L-GLUTAMINE: NATURAL FOOD FOR MUSCLES AND THE IMMUNE SYSTEM!

Amino acid L-Glutamine is natural food for the muscles, supporting recovery, strength, and immunity, especially after strenuous exercise or illness.

Glutamine is an amino acid that is vital for building and maintaining strong healthy muscles, and defending the body against infection. It is also the preferred form of energy for liver cells and immune system cells, so it’s no wonder that a lack of glutamine can increase our risk of fatigue and infections, especially after intense physical exertion, stress, trauma, and illness.

Natural Factors® Micronized L-Glutamine is an easily absorbed glutamine supplement that helps restore plasma glutamine levels after periods of physical stress, making it ideal for athletes, regular gym-goers, older adults, and anyone living with chronic illness.

What is glutamine and why do we need it?
Glutamine is the most abundant amino acid in skeletal muscle and plasma, and is required for a whole host of vital bodily processes, including:
– Protein synthesis
– Energy production
– Immune system activity
– Cell proliferation, survival, and repair
– The production of glutathione (a key antioxidant)
– Acid-base (pH) balance.

Skeletal muscles can synthesize some glutamine, but other cells and tissues (such as those in the liver, kidney, brain, gastrointestinal tract, and immune system) cannot produce the amino acid. These tissues rely on glutamine from skeletal muscle; skeletal muscle consequently requires a constant supply of glutamine.

The body uses more glutamine during periods of prolonged or heavy exercise, trauma, inflammation, immune system dysfunction, and some illnesses. Therefore, supplementation is helpful to ensure adequate supplies for these times of need.

The Benefits of Glutamine
L-glutamine supplementation has been associated with a range of potential health benefits including:
– Accelerates recovery time, increases energy, and reduces the risk of infection following prolonged or intense exercise
– Supports muscle recovery and growth, especially following strenuous exercise
– Naturally boosts the immune system, helping to protect against infection and disease
– Helps prevent infection during illness by strengthening the immune system, maintaining the integrity of the intestinal barrier, and preventing infectious agents from entering the body

Faster Recovery and Stronger Muscles
Ensuring a good intake of glutamine can help reduce the likelihood of fatigue, injury, and infection in anyone who trains intensively. In a number of randomized, double-blind studies looking at people engaged in intense exercise or who are critically ill, glutamine has been found to help:
– Prevent protein breakdown and protein wasting
– Improve protein balance
– Supply the muscles with food
– Reduce the production of inflammatory molecules
– Prevent infection by supporting immune system function.
(Neu et al., 2002).

Glutamine is also involved in the production of glutathione, a key antioxidant that protects against damage from free radicals produced during intense exercise.

Strengthens Immunity
Glutamine naturally boosts the immune system by acting as a food source for immune system cells and promoting phagocytosis, a process where specialized immune system cells (phagocytes) engulf and destroy infectious agents.

Glutamine deficiency during prolonged and strenuous exercise may be responsible for the immunosuppression that occurs with overtraining. In one study, marathon runners who received oral glutamine supplementation immediately after and two hours after a marathon had a reduced risk of upper respiratory tract infections in the week following the marathon (Neu, et al., 2002).

Glutamine has also been found to lessen the damaging immunosuppressive effect of cancer drugs and to enhance insulin sensitivity, a useful effect for diabetics (Jellin, et al., 2016; Roth, 2008).

Gastrointestinal Support
Recent investigation suggests glutamine may act in several distinct ways to prevent infection in critically ill patients (Gleeson, 2008). This includes maintaining the integrity of the gastrointestinal mucosal barrier, acting as a gate keeper to prevent infectious agents and toxins from entering the body, as well as strengthening the immune system to fight off those that do.

The Benefits of Micronized L-Glutamine
Natural Factors Micronized L-Glutamine is created using micronization technology to greatly minimize particle size, enabling the body to break down and absorb the glutamine more readily. This powdered form has no discernible taste and mixes easily in water or other beverages, making it convenient and easy to take after a workout or when convalescing.

Every scoop of Natural Factors Micronized L-Glutamine powder provides 5 grams of L-glutamine and is gluten-free, wheat-free, non-GMO, and suitable for vegetarians and vegans. L-glutamine is not intended for use by children. Anyone who is following a low protein diet, or who is pregnant or breastfeeding should consult their health care practitioner prior to using this supplement.

Natural Factors Micronized L-Glutamine is ideal for anyone engaged in prolonged or intensive physical training as well as anyone who is critically ill or highly stressed and wants to reduce their risk of infection.

References:
1. Gleeson, M. (2008). Dosing and Efficacy of Glutamine Supplementation in Human Exercise and Sport Training. Journal of Nutrition, 138(10): 2045-2049.
2. Jellin, J.M., Gregoty, P.J., Batz, F., et al. (Eds.). (2016). Glutamine. Retrieved June 6, 2016, from Therapeutic Research Faculty website: http//www.naturaldatabase.therapeuticresearch.com.
3. Neu, J., DeMarco, V., & Li, N. (2002). Glutamine: clinical applications and mechanisms of action. Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care, 5(1), 69-75.
4. Roth, E. (2008). Non-nutritive effects of glutamine. J Nutr, 138(10):2025S-2031S.

Back to blog

Leave a comment

Please note, comments need to be approved before they are published.