The Ultimate Guide To L-Glutamine: Benefits, Uses, Side Effects

What is Glutamine?

Glutamine or L Glutamine is an amino acid (a building block for proteins), found naturally in the body.

It provides cellular support that no other single amino acid shares, making it one of the most important amino acids in the human body. It provides the ability to produce the building blocks of proteins such as muscles, bones and blood vessels as well as other important proteins in our body.

Glutamine is used by bodybuilders and high-performance athletes as an amino acid that helps maintain muscles and recover from exercise loads. Many athletes take glutamines as a dietary supplement because excessive exercise depletes their stores.

Benefits

Improves Immune System

One of the supposed benefits of glutamine is the ability to improve immune system function after intense workouts by improving recovery and preventing overtraining. For bodybuilders and high-performance athletes, glutamine supports anti-catabolic recovery after intensive training and also provides valuable immune support and healthy digestion. [Sources: 15, 16]

Promotes Healthy Digestion

Another great advantage of glutamine is that it promotes good digestion and a healthy GI tract, and can even help against leaky intestines. If you are struggling with GI symptoms, adding glutamines as a dietary supplement can reduce inflammation and help repair the skin of your digestive tract. [Sources: 5, 6, 14]

Lowers Blood Pressure and Reduces Sugar Level

Glutamine provides benefits for the body’s metabolism, such as a reduction in blood pressure, heart rate and blood sugar levels. A study showed that 30g/d of glutamine following each main meal helps reduce blood glucose levels as well as body fat, waist lines, and systolic blood pressure to some extent.

Promotes Muscle Growth

Glutamine is considered one of the most important amino acids involved in the building blocks of the protein to promote muscle growth. Supplementing with glutamine can improve your gains and prevent muscle catabolism.

Better Post Workout Recovery

According to research, glutamine supplements help decrease muscle soreness and improve recovery after intense exercise by promoting muscle repair and improving glycogen repletion.

Side Effects

When taken orally, glutamine is likely safe for most adults on a daily dose of 40 grams. Side effects are generally mild and may include nausea, dizziness, stomach pain and heartburn.

Bottom Line

After reading this guide, you should have new-found confidence in your ability to take these glutamine supplements in the long term.

If you are looking for a way to improve your gains, prevent muscle catabolism and at the same time strengthen your immune system, you will find it hard to find a better supplement than glutamine.