Glutamine

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Definition 
 * "Glutamine is the most abundant amino acid (building block of protein) in the body. The body can make enough glutamine for its regular needs. But during times of extreme stress (the kind you experience after heavy exercise or an injury), your body may need more glutamine than it can make. Most glutamine is stored in muscles, followed by the lungs where much of the glutamine is made." (Maryland, 2015)
 * "Glutamine is one of the 20 naturally occurring amino acids in dietary protein, specifically it is a conditionally essential amino acid (being elevated to essential during periods of disease and muscle wasting typical of physical trauma)." (Examine, 2015)

How it work s Sources Recommendations
 * During exercise of other times of metabolic stress such as a pre-contest diet, severe injury, illness, etc., the demand for glutamine in plasma markedly increases. Cells, such as lymphocytes and macrophages, depend on glutamine as a primary fuel source. This means that during an immunological response, more glutamine is demanded. (Hajoway,2006)
 * Animal Tissue
 * Meat, poultry, fish and seafood are the best sources of protein. Although they all contain ample amounts of protein, foods that supply higher levels ofprotein tend to be higher in glutamine. This means lean cuts would be better, including fish as well. (Campbell, 2015)
 * Dairy Products
 * Dairy products are rich in glutamine. Whey protein is a top source of glutamine. While milk andyogurt are good sources of the amino acid, cheese is generally a better source. These products include cottage cheese, ricotta, parmesan cheese, mozzarella and cheddar. (Campbell, 2015)
 * Vegetable Sources
 * Dried lentils, peas and bean, especially soybeans, are good sources of glutamine because they're rich in high-quality protein. These good sources include cabbage, raw spinach, kale, and brussels sprouts. (Campbell, 2015)
 * Theoretically, since glutamine is an amino acid, it should halt the breakdown of muscles, which it does more so than enhance protein synthesis, and stimulate new growth. This, in turn, could aid anybody partaking in strength training activities. Although the research behind this is not very strong.
 * The real recommendation for glutamine would be to strengthen an athletes immune system after vigorous training sessions. For instance, University of Maryland Medical Center's example references marathon runners who may get sick after a race due to decrease glutamine in the body, and due to glutamine's role with the immune system, supplementation has been shown to help.
 * Besides athletics, glutamine has also been shown to help with the following
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Inflammatory Bowel Disease
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">HIV/AIDS
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Cancer
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">This supplement is discouraged by the WIAA and therefore should not be used by high school athletes.

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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Usage
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; line-height: 1.5;">20-30 g/day 2-3 times daily (bioavailability is no more than 30%)
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">.1 g/kg/day (Lockwood, 2015)
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">There is little evidence to support that glutamine is dangerous in most healthy individuals.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">According to WebMD, the following should use caution
 * People with cirrhosis
 * Severe liver disease
 * Monosodium glutamate sensitivity
 * Mental disorders
 * Seizures

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Ranking

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">2.5/5 <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Most people looking to supplement with glutamine are probably looking to enhance protein synthesis and the research is just not there for it yet. But there is good evidence to support that it would help endurance athletes and the protection of their immune system.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Safety

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">4.5/5 <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Although glutamine supplementation may be dangerous for the aforementioned complications in the usage section, there is very little to no evidence to show it is dangerous for healthy individuals.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Cost <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">2/5 <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Any time you want to buy a supplement you are going to have to spend a decent amount of money. In comparison to most supplements, glutamine is about the same to others. For 150 grams or 30 servings you would pay 13.28, although when you look at the usage this would not last you very long. Unless you are an endurance athlete, I would not spend the money on this supplement.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Ease of Use

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">5/5 <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Glutamine is available as powders, capsules, tablets, or liquids. Making it easy to use for anyones preferences.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Total Score

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">14/20 <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">I think this supplement can be beneficial for various reasons, including trauma and burn victims. As for athletes, I would only recommend glutamine for endurance athletes. The reason for a lower score is because most people think it would be beneficial for strength and power athletes, which in some cases can help, but overall does not. Endurance athletes should give glutamine a try.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">References <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> Campbell, M. (2015, April 22). Natural Sources of L-Glutamine. Retrieved January 18, 2016, from http://www.livestrong.com/article/403686-natural-sources-of-l-glutamine/

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> Ehrlich, S. (2015, August 2). Glutamine. Retrieved January 12, 2016, from https://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/supplement/glutamine

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> Glutamine - Scientific Review on Usage, Dosage, Side Effects. (n.d.). Retrieved January 18, 2016, from https://examine.com/supplements/glutamine/

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> Lockwood, C. (2013, February 26). All About Glutamine: Your Expert Guide. Retrieved January 18, 2016, from http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/all-about-glutamine-your-expert-guide.html

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> Hajoway, M. (2003, December 8). Glutamine: A Secret To Gaining Muscle! Retrieved January 18, 2016, from http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/glutamine2.htm

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Side Effects of Long-Term Glutamine SupplementationJPEN J Parenter Enteral Nutr 2013 37: 607-616