, and death and modulating the early inflammatory response to muscle injury [ 30 , 31 ]. These proteins are named according to the molecular weight as follows: HSP90, HSP70, HSP60, and HSP27, and the upregulation under stress conditions provides cytoprotection by re-establishing protein homeostasis against several stressors, including exercise [ 85 ].

Under normal physiological conditions, HSP acts as a chaperone protein helping the protein folding mainly unfolded, misfolded, and partially folded new peptide chains and translocation into the endoplasmic reticulum lumen [ 86 ].

When the body is under excessive stress, these proteins exert a protective role by lessening oxidative action of the reactive oxygen species ROS and a wide range of metabolic stress, including structural and functional myodamage [ 87 , 88 ]. Despite the fact that exercise is a potent inductor of the HSP response [ 89 ], local and systemic inflammatory lesion leads to a reduction in intracellular HSP70 levels, which may impair tissue readjustment [ 30 , 89 , 90 ].

Modifications in gene expression occur to yield an increase in the content of HSP [ 30 , 31 ], proteins that act as molecular chaperones, being crucial in helping the cellular remodelling processes of denatured proteins, independent of the training response [ 89 , 91 ].

A reduction in pro-inflammatory cytokine release has been observed following the initiation of a heat shock response [ 85 ], and this process may be related to the binding of HSP to the heat shock element HSE found in the promoters of cytokine genes e.

IL-1β [ 92 , 93 ]. During stress, the latent monomer of heat shock factor HSF -1 is rapidly converted to a trimeric form active in the nucleus to bind to the promoters of HSF-responsive heat shock genes and activate their transcription [ 94 , 95 ]. HSF-1 has been demonstrated to perform this function by repressing the transcription of cytokine genes, including TNF-α and IL-1β, antagonizing the acute phase response [ 92 , 96 ].

Because IL-1β immediately responds to a wide diversity of pro-inflammatory insults and affects the function of many targets, it is essential to limit the potentially harmful aspects of inflammation by negatively regulating IL-1β expression [ 92 ].

HSP27 and HSP70 are considered the most robust and recognized induced chaperones; both play important cytoprotective roles acting at multiple apoptotic pathway control points to ensure that stress-induced injury does not inappropriately trigger cell death, thus disabling apoptosis [ 97 ].

The induction of HSP is characterized by low transient regulation of most cellular proteins and the expression of the kDa protein family HSP A kDa stress-inducible Hsp72, a prominent member of the HSP70 family, is one of the largest inducible HSP isoforms interacting with other proteins in a way dependent of ATP and has been extensively studied in the mammalian skeletal muscle [ 31 ].

The Hsp72 expression is more abundant in slow-oxidative than fast-glycolytic skeletal muscle fibres, and the expression is elevated by the increased contractile activity of the muscles with exercise, as well as heat stress [ 98 ].

HSP70 has been involved in the regulation steps of skeletal muscle plasticity [ 30 , 31 , 99 , ], apoptosis, and cell death, affecting protein refolding processes, signalling for ubiquitin degradation, and translocation of proteins [ ].

Both exhaustive endurance exercise and resistance exercise with maximal eccentric repetitions have been shown to increase the level of Hsp72 expression [ ]. In general, HSP70 is induced by diversified stimuli such as hypoxia, acidosis, increased muscle temperature, and ischaemia-reperfusion, most of them are by-products of resistance exercise associated with elevated levels of metabolic stress [ 30 , 89 ].

Conversely, in exercise, HSP facilitates mitochondrial biogenesis, despite regulating the signalling pathways associated with apoptosis [ 49 , ]. HSP70 is also involved in the control of the primary response to muscle injury [ 30 ] and inhibition of the NF-κB signalling pathway by modulating the inflammatory response and attenuating pro-inflammatory cytokine release [ , , ].

The chaperone equilibrium hypothesis proposes that NF-κB activation may decrease intracellular levels of HSP70, releasing extracellular HSP70 as a pro-inflammatory component, which may be linked to reduced oxidative stress in target cells.

Nonetheless, when extracellular HSP70 is continuously elevated, it stimulates inflammation, oxidative stress, reduced expression of HSF-1, and possibly reduced intracellular HSP70 [ 91 ]. Stress conditions promoting instability and denaturation of proteins induce the release of HSF-1, which the activity is associated with the expression of HSP70 in the myocardium, skeletal muscle, and human leucocytes [ 76 , ].

Evidence suggests that the increased HSP expression on the leucocyte surface after acute intense training signals excessive stress [ ]. In general, the expression of HSP70 has become a major interest of studies because of its role in modulating inflammatory immune response and cytoprotection under stress conditions in a wide diversity of experimental injury models [ 73 , ].

In this sense, the effect of glutamine as a potential therapeutic element has been observed. Glutamine improves HSP70 and HSP27 expression [ 43 , 44 , ] and acts not only as a modulator of the heat shock response but also as a competent inducer of HSF-1 expression, activating its transcription [ 93 , , ].

The hexosamine biosynthetic pathway HBP has been shown to induce HSP70 expression, and glutamine is an essential substrate for this pathway. Its activity is enhanced by glutamine via O-glycosylation, leading to the translocation and transcriptional stimulation of key transcription factors HSF-1 and Sp1 required for maximal HSP70 induction [ ].

The expression of the HSF-1, HSP70, and HSP27 all depend on Sp1 for optimal transcriptional activity [ ]. Considering the effect of glutamine on Sp1 and in the modulation of the HSP response [ 93 , , , ], this amino acid has been considered an important therapeutic element [ 33 ].

Hence, glutamine could be used to induce a beneficial stress response and prevent tissue damage under disturbing conditions Fig. Moreover, HSP synthesis has shown to be dependent on adequate concentrations of glutamine [ 93 ].

Glutamine modulates the exercise-induced heat shock and inflammatory responses. The heat shock response is induced by stress signals produced during exercise. HSP70 and HSP27 are upregulated under stress conditions providing cytoprotection by remodeling misfolded and unfolded proteins and limiting damage induced by reactive oxygen species ROS and inflammatory stimulus.

The latent heat shock factor HSF -1 monomer is converted to a trimeric active form in the nucleus during stress to bind to the promoters of heat shock genes and activate transcription.

HSP70 also regulates the primary response to muscle lesion and inhibits the NF-κB signalling pathway by modulating the inflammatory response and attenuating pro-inflammatory cytokines release.

Glutamine improves HSP70 and HSP27 expression and acts not only as a modulator of the heat shock response but also as a competent inducer of HSF-1 expression, activating its transcription.

Glutamine is endogenously synthesized from α-ketoglutarate, an intermediary metabolite of the citric acid cycle, in two steps mediated by the enzymes glutamate dehydrogenase and glutamine synthetase, that convert α-ketoglutarate into glutamate using NADPH and glutamate into glutamine using NH3, respectively [ 1 , 22 , 50 ].

This amino acid is essential for function and proliferation of cells that are rapidly dividing e. enterocytes , as well as for the phagocytic activity of macrophages and production of GSH, which is the most potent antioxidant in the body [ 20 , 33 , 35 ].

The small non-protein thiol, GSH, plays a key role in maintaining the redox balance. The glutathione system NADPH, glutathione reductase, and GSH , one of the major cellular thiol-dependent antioxidant mechanisms, participates in the synthesis and repair of DNA [ ]. Accordingly, the elevation of GSH levels by dipeptides of glutamine enhances the antioxidant capacity reducing cell damage [ , ].

Glutamine improves the production of HSP and activates the degradation of the NF-κB p65 subunit in the nucleus, protecting against excessive inflammatory states and cell death by apoptosis [ 23 , , , , ].

HSP72 is indicated to participate as a stress-stimulated inducer of the microbicide activity of neutrophils during moderate exercise [ ]. Thus, the modulatory effect of glutamine on the heat shock response may affect neutrophil function [ ]. Moreover, glutamine might decrease the synthesis of IL-8 the major neutrophil chemoattractant in athletes [ 33 ].

Glutamine supplementation is a strategy used in situations of intense catabolism, in which there is a decrease in the synthesis and release of glutamine by the skeletal muscle and increased uptake by other organs kidneys and liver , such as in prolonged and intense exercises, as well as in overtraining syndrome [ , ].

This condition may be associated with immunosuppression, in view of the lower availability of this amino acid for the immune cell metabolism [ 1 ]. The decrease in glutamine concentration mediated by exhaustive exercise is often concomitant with a decrease in the number of circulating lymphocyte and immune cell function as seen in both lymphocytes and NK cells [ 36 ] since these cells present glutaminase, the major degradation enzyme of glutamine [ 34 , ].

Moreover, the maintenance or increase in skeletal muscle glutamine concentration might be fundamental for muscle protein synthesis [ , , ], to prevent muscle atrophy [ 38 , ] and to increase glycogen synthesis [ ], particularly under catabolic conditions.

A study with l -glutamine supplementation 0. An enhancement of protein synthesis and attenuation of catabolic responses induced by heavy resistance training, which were related to increased muscular hypertrophy and reduced exercise-induced immunosuppression, have additionally been observed after glutamine supplementation [ ].

It has been suggested that the effects of glutamine are mixed, and studies fail to demonstrate positive benefits on buffering capacity, time to exhaustion, protein balance, and other ergogenic effects regarding muscle recovery from exercise [ ].

While a study showed that glutamine supplementation inhibits total body proteolysis by increasing leucine flux [ ], other did not find any effect of glutamine on protein degradation markers [ ].

Hence, the bioavailability of this amino acid to cells of the immune system may be compromised [ 45 ]. Nonetheless, the alternative for transposing the intestinal barrier has been the utilization of glutamine dipeptides [ 2 ], such as l -alanyl- l -glutamine DIP , due to the higher stability during heat sterilization and storage and higher solubility compared to free glutamine [ ].

Lima et al. A previous study carried out for us investigated the acute and chronic effects of oral supplementation with DIP on glutamine concentrations in plasma and tissues. Rogero et al. In [ 45 ], it was demonstrated that chronic DIP supplementation increased glutamine concentrations in the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles immediately after an exhaustion test, compared to chronic glutamine supplementation.

In the long-term exercise, oral supplementation with DIP or l -glutamine associated with l -alanine, both in the free form, represents an efficient alternative for the supply of glutamine and glutamate to the organism, promoting higher muscular and hepatic stocks of glutathione and influencing the cellular redox state [ 46 ].

The efficacy of DIP is due to the intestinal transporter PepT -1, which facilitates a wide absorption of dipeptides and tripeptides, behaving as a facilitated diffusion peptide transporter.

The mechanism underlying the clearance of dipeptides is suggested to be exerted by hydrolysis through the membrane-bound peptide hydrolases [ ]. DIP also warrants the supply of more glutamine molecules in the osmolality required for physiological fluids [ 43 , ]. Hence, the combination of glutamine and alanine allows the enhancement of electrolyte and fluid absorption compared to glutamine alone, and this effect is likely due to the specific ion transporters, increasing the absorption rate in intestinal epithelia [ ].

Recently, the dipeptide l -alanylglutamine was suggested to inhibit signalling proteins that trigger protein degradation following an acute bout of resistance exercise [ ].

In a study that evaluated rehydration with DIP in a sports drink during an hour of endurance exercise at submaximal intensity, the authors observed an increase in the reaction time of athletes to visual stimuli [ ].

The intake of DIP during a moderate intensity run was also investigated, and the results indicated a significant improvement in performance during a subsequent exhaustion test. The authors of both studies attributed the results to an improvement in the intestinal absorption of fluids and electrolytes and possibly increased skeletal muscle uptake causing greater neuromuscular performance, besides a possible gluconeogenic effect of alanine, sparing muscle glycogen, and retarding fatigue [ , ].

Although glutamine is a major gluconeogenic substrate, mainly in the kidney, alanine also contributes donating carbon for gluconeogenesis, being essentially confined to the liver [ ].

In , Hoffman et al. The authors also suggested an enhanced intestinal fluid and electrolyte uptake, thus preserving the neural commands for fine motor control during physical activities. Investigations with animal model induced to intense and exhaustive aerobic exercise protocols or, in situations of high catabolism, such as sepsis, show that chronic supplementation with DIP or with glutamine and alanine in their free forms is efficient for the supply of glutamine to the body, which can attenuate biomarkers of injury and inflammation after periods of intense training, as well as attenuate the inflammatory response induced by long-term exercise [ ].

In [ ], we evaluated the effect of glutamine and alanine supplementation in their free forms or as DIP in rats subjected to intense resistance exercise and compared with the effects of free alanine.

The contents of HSF-1 and HSP were elevated in all supplemented groups. The authors concluded that supplementations with l -glutamine and l -alanine either in free form or as DIP improved the GLN-GSH axis and promoted cytoprotective effects against oxidative stress caused by resistance exercise [ ].

Additionally, there was an increase in HSP70 content in the skeletal muscle and peripheral blood mononuclear cells, concomitant with reduced activation of NF-κB and decreased concentration of cytokines [ ]. Unlike skeletal muscle, leucocytes are largely dependent of the glutamine synthetized and released into the blood by the skeletal muscle, to satisfy their metabolic requirements [ 5 , ].

Raizel et al. also found muscle protection, shown by reduced plasma levels of CK, LDH, TNF-α, and IL-1β, in addition to the increased concentration of IL-6, IL, and MCP Thus, oral supplementation with l -glutamine administered with l -alanine or as DIP has been shown to induce HSPmediated cytoprotective effects in response to muscle injury and inflammation [ ].

Although studies are contradictory regarding the effect of free glutamine supplementation on muscle injury and inflammation, due to the high intestinal and hepatic metabolism with consequently decreased availability of consuming organs and cells of the immune system, current evidence indicate that oral supplementation with free l -glutamine or the dipeptide provides an effective alternative for increasing plasma and muscle glutamine concentrations.

Thus, cytoprotective systems, such as the heat shock response, and the body antioxidant system appear to be preserved and effectively activated in response to muscle injury and inflammation induced by intense resistance training.

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L-glutamine might also help with post-exercise recovery, leading to less need for rest days and breaks between workouts. In a study based on sixteen people, it was shown that l-glutamine intake resulted in faster muscle recovery and reduced muscle soreness after the test subjects performed quadriceps exercises.

Nitrogen is used in the building of muscle and can be found in protein-rich foods. If the body is in a positive state of nitrogen balance, it is ideally placed to build muscle.

If it is lacking in nitrogen, it is very difficult to grow new muscle which is why l-glutamine is important for muscle repair after a workout. Because strenuous exercise depletes l-glutamine levels in the blood, low glutamine levels have been suggested as a cause of immune system impairment that can occur with heavy training in athletes.

It has also been shown to help with the healing of wounds by aiding collagen recovery, which is great news for those recovering from an operation.

Handpicked content: How good is weight lifting for you? Advice is for information only and should not replace medical care.

Please consult a doctor or healthcare professional before trying any remedies. Sources 1. Sign up now.

Read our privacy policy. Speak to an Advisor. Book your free, one-to-one online consultation with one of our qualified advisors. Find out more. Rewards for Life. Diets high in protein and amino acids like glutamine are more filling because they slow down digestion and signal to your brain that you are full - potentially reducing overall calorie intake.

Glutamine has also been shown to help with blood sugar regulation and prevention of obesity after consistent supplementation. Athletes who follow intense training schedules tend to have weakened immune systems due to the constant physical stress of high-intensity exercise.

L-glutamine is actually used to help the immune system of critically ill patients in hospital, due to its protective effect on cells in our immune system.

For these reasons, there may be a potential benefit to your immune system from an L-glutamine supplement as well.

Intakes of g of glutamine or 0. It can be taken on its own or as part of your post-workout protein shake since protein is another key for muscle recovery and building.

Dizziness was listed of a side effect in a research participant taking 25 grams per day, and went away when the dosage was decreased. Amino acids like glutamine are transported through the body by specific systems, and often several amino acids compete for the same transporters.

If there is a constant surplus of glutamine, it may be more difficult for the body to adequately use competing amino acids. L-glutamine is an important amino acid that plays many roles in our bodies regardless of our level of exercise.

However, the stress that exercise puts on our body can deplete our L-glutamine levels, making it a useful supplement for athletes. It shows many potential benefits to performance, recovery, and body mass, with limited side effects.

It can also be useful to boost our immune system and help sustain adequate levels in those who follow low-protein diets. Our articles should be used for informational and educational purposes only and are not intended to be taken as medical advice.

If you're concerned, consult a health professional before taking dietary supplements or introducing any major changes to your diet. Claire is a Registered Dietitian through the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and a board-certified Health and Wellness Coach through the I nternational Consortium for Health and Wellness Coaching.

Claire is also a certified indoor cycling instructor and loves the mental and physical boost she gets from regular runs and yoga classes. Skip to main content. Search all articles start article search. Claire Muszalski Registered Dietitian 3 years ago. Looking for more advice from the experts?

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