I read an article on this site saying glutamine is not worth using a bodybuilding supplement, but my friends in the gym all use it? what are your thoughts, should I bother buying the stuff?
I agee with the article. It was always my opinion that glutamine didn’t do much; the article by Mr. Barr just explained why and confirmed what I’d always thought.
No, not worth it. There is countless people taking glutamine due to it’s large media attention, and promotion. Yes, it might be the most abundant amino acid in your system, but the studies have shown that it doesn’t increase performance or hypertrophy.
Also, some people might think that Biotest doesn’t have a glutamine product because maybe it doesn’t have a good source to get it, like many companies bash Myostatin providers because they don’t have access to it. Biotest surely knows somewhere they can get glutamine, but why would they want to invest in something that clearly won’t help? Seriously, glutamine got blown up by that money hungry Weider and family.
So, tell your budies to read t-mag, other journals, and get their stories straight before they shoot their mouths off again about something they read in the latest Flex about gorging 40 grams of glutamine.
Very much depends IF YOU ARE LACKING. The theory went that by training regularly, muscle is broken down, and seeing as a large amount of the protein structure in our bodies is glutamine, it was logical that this might be a “limiting” factor to growth, even though the body can make it itself, and has a small amount always readily available.
The studies in e.g. burn victims, and starvation cases (animal and human) were encouraging. -Rapid response to the supplementary Glutamine, and quicker healing of tissue/regaining body mass. The BIG GUNS jumped on the band wagon,touting glutamine as the next big thing, that theoretically could actually work as a “stimulator” of muscle growth just by it’s presence from supplementation in the bloodstream.
Unfortunately the life of a bodybuilder/strength athlete is not like “normal people”! We generally take in excess of our protein needs, and these are high quality protein sources too. The body gets all the Glutamine it needs for maintenance and growth, and probably then some in most cases, just by using a quality protein source.
IMHO, Stick to a GOOD diet, with supplementary protein powder/MRP’s as required, and you should do just as well as those dudes in the gym, and save some money too. SRS
Well, you’re friends use it, so you definately should. Right?
But glutamine is contained in Surge. Although, that’s not the sole ingredient or purpose of Surge. And when glutamine is combined with other branch-chain amino acids in a great post-workout shake like Surge (or Relentless), it is quite useful to the body. Using it alone may not be as beneficial as once thought, but that doesn’t mean that supplements that contain it are not effective. So don’t give up your protein powders or post-workout shakes altogether!
I think the truth is out about glutamine, that it’s nearly worthless at any reasonable dose. However some people get really defensive about their usage and defend it in spite of the research. (In my opinion it is soon to be put into the same category at HMB and Amino Acid Pills)