L-Glutamine

L-Glutamine, or just glutamine, is an amino acid. Amino acids are nutrients that help synthesize protein in the human body for nutrition. They can be found in protein-rich foods, including those from both plants and animals. Protein, in turn, is a necessary nutrient for good health.

L-Glutamine is one of 20 different essential and non-essential amino acids that create proteins. Essential amino acids can only be acquired through food, while non-essential ones, like L-Glutamine, are produced by the body. Under normal conditions, your body can produce enough L-Glutamine to meet most of its needs.

Glutamine helps your body to recover following physical stress by helping to alleviate muscle wastage by keeping your body in an anti-catabolic state. This results in the prevention of muscle wasting, especially during phases of fat loss when maintaining muscle is of the utmost importance.

Combined with a sensible diet and workout regime, Glutamine will help you minimize the breakdown of muscle tissue and will assist with keeping a healthy immune system.

Evidence suggests that supplemental L-Glutamine benefits gastrointestinal health, supports wound healing, maintains immune health, and helps restore plasma glutamine levels depleted after periods of physical stress, such as prolonged exhaustive exercise.

L-Glutamine is the most prevalent amino acid in the bloodstream. It is found in high concentrations in the gastrointestinal tract, which is its greatest user. Various stress factors – such as trauma, infection, malnutrition, chemotherapy, injury, and high-level athletic training – can adversely affect absorption in the small intestine, leading to food allergies. In numerous animal studies, the addition of L-Glutamine improved absorption, as well as the gut's immune function.

Skeletal muscles contain the greatest intracellular concentration of L-Glutamine, but that concentration can be adversely affected by various instances, including injury, infection, chronic stress, malnutrition, and glucocorticoid use. Intense exercise lowers blood levels of glutamine, which can remain low if intense training is repeated without adequate recovery. Research indicates L-Glutamine supplementation can offset these conditions.