Function of glutamine
Glutamine has the highest concentration of all amino acids in the blood because it is used as a nitrogen transporter in our body. When amino acids are broken down, our body produces ammonia, which is toxic for our body. However, this ammonia can be transferred to a so-called alpha-keto acid, so that glutamine is produced.
Glutamine is able to transport the bound ammonia in the blood to the kidneys, where it can be excreted. It thus serves to balance fluctuations within the acid-base balance of the body and prevents ammonia poisoning of the human body. Furthermore, glutamine is the amino acid that makes up the main part of human muscle protein.
It therefore also serves to build muscle. Furthermore, glutamine serves as a nitrogen donor in a whole series of the body’s own metabolic pathways. Glutamine can also be used to produce energy, but the body no longer has carbohydrates available for metabolism.
Side effects of glutamine
Glutamine has hardly any side effects when taken normally and for this reason is also used in medicine to strengthen the immune system in patients.Side effects occur in most cases when an overdose has taken place. Usually the body reacts to an overdose and tries to excrete the excess amount of glutamine directly. If this does not succeed, side effects such as diarrhea or a slight tingling sensation on the skin may occur.
People who suffer from epilepsy may experience an aggravation by taking glutamine. Therefore, one should always consult a doctor before taking dietary supplements such as glutamine. The so-called Chinese restaurant syndrome is a known side effect of glutamate (glutamic acid).
This syndrome can occur after eating foods containing L-monosodium glutamate. It is a flavor enhancer that is used especially in Chinese cuisine. The person reacts with a feeling of heat and/or tightness, combined with a tingling sensation in the throat area.
Headaches and stomach aches combined with nausea are also among the side effects caused by glutamine supplementation. Intensive training situations promote muscle building, the so-called anabolic process. At the same time, intensive training also stimulates a catabolic process (see function glutamine).
Consequently, an increase in muscle mass can only occur if the protein biosynthesis as anabolic process exceeds the muscle breakdown (= catabolic process). Since scientific studies prove that glutamine increases protein biosynthesis and – as already described – can counteract catabolic processes, glutamine plays a major role, especially in muscle building. Glutamine promotes muscle growth by storing water in the muscle cells.
An anabolic effect is caused by the increase in cell volume. The facts described above lead to the conclusion that supplementation with glutamate would be useful in any case during intensive training. It seems problematic, however, that different studies that have been carried out in this regard have sometimes shown different results. Although the effects of glutamine on anabolism are considered to be certain, it is questionable whether supplementation for the purpose of muscle building can achieve the same effectiveness as the body’s own glutamine.
