What is L-Glutamine?
What is L-Glutamine?
Proper nutrition is important for everyone including, athletes, fitness enthusiasts or anyone trying improve their health. Amino acids play a very important role in many bodily functions, such as transporting nutrition, muscle development, digestive functions, weight maintenance and blood sugar regulation. As a result, the body needs amino acids to maintain healthy nutrition.
Did you know, the body needs 20 amino acids to maintain proper health! And, L-glutamine is a crucial amino acid that can improve nutrition. The skeletal muscle is made up of nearly 60% glutamine.Conditional vs. Essential Amino Acids
L-glutamine is a conditional essential amino acid. Let’s break this down for a basic understanding. Amino acids are the basic building blocks of proteins and are the smallest units of proteins. In other words, your muscles are made up of amino acids.
Essential amino acids CANNOT be produced in your body and must be obtained from food sources. Conditional amino acids ARE produced in your body. L-glutamine is both essential and conditional, while your body can produce this amino acid, most often your body requires more than can be produced and you should obtain what you need from food or supplements.Sources of L-Glutamine
There are several plant and animal protein sources for L-Glutamine, listed below:
- Eggs
- Tofu
- Milk
- Bone broth
- Grass-fed beef
- Spirulina
- Chinese cabbage
- Cottage cheese
- Asparagus
- Broccoli rabe
- Wild-caught fish (cod and salmon)
- Venison
- Turkey
- Corn
- Rice
Depending on the individual, it may be necessary to supplement with L-Glutamine. This is especially true if you are not getting enough from your diet. Studies suggest that 20 to 30 grams are needed daily, however intense athletes may require more. This is because an intense workout may decrease the L-Glutamine storage in your body by 50%!
In Closing
L-Glutamine is a conditional essential amino acid that provides many health benefits. While it can be obtained through your diet, you may not be getting adequate amounts to receive the health benefits.
There are many brands of l-glutamine on the market and it’s offered in capsule and powder form. Dr. Cohen founded Metabolic Nutrition over 30 years ago, and they provide pharmaceutical grade supplements.Physiques Gym sells and recommends Metabolic Nutrition L-Glutamine. To learn more about Physiques Gym, you can Contact Us through our website.
