Glutamine is truly and amazing nutrient; it has been used for many years by the general public and athletes alike to treat certain immune, digestive problems, behavioral problems, and enhance muscular growth under stress. This amino acid is truly one of the most astounding nutrients to be offered to the industry since its inception! L-Glutamine is the most abundant amino acid found in the body, making up approx. 60% of the total free form amino acids. It is the only amino acid that contains 2 atoms of nitrogen. The fact that Glutamine contains two atoms of nitrogen is very significant, in that this extra nitrogen is available to promote the increased synthesis of muscle tissue! In essence Glutamine is known as a nitrogen shuttle, in that it picks up nitrogen and drops it off at sites around the body wherever it is needed.

Glutamine builds muscle in a number of ways; its primary function is to increase the production of nucleic acids and protein synthesis by helping to generate a hydrated state within the cell. When the cells are hydrated protein synthesis increases, this hydrating mechanism also has the effect of preventing protein breakdown. When the levels of Glutamine are high in the cells this also directly affects the entry of other amino acids and sodium into the cell. When there is an abundance of sodium in the cell, it helps to maintain this swollen hydrated state that also inhibits the breakdown of glycogen (stored sugars) and that hard gained muscle tissue. Even branch chained amino acids don't work as well as Glutamine when taken alone to increase muscle tissue and prevent muscle breakdown!

Glutamine Helps the Digestive Tract

Glutamine has been shown to feed the cells that line the intestinal tract. This is very important in that this is where the assimilation process of food begins, this is where we breakdown and absorb the fuel and nutrients that make muscles grow!

Glutamine Prevents Overtraining

The harder you train, the bigger you get right? This same mentality is what gets athletes into big trouble! The problem is that the more you train when you are in an over trained state the more severe the depletion of your glutamine stores. When the body is stressed, it goes into a catabolic (break down) state, which causes muscle and other tissues to break down. This stressed out state, or catabolic state can be caused by injury, over training, starvation and other negative stressful situations. It is very important that in times of stress blood levels of Glutamine remain constant.

Glutamine Buffers Blood

Studies have shown that administration of Glutamine prior to exercise increased plasma bicarbonate levels significantly. Increasing the bodies alkaline reserves will help to increase performance and the body's ability to grow! Glutamine status in the body is important on so many levels, because low levels of glutamine may be associated with increased acidity and increased mineral loss from the body to include calcium, magnesium, sodium, and potassium. Blood acid levels determine how fast you lose bone mass and cramp up during intense exercise.

Vitamin C

Adding a buffered form of vitamin C to this product only solidifies the end effect. It is well known that vitamin C is not only one of the most studied nutrients on the planet; it is also one of the most diverse. This special form of vitamin C is buffered to prevent gastric upset and will add an additional source of calcium to the diet. Nutrients such as calcium have a distinct effect on muscular contract and also acts to help buffer the blood, which helps prevent the build up of workout inhibiting acid in the muscle. As an antioxidant, this water-soluble nutrient is also in the unique position of being able to scavenge or gobble up certain types of free radicals before they have a chance to damage lipids and other cellular components. It has been shown to work along side of vitamin E, a fat-soluble antioxidant, and the enzyme glutathione peroxidase to stop the free radical chain reactions from getting out of hand (which can occur during training). Vitamin C typically can be taken in large doses to a point, without any significant problems. Since the absorption mechanisms in the gut and kidneys can reach a saturation point, it is better to take several doses of Vitamin C throughout the day (or before and after training), rather than one large dose. This is true of almost any water soluble vitamin, so you want to get the most protection.

References

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