What is the Benefit of L-Glutamine?
When doctors prescribe patients supplements, one of the most common supplements prescribed happens to be l-glutamine. L-glutamine is an amino acid that the body produces. Unfortunately, it doesn’t always produce enough of this beneficial amino acid. So, what is the main benefit of l- glutamine for bodybuilders?
There are actually multiple benefits of l-glutamine for bodybuilders, although due to the numerous benefits associated with l-glutamine, everyone can actually benefit. For bodybuilders, however, the importance of l-glutamine is muscle function and metabolism.
L-glutamine helps to build strong, healthy muscle, in that it plays a vital role in muscle synthesis. When there isn’t enough l-glutamine, the muscle will start to break down, despite other important nutrients that it has, such as protein or creatine.
L-glutamine has also been proven to increase the body’s natural growth hormones. Again, this is something that is important to bodybuilders. On top of this, it increases the healing time for wounds, and this would include the repair time for damaged muscle tissue.
Of course, aside from the muscle building benefit of l-glutamine, bodybuilders get the other wonderful benefits that everyone else gets as well. This includes an enhanced immune system, mental alertness, memory improvement, a healthy intestinal tract, stabilized blood sugar, a decrease in alcohol cravings, a maintained acid and alkaline balance, and so much more.
Again, l-glutamine is produced naturally by the body. In fact, there is more l- glutamine in your body than any other amino acid. However, when you workout, your supply of l-glutamine is depleted, because its busy working for you, and naturally, it takes time for your body to build up its supply again…unless you use l-glutamine supplements.
Most doctors’ who prescribe l-glutamine supplements to their patients recommend dosages between 500mg and 4000mg daily. You should never take more than 4000mg, as it can result in diarrhea and upset stomach. Also note that you do not need a doctor to actually prescribe l-glutamine. You can purchase it in your health food store, and it comes in various forms, such as pill, powder, or liquid.
Also note that there are no real age limitations for l-glutamine safety. The only limitation is that doctors suggest that children under the age of ten years old not take l-glutamine supplements, and this is only because it generally has not been established by that age whether allergies exist that may get a reaction from l-glutamine usage, although such allergies are rare, considering that the body produces l-glutamine.
Overall, l-glutamine is safe and beneficial, and there is absolutely no reason why you shouldn’t add it to your nutritional plan –especially if you are a body builder. Try l-glutamine as soon as possible, and you will fully understand the benefit of l-glutamine for bodybuilders.