Glutamine
for the
Martial Artist

I personally use a protein supplement that includes all kinds of other goodies designed to make my training more effective and keep me healthy. I have had nothing but good experiences while using this and can't recommend it enough (I use Muscle Fit Protein from Weider Japan). One of the most significant benefits is that a protein shake is so much easier to absorb and digest, allowing me to be ready to train at any point through the day. As I have become older and my metabolism has slowed, this by itself has been a good enough reason for me to want to use the supplement. Getting my protein fix without having to eat and take the time to digest solid protein has made an enormous difference to my training schedule. Having said that, I continue to eat protein and follow a healthy diet...we are talking about supplements here, not substitutes.

Overview

Glutamine is a common amino acid vital for building strong muscles and improving recovery time after intense workouts. Any martial artist who trains hard on a regular basis would do well to take notice of what this amino acid is and how it can aid you in getting the most out of your training.

What is Glutamine?

First of all, we need to understand protein and its importance in building muscle mass. Protein is of fundamental importance in developing musculature (as well as ensuring the health of other bodily tissues such as our hair, nails, skin and bones). After water, protein is the second most prevalent substance in accounting for our body weight.

Proteins are formed from amino acids. There are twenty amino acids, each of which perform a different function. These amino acids can be identified as essential or non-essential. Non-essential amino acids can be provided by the liver. Essential amino acids on the other hand must be provided through diet. Glutamine is a non-essential amino acid, meaning that it is produced by the liver. It already exists within your body and you use up your supply during the course of completing your daily activities (and training). However, the supply provided by your liver is limited and once exhausted you will need to supplement your natural supply if you desire to continue to reap the same benefits from your training.

Eating complete proteins such as egg whites, turkey breast, fish and chicken breast will all provide you with more protein. My personal experience however is that it is time consuming to prepare, eat and digest these complete proteins and without being a professional athlete, I simply don't have that time.

Enter Protein / Glutamine Supplements

These supplements are widely available, from specialist stores, through mail order and even larger, non-specialist stores that offer a wider variety of choices. The most common way to take a protein / glutamine supplement is by mixing a powder with water, milk or some other beverage. There are numerous (and tasty!) flavors available and the drink itself goes down very smoothly. Minimal preparation is required and as it is taken dissolved in liquid, the protein / glutamine is much more quickly absorbed into your body.

How Glutamine Aids in Building Muscle Mass

Glutamine is necessary to maintain the body in a state of anabolism rather than catabolism. Anabolism describes the state in which your metabolism is synthesizing protein faster than it is being broken down, leading to an increase in muscle mass (if you are training your muscles; otherwise the same process will lead to an increase in fat mass). Catabolism occurs when your metabolism is losing protein faster than it is being added (leading to a loss in muscle mass or fatty tissue - desirable in a diet for the weight conscious).

Glutamine then is used up by your body while you are in an anabolic process. Or, in simple terms, it is used up by your body when your body is growing through exercise. Therefore, to maintain healthy muscle growth you need to ensure your intake of glutamine is sufficient.

Studies have revealed that glutamine is beneficial in aiding the body in its recovery from numerous adverse conditions, such as burns, treatment-related side-effects of cancer and post-operative wounds. Glutamine also promotes muscle recovery after a work out.

During and immediately following a training session your body will eat up whatever protein supply is available to it. Protein is the single most important source for building and maintaining a healthy muscle mass. As noted above, protein is constructed from amino acids (including therefore glutamine) and so to be able to promote the re-generation and re-supply of protein (allowing for greater muscle mass and faster recovery times) a new supply of glutamine (and other amino acids) is necessary. Otherwise you will need to wait until your liver produces a sufficient quantity of amino acids.

Summary

Glutamine will help you to build bigger, stronger, more solid musculature while helping you recover from intense work outs at a faster pace than normal. Its health benefits extend beyond those related to body building however and your overall health and body functions will be enhanced by ensuring you have enough of this amino acid in your body.

Train hard, live easy.

Related Articles

Sean Sherk Workout: Caveman Training with Sean Sherk

Georges St Pierre Workout