I am curious if anyone has experimented with taking high levels(40-80g) of glutamine on a daily basis as recommended by the like of Poliquin and Duchaine. I am curious if it would be worth spending the 72-80 dollars a month on this. By the way I am 23 weigh 210 and carry about 16-19% body fat(I know it sucks). Also any supplement recommendations would help given that I have around $150 per month to spend and as of right now will not take any test boosters. Thanks
Chris, I’ve been trying something that might have some bearing. As per Poliquin’s BCAA advice, I’ve been taking Glutacene @ 35g/workout every time I work quads/calves for four workouts now. So far, however, no results to speak of. I don’t take it every day, only on quad day, which is one day out of six.
I based the amount I take on CP’s recommendation, which for my bodyweight comes out to about 35g of BCAAs. However, of this only 10.5g is actual glutamine, so maybe the numbers aren’t high enough to tell you what you want to know. But the label talks about the other BCAAs being precursors to glutamine and getting converted within the body, so the actual effective amount is probably a lot higher. (If any of the experts out there have any comments on this, I’d love to hear them.)
Anyway, as I said, no results yet. I should add that this is the ONLY time I’ve ever taken one of CP’s suggestions and NOT had it work, so I’m thinking that maybe I’ve misunderstood something along the way.
Glutamine doesn’t work.Sure, Glutamine data looks good on paper but as for the real world, it hasn’t done anything in terms of drastically building mass.Just don’t take it and save yourself a lot of money.
Let me guess Disco Stu, you don’t think glutamine works but are probably stil taking boron and smilax.
Many people will tell you that glutamine hasn’t put an ounce of mass on anyone. I remember a T-mag interview where that phrase was uttered. I concur that glutamine supplementation hasn’t done squat as far as putting muscle on my body
Jeez, not only does glutamine not work worth shiznit, but it seems like it makes people who use it very touchy as well, eh Sig?
People that claim glutamine hasn’t helped them build ANY muscle are lacking in other aspects of their diet or training. Also, how long did you use glutamine? I deal with many people everyday in my business regarding supplements and it’s amazing how many people will dismiss supplements such as glutamine, protein powder, and multi-vitamins, but are wanting to use every pro-hormone on the market. Do you drink at LEAST a gallon of water a day? Most bodybuilders walking around are severly dehydrated because they don’t think water is a big deal. If you’re not getting plenty of water on a daily basis, just change your name to “captain catabolic”. My point is, glutamine won’t do shit if you’re lacking in other areas of your nutrition and it won’t make you huge overnight. But it WILL make a big difference over the course of several months.
Youch, ease up fella.I myself don’t take any prohormone supplement or anything else fancy for that matter.I don’t even use creatine no more.The only supplements I use are stuff that will help in filling in the gaps of my diet and nutritional progam.I know the importance of water, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and even use protein powders(not as a magic drug but as a assurance that I get enough, but not too much, protein daily.I also use Mrps sometimes to avoid skipping a meal.I don’t have any problems with stuff like glutamine except for the overly hyped manner in which it has been introduced in the supplement world.Yes, I do understand that supplements are worthless if you don’t have your basic dietary needs in place but you act like if I don’t take glutamine I’ll wither away and die.The only positive reports of glutamine I’ve heard is that it helps the immune system, but in my opinion, taking antioxidants will do that job just fine.I really don’t believe glutamine will help someone build mass like creatine, if it did, rest assure, 20/20 will be doing a report on it.Sure, getting your nutritional program in check while using glutamine will provide positive results in a few months but is it really the glutamine doing the work?
Chris, I agree with Disco. Glutamine is not all that it’s cracked up to be. Not to say it isn’t useful, it’s just not the miracle drug that many preach it to be.
Since you have $150 to spend on supplements each month, you should think about getting Grow, Tribex-500 and/or Androsol, ZMA and Power Drive or MD-6 (depending on if you need to burn fat or need a boost in the gym).
Obviously, you couldn’t buy all in one month. But if you save up two month’s worth, you’ll have plenty to buy two and get one free of almost all those supplements.
I use two scoops of Grow with milk. It contains more than 40 grams of protein, and I get nearly a whole month out of each jar. Not bad for the price!
The ZMA has helped me sleep better. I haven’t noticed any strength gains yet, but I heard that it takes a while to notice that.
I plan on getting some Tribex-500 soon, and I may try MD-6 in the spring.
So check out what your goals are and figure out which of the above supplements will help you meet your goals. Good luck!
Ok, here is my two cents worth. Glutamine works for what you take it for. If you are dieting, take 40 grams of glutamine and 20 grams of whey post-workout. Non-dieting, meaning more post-workout carbs, take 40 grams of whey and 20 grams of glutamine. Since whey is lacking in glutamine and because whey is preferential in getting aminos into the muscles faster than casein or egg.
If you are not having a protein drink before bedtime, due to fullness not allowing you to sleep or just not feeling up to it, take 20 grams of glutamine with water right before hitting the sack. This is the time to take your ZMA also. In the morning, take 20 grams glutamine in water to stop the catabolic process. Do this if you are not going to eat for an hour or so. It costs roughly $1 for 20 grams of glutamine. An MRP costs roughly 85 cents for 20 grams of protein. Before I get criticized for that statement, I know glutamine is not the same. You’re right, but it is necessary for growth, anti-catabolism, etc.
Some studies show that glutamine will release growth factors on an empty stomach. I know this mag seems to say not to worry about growth hormone, but I have seen first hand how lean someone who is taking growth hormone and test get. After a month on the bed and morning protocol, I lean out. It must be done on an empty stomach, and you must be consistent. I take off one week from this every six weeks.
Again, before I get critisized by the sheep who are led to believe it doesn’t do squat, I just have to say two things: 1) I compare taking it to not missing a meal, I believe in its ability to release growth factors and I compare the cost to taking a meal replacement, gram per gram. 2) If you sheep follow to close, you’ll bury your nose up the lead sheeps ass.
40-80grams of glutamine A DAY! That’s probably a little excessive. When you take in too much l-glutamine at once it can be taken up by your intestines for their purposes and it dosn’t get to your muscles.
One final thing, if your budget allows only $150 per month, you should sit down and do the math. Write down what you want, then figure out what you can afford.
For your budget, I would take Tribex, 6 twice a day ($75 a month)…I know you said you didn’t want to take hormone stuff, this is fine, really. I would take ZMA ($17 a month). I would buy a good quality whey protein powder for post-workout shake ($20-30 a month, based on five workouts per week, and 40 grams of protein per serving) Add in 20 grams of glutamine post workout ($20) and you are at $132-$142 a month.
I might add a bedtime/am drink of glutamine for an additional $60 a month or if I don’t believe in growth hormone releasing properties of glutamine, I would take 20 grams of whey and 10 grams of glutamine bedtime/am at an additional cost of $70-75 a month. Bringing your total to a little over $200. But, this is just my two cents. If you decide to do it, do this for two months, consistently before you critisize. I believe this is an easily doable formula. It doesn’t require much effort. And if you are not a big eater, lets you get your nutrition without missing meals.
Michael, you sheep!!! Do you believe everything you read. Just like the “study” that showed creatine and caffeine don’t mix or protein causes kidney/liver problems. Glutamine at high dosages is used by the stomach lining. But, after a workout, it is not the same. Also, at bedtime and AM, 20 grams is not excessive. Doing a total daily count does not work. If it did, your MRP’s and such would add up to too much also. Pull your head out of the lead sheep’s ass and do some research on your own. I am getting sick of you guys repeating what you have read by “one” author. Baaaa baaaa.
Michael and Chris, read issue# 44 gang of five and #41 feedback. There are questions related to glutamine, its uses and opposing views.
I get the feeling that Bodz supports the use of Glutamine…
I’ve been called many things before…but a sheep?How dare you!Okay, bodz, I’m getting the feeling you support glutamine supplementation.I’m also willing to bet you use it too as well as other supplements.I bet you use glutamine at strategically timed schedules as well as a whole bunch of other supplements right?Well how the heck do you know if the glutamine is actually working if it’s being combined with other supplements.Plus, you seem to praise it’s glory yet have nothing to say when it comes down to plain old results.Yes, studies of glutamine have found dosages as low as 2.5 grams can raise growth hormone levels, but then what.People don’t care about those kind of things unless they can see the results for themselves.In my opinion, the only people who support glutamine is either the one’s who are selling it or the one’s who have already invested so much money using it with no success that they are in complete denial.Anyway, to the original poster of this post, if you’re that worried about not getting enough glutamine, don’t worry, taking a few scoops of a protein powder or drinking a few Mrps should provide all the magical glutamine you need.
Disco, the reason for the sheep remark is that there seems to be a trend of guys responding to posts, that are just repeating what they heard “one” person say. They act and sound like a recorder. It is like the guy at the gym who tells you the correct way of lifting by “Body for life”. I have been at this game for almost 25 years and the people who repeat what one person heard, spread the disease of laziness, lack of using their brain, lack of reading or lack of the balls to try something different. “In denial”? Right! Go back and reread my posts. I said to try it and see. It works for me. How do I know? When I start taking Glutamine (consistently, I repeat, consistently) after a layoff from glutamine, I notice myself getting leaner after a month or two. I have been at this a long time, so I know my body and I know about how to “test” a product for results. “In the real world”, give me a break, you’re quoting other people again. Show me the studies on “real world results”. You can’t because you don’t know how to read all by yourself yet. The late Dan Duchaine said that even though as little as 2.5mg may cause growth hormone release, as did also the book Grow Young with HGH, that higher dosages may be necessary to induce a noticable result. Also, Charles Polquin trains top athletes and has them take glutamine higher than that. I guess he just does it because he’s “In denial”. In 1995 a study conducted at the Louisiana State University College of Medicine showed that a group of volunteers ages 32-64 were shown a 4 times increase in growth hormone vs. a placebo. The only non-responder was 32-year-old obese woman. So there goes your statement (real world results). Also, for good measure a study in 1994 showed that 33 people over the age of 60, who took high levels of glutamine had fewer illnesses, lower cholesterol, lower blood pressure and were closer to their ideal weights than people who took in less daily glutamine. Gee, I guess that doesn’t count as real world results, because you didn’t say it or hear it or read it. Before you try and play trivia with me boy, better bone up. I have a huge library in my home full of books and research. I do my homework! Do you? Apparently not!
Also, I take glutamine for all the above and I believe in longevity. I don’t take it to pack on mass.
So, you spend 60 dollars a month on glutamine just so you can notice yourself get leaner?Gee, I sometimes notice I’m a little taller some days but it probably aint the case.Wow, you also got a library full of books, and research on what, glutamine?Gee, I kinda like to take supplements just for fun but it seems like it’s a life or death struggle for you.Longevity?You’re not one of those new-age hippies are you?Why do you even want to live until you’re 100 pumping iron, so you can attract an ancient wrinkly hot babe with breasts so low you she can play hacky sac with them?I’m still not convinced glutamine actually works.If it works for you, fine.According to your post, it seems like the the “real world” results showed that you have to be kinda older to benefit from it, but yet no difinite evidence that show glutamine to actually increase mass, which is what I was talking about in the beginning.Well that’s it for now.
Ps.Oh by the way how old are you anyway, Bodz.
To Chris, the poster of this post, Sorry if it doesn’t seem like I’m answering you question but this Bodz fellow, sheesh.You asked if it was worth to spend nearly 80 bucks a month on glutamine?My answer is, if you’re a rich hippie geriatric dreams of being a really old man, yes, but if you’re a person it for enjoying you’re life now with a budget of 150 dollars a month, NO.You’re money will be better spent with, if you decide to take any supplements, MRPs, protein powders, vitamins, antioxidants etc.I do agree though that taking a product like ZMA would probably be a good idea since it will provide magnesium, which is an important mineral lacking in people’s diets.Also you can take a thermogenic if you want, if you can tolerate it.Last, pay attention to you diet.
Hmmmm, I guess I’ll have to address your points one by one. 1) yes, I spend $60 a month so I can notice myself getting leaner. What do you spend your $60 on? oh, yeah, you’re the one who bought that two year subscription to playboy, so you can notice your little wanker get bigger. What kind of comment is that? Well, let’s answer it with…2) you take supplements for fun. Apparently so. You have no clue as to what works. I look at the mirror, my weights in the gym, my moods, etc. I judge a supplement by its real world effects on me. 3) Yeah I have a whole library full of books you can’t read, understand or fully comprehend…that means, no “Cat in the Hat” sorry. 4)Yeah I do want to live to 100 or more. I’m sorry if your old lady has wrinkly skin, she should have taken better care of herself. Even if I don’t make it to 100, by taking care of myself now, I’ll still look good at an older age, like I do now. 4) Mass? The kid never asked about mass. He asked if it was worth it. I explained my position and left it up to him. That is what this forum is for. I only stated about sheep, because everyone was knocking glutamine as worthless, because they were told so. 5) How old am I? 40 and I get carded still because I still look good for my age. I get college girls asking me out all the time. How old do I feel, judging from the general population…30.
You know its funny. You remind me of the young punk who approached me for training. He wanted “mass”. He tried to haggle on my training fee. I told him if he wanted a cheap trainer, to go hire one. The first day, I told him we were going to squat. He said he didn’t do them. “No shit”. I told him if he wanted mass he had to squat. He refused, so I told him to go home. He came crawling back for training the next day. He put on his worthless belt (baaa baaa) and squatted 1/4. I forced him down all the way. I wouldn’t let him do less. After one set, he went to the bathroom. After the second set, he went outside and puked. He never made it back in again. Moral of the story…I can tell you something that is true, but if you are so headstrong you can’t open your eyes to the truth, then you have already failed. This was never supposed to be personal. Again, I only mentioned sheep, so the kid wouldn’t be brainwashed. You made it personal, but didn’t do a very good job.