Post by Tim Wescott on May 9, 2004 12:10:18 GMT -5
GLUTAMINE:
Exercise And Muscle Mass:
During strenuous exercise the need for glutamine appears to increase beyond the level ordinarily made in the liver. Recent research findings illustrate the dramatic effect exertion has on the body's glutamine reserves. Seven healthy athletes doing intensive anaerobic exercise (a single short-distance sprint) showed a 45 percent drop in plasma glutamine compared to their pre-exercise levels. When the same athletes did intensive aerobic exercise (10 days of long-distance running), their plasma glutamine dropped 50 percent.1 Some runners still had depressed glutamine levels even six days after recovering from the aerobic program, suggesting that they needed more glutamine than their diets provided.
These findings are especially important to athletes, as glutamine is essential to muscle growth. It may help reduce the rate of muscle breakdown (anticatabolic) relative to the rate of muscle growth (anabolic)2 and increase concentrations of plasma arginine and glutamate, two amino acids linked to muscle-strengthening growth hormone.
Exercise And Muscle Mass:
During strenuous exercise the need for glutamine appears to increase beyond the level ordinarily made in the liver. Recent research findings illustrate the dramatic effect exertion has on the body's glutamine reserves. Seven healthy athletes doing intensive anaerobic exercise (a single short-distance sprint) showed a 45 percent drop in plasma glutamine compared to their pre-exercise levels. When the same athletes did intensive aerobic exercise (10 days of long-distance running), their plasma glutamine dropped 50 percent.1 Some runners still had depressed glutamine levels even six days after recovering from the aerobic program, suggesting that they needed more glutamine than their diets provided.
These findings are especially important to athletes, as glutamine is essential to muscle growth. It may help reduce the rate of muscle breakdown (anticatabolic) relative to the rate of muscle growth (anabolic)2 and increase concentrations of plasma arginine and glutamate, two amino acids linked to muscle-strengthening growth hormone.