Rest, Repair, Recover And Rebound Stronger. Think Glutamine.
In this month's newsletter we look at how supplementing with the amino acid glutamine can significantly improve your body's ability to repair and recover after endurance training. Low plasma glutamine levels are often common amongst endurance athletes and can significantly lengthen recovery time, cause muscle weakness, fatigue and compromise immune function. Researchers have defined glutamine as a 'conditionally essential'* amino acid due to the body’s inability to synthesise sufficient amounts of glutamine during periods of stress.1 Read on to discover how glutamine supplementation could be the missing link in your supplement regime.
Glorious Glutamine!
Glutamine is the most abundant amino acid in the body. Glutamine makes up around 50% of the free amino acids in muscle tissue. Glutamine plays a major role in muscle repair and maintenance, making it highly anabolic. Glutamine is also a substrate for energy production and is essential for the proper function of a large number of tissues and cells in the body. Due to the many critical roles this amino acid plays, supplementing with glutamine can help you recover quicker and work harder.
Glutamine Supports the Immune System
During Regular Endurance Training.
Glutamine is an important fuel for cells of the immune system.2 In one study, 200 runners and rowers were given placebo or 2000 mg of glutamine, two hours after exercise. In the seven days following the exercise, 81% of the glutamine-supplemented group were infection-free compared to 49% in the placebo group.3 This is good news for anyone who finds themselves more susceptible to infections during times of intense training.
Keep Your Batteries Charged.
Our skeletal muscle is like our body's battery - it keeps us fuelled with energy - and a major energy currency for skeletal muscle is glutamine. During times of high demand, such as endurance training, if dietary glutamine intake is insufficient, the body will get the glutamine it needs from skeletal muscle. Over time this can have a significant impact on muscle repair and recovery and can significantly impact your athletic performance. Supplementing with glutamine helps keep your batteries topped up, effectively giving you a reserve to draw upon during times of demand. Adequate glutamine muscle stores can mean quicker recovery time, lower infection rates, less fatigue, and ultimately, can help you reach your desired performance levels.
Endura Glutamine.
Endura Glutamine is now available in the Endura range. What makes Endura Glutamine unique is that it is a micronised, and 100% natural form of L-glutamine fermented from glucose. L-glutamine is the naturally occurring isomer of glutamine. Micronisation is the process by which the particle sizes of glutamine are reduced in order to enhance absorption and boost bioavailability to most effectively assist in the production of muscle protein and replenish depleted glutamine stores. For best results take 3.5 g (1 heaped teaspoon) of Endura Glutamine daily and/or immediately after exercise, ideally mixed with Endura Rehydration Formula. Two to three serves daily can be given for 1 week to replenish low levels of glutamine.
Rest Hard To Train Harder.
To get the most out of your training, adequate rest and recovery is just as important as training. Training hard and resting hard are the two strategies that will help you realise your optimal athletic potential. By including Endura Glutamine as a regular part of your supplement regime, you can be confident you are giving your body the best chance to maximise muscle repair and recovery.
