Glutamine Question

[ChrisC]

Allmost all articles on glutamine cite a TC Welbourne paper as saying that 2grams of glutamine will spike gh levels by over 400%. I'm curious about the claim since most articles (read:advertizements) on supplements typically take statements from research papers and then quote them completely out of context.


I was wondering if anyone has had a chance to read the acutal paper or has a copy of the paper? The cite is:

Welbourne, TC. Increased plasma bicarbonate and growth hormone after oral glutamine load. Am J Clin Nutr 1995; 61:1058-1061

The paper isn't available online and so I was hoping someone had a computer copy they could post since I really want to avoid a trip to the library.

If anyone has a digital copy, would they mind posting it here? If not, I guess I'll drag my lazy ass to a library and copy the paper myself (i will scan and post it here for anyone interested). I'm sure theres many of us that would like to take a look at the paper.

Thanks,

Chris C.

[ChrisC]

btw, if anyone has any thoughts/opionions on the subject, please post them too!

[Troyster]

Looks like you'll have to go to the Lib. on that one. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (www.ajcn.org/contents-by-date.0.shtml) only has the abstracts online for that entire year.

T

[J65]

Wow 2 grams will spike gh by 400% according to that research paper.

I am an amateur but what I've read is that a normal serving that is advertised is 10 grams.

[Sharon]

I copied the info below from Life Extension website, usually a fairly decent resource. Notice that 400% is not all that remarkable compared to the other studies except that it takes so little of glutamine to get results. Some people have phenominal success with glutamine, even more so then creatine. Of oourse, I am sure there are others who don't obtain such great results. For good results, the dosages for glutamine are usually higher in the 10 to 20 gram range. Note that all the information below was from a 1997 report.



Synergistic Effects

"Many nutrients have been shown to increase growth hormone in both young and old subjects. The amino acids Arginine and ornithine have been used for a number of years to enhance production of growth hormone since they were first popularized by Durk Pearson and Sandy Shaw in their book, " Life Extension: A Practical Scientific Approach."

A synergistic effect also has been shown between Arginine and another amino acid, lysine. According to a 1981 study by Italian researcher A. Isidori, M.D., and his associates at the University of Rome, the combination of 1,200 mg of lysine and 1,200 mg of Argininein 15 male volunteers between 15 and 20 was 10 times more effective than taking Arginine alone.

Glutamine is the latest amino acid to generate excitement as a GH releaser, thanks to a 1995 study by Tomas C. Welbourne of Louisiana State University College of Medicine in Shreveport. Welbourne showed that a surprising small oral dose-two grams of glutamine-raised growth hormone levels more than four times, compared with subjects given a placebo. Even more exciting, age did not diminish the response, at least in this study of volunteers ranging from 32 to 64 years of age.

Niacin-commonly referring to the two forms of vitamin B-3, nicotinic acid and nicotinamide-is also a highly effective stimulator of GH. Two scientific studies show that 200 mg of niacin given intravenously increased GH levels eight-fold, with the GH peak occurring two hours after the administration of the niacin."



I felt I needed to copy the precautions on taking the above GH enhancers:

Because growth hormone depletes potassium and opposes the actions of insulin, diabetics and borderline diabetics should use GH releasers with care. L-arginine and L-ornithine may improve or worsen a diabetic condition. Persons who have not completed their bone growth (children and teenagers) and pregnant or lactating women should not use GH releasers except under a physician’s supervision. L-arginine and L-ornithine sometimes reactivate latent herpes virus infections. Therefore, persons who have ever had ocular or brain herpes should not use these products. Those with certain psychoses may experience worsened symptoms if they take L-arginine or L-ornithine supplements."

[ChrisC]

It's not the 400% figure I question, I was more interested in what was left out. For example, a very short term increase in gh will have a negligible effect - Increasing gh by 400% for thirty mins is pointless. I was wondering what the paper said about the duration of the increase.

[Troyster]

Have you read the abstract?

---

TC Welbourne
Department of Physiology, Louisiana State University College of Medicine, Shreveport 71130, USA.

An oral glutamine load was administered to nine healthy subjects to determine the effect on plasma glutamine, bicarbonate, and circulating growth hormone concentrations. Two grams glutamine were dissolved in a cola drink and ingested over a 20-min period 45 min after a light breakfast. Forearm venous blood samples were obtained at zero time and at 30-min intervals for 90 min and compared with time controls obtained 1 wk earlier. Eight of nine subjects responded to the oral glutamine load with an increase in plasma glutamine at 30 and 60 min before returning to the control value at 90 min. Ninety minutes after the glutamine administration load both plasma bicarbonate concentration and circulating plasma growth hormone concentration were elevated. These findings demonstrate that a surprisingly small oral glutamine load is capable of elevating alkaline reserves as well as plasma growth hormone.

[ChrisC]

Troy:

Oops, could catch Troy. Yes, i've read the abstract on the AJCN website. I have no idea why 30 mins popped into my head.

Chris
rapidly approaching senility... ;D

[Troyster]

ChrisC said:

Chris
rapidly approaching senility... ;D

I'm already there myself ;D

T