If you work out, odds are you've heard about glutamine supplements more times than you can shake a stick at. You've been told glutamine works and is safe, and you've even wondered if supplements help recovery after exercise. I noticed they even charge you extra for a scoop of this stuff at your health club juice bar! If you have heard me teach about supplements, you know passionate and animated I get when it comes to this amino because I know what you are not being told. There are facts about glutamine they don't want you to know. This is what I call the “dirty little secret.” Keep reading and you too will soon know this secret. Then I want you to wonder why all the other so-called “experts” keep hyping this stuff up.
What Is Glutamine?
Glutamine is an amino acid. It's actually the most plentiful amino acid in the human body. Proteins are made of amino acids. Amino acids in turn can be divided into:
1. Essential amino acids
We cannot make and must get from the diet. It is essential that we consume them.
2. Non-essential amino acids
We can make these. Its not essential that we consume these because we can make them.
Glutamine is a non-essential amino acid. We make this amino every day. If you were stranded on a desert island, this would be the last thing on your mind needed to help you survive.
Conditionally Essential Amino Acids
In the world of sports nutrition, glutamine is also called a Conditionally Essential amino acid. By conditionally, we mean that, under some conditions, our ability to make this amino acid may not be enough to suit our needs. When this happens, it temporarily becomes an essential amino acid. Another phrase that means the same thing is “semi-essential.”
It's this part about glutamine being conditionally essential that has people buzzing about this amino acid. The claims for these types of supplements are numerous but the most prevalent claim is that glutamine helps you recover faster from exercise and improve your exercise performance.
Conditionally Essential Amino Acids
According to the NSCA's Guide To Exercise and Sport Nutrition, these are the conditionally essential amino acids
| Glutamine | Arginine | Cysteine |
| Histidine | Prolline | Taurine |
| Tyrosine |
Remember, these are the amino acids that are usually not essential. It's only under certain circumstances (conditions) that our ability to make them is not enough to suit our needs. That is, they temporarily become essential when supplementation may be needed.
Glutamine Research
So when does it become conditionally essential? In other words, when might taking this as a supplement make sense?
The interest in glutamine helping people recover faster is based on clinical research. But fitness websites or magazines never tell us who the research is conducted on.
The majority of glutamine research involves sick people who have severe burns or serious illnesses like cancer or HIV. These are severe stresses on the body. In these cases, some research finds glutamine might help.
When this amino acid is given to sick people, their immune systems improve, they sometimes gain weight and recover faster after surgery. Because glutamine appears to work on these individuals, those in the supplement business started to market it to people who exercise – because exercise is stress too.
Another thing the ads don't say is sometimes the glutamine is injected although taking it orally probably will raise levels in the blood too. Taking it through an IV though will raise blood levels even more.
So, what about exercise? Does glutamine help exercise? There is some research noting glutamine might help immune systems function better. This might reduce over-training syndrome.
Many people who use glutamine supplements are bodybuilders or those who want to get stronger or recover from exercise faster.
Does glutamine help them?
Glutamine Exercise Research
Let's look at the human research on glutamine supplementation as it relates to exercise. If we know what the exercise research says, we can get a better idea of whether glutamine is right for us. Where possible I'll pick only research that involves healthy people and research that only used glutamine. I'll also try to show you how much glutamine was used also.
A 2015 study titled The Influence of Oral L-Glutamine Supplementation on Muscle Strength Recovery and Soreness Following Unilateral Knee Extension Eccentric Exercise, noted that glutamine (0.3 g/kilogram of body weight per day) reduced muscle soreness (DOMS) after eccentric exercise (8 sets of “negatives”) as well as improved recovery of peak torque during leg extensions compared to placebo. The study involved 16 healthy college-age individuals. The effects of glutamine appeared to be greater in men than women.
There are 2.2 pounds in a kilogram. So, if you want to know how much this is for you, divide your body weight in pounds by 2.2 and multiply this amount by 0.3. For example, a 180 pound person (180/2.2=81.8 kg), it would be 81.8 X 0.3 = 24.5 grams of glutamine.
In a 2015 study titled Is Long Term Creatine and Glutamine Supplementation Effective in Enhancing Physical Performance of Military Police Officers? researchers found no exercise improvement of either creatine or glutamine (0.03 grams/kilogram of body weight) in 32 military police officers.
A 2015 study titled Glutamine supplementation and immune function during heavy load training noted that 10 grams of glutamine improved immune function compared to a placebo in 24 athletes who were subjected to heavy load training for 6 weeks. While I can't tell what “heavy load training” refers to, I believe it's strength training with heavy resistance (loads).
In a 2015 study titled Effects of l-Alanyl-l-Glutamine Ingestion on One-Hour Run Performance, 12 endurance-trained men were given both 300 mg and 1000 mg of glutamine, mixed in a sports drink. Both of these drinks improved running time to exhaustion more than when the men received no hydration.
The amino acid was shown to improve time to exhaustion by 12.7% compared to when the men received only the sports drink. But, this difference was not statistically significant.
I do feel a 12.7% improvement would be “significant” to most runners, although from a statistics point of view, it was not deemed much better than just taking the placebo. This study was derived from a 2014 PhD dissertation.
In a 2015 review of research titled Glutamine as an aid in the recovery of muscle strength: Systematic review of literature, noted more research was needed in that they only found 6 appropriate/good investigations. In other words, they left out the flawed studies. What studies they found noted no significant differences -from the placebo group – in terms of recovery of strength following exercise.
In a 2003 study titled Effects of effervescent creatine, ribose, and glutamine supplementation on muscular strength, muscular endurance, and body composition, researchers noted that an 8-week strength training program combined a supplement containing glutamine, creatine, and ribose did not improve muscle strength, muscle endurance or body composition more than those who received a placebo. In this study, the supplement used contained 0.3 grams of glutamine, 5 grams of creatine and 2 grams of ribose.
One study from the 1990s titled Increased plasma bicarbonate and growth hormone after an oral glutamine load, found that 2 grams increased HGH levels in 8 of 9 healthy volunteers. I'm not aware of any other studies looking at glutamine and HGH levels.
See the SeroVital review for more insights.
Looking at the research, it appears things are not as rosy as some supplement companies would have people believe. If glutamine is going to work, I feel its effects would be most beneficial to highly trained aerobic and strength athletes as opposed to the “regular person” who goes to the gym a couple of times a week for an hour. In those people, I don't think this amino acid needs to be supplemented.
How Much Glutamine Works?
If the above studies are to be taken as “gospel,” then an amount based on body weight might be most appropriate. More than one study above used 0.3 grams per kilogram of body weight or 0.03 grams per kilogram of body weight. How much is that? Remember there are 2.2 pounds in a kilogram. So, if you were 180 pounds (82 kg), the amount would be between 2.4 grams and 24 grams.
On page 140 of the book The Athletes Guide To Sports Supplements, the authors state that 1.5-4.5 grams split into even doses before, during and after workouts are sufficient for improving the immune system and recovery following intense workouts. Unfortunately, no reference to show where this range came from is provided.
The National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA), in their book, the NSCAs Guide To Sport and Exercise Nutrition state “glutamine shows promise though the proper dosage remains unclear.”
Until better studies are done, I honestly don't feel anyone can say how much would be best or even if most people would notice an effect.
What's The Best Glutamine?
There really is no best brand. Research does not distinguish one brand from another as being better. For those brands that say they are “the best,” my advice is to ask the company to provide clinical evidence – involving humans – showing their brand of glutamine is better than others.
For those who want to try this as a supplement, it might be wise to look for a low-cost product from a company you have heard of. In the US, no government agency monitors supplements for quality. So, sticking to a more established company is wise.
Glutamine Side Effects
In healthy people, glutamine supplements are safe. Other than maybe some gastrointestinal issues if you take too much of it, I don't think most people will have an issue with it. Here are a few things to consider when taking this amino acid. This list is not complete:
- Stop taking glutamine at least 2 weeks before having surgery
- Start with less than is recommended for the first week
- Speak to your doctor if you are pregnant or nursing
- Talk to your therapist/pharmacist if you have bipolar disorder
- Speak to your pharmacist if you take any prescription medications
Does Glutamine Work?
This amino acid does have some research noting it might improve exercise performance in some people. But, there is not as much research as some believe. Several studies combine glutamine with other ingredients (creatine, HMB etc.) which also makes it difficult to know which contributed the effects.
So, what's the secret I mentioned in the title of this review? The “secret” is there is less research than most people think and not all of the research shows it works. If glutamine works, its effects might be best noticed in elite athletes (or very sick people) rather than the average person who works out a few times a week.
People are always looking for the next creatine – the next all-star exercise supplement. There are some really good supplements out there, and in its own context, glutamine might even, one day, be a contender for that title. Unfortunately, glutamine is going to have to go a few more rounds before I raise its hand in victory.
Joe,
Really enjoy all of your input. I am a fitness professional with 18 years of experience in the industry. I have utilized and recommended numerous products over the years to my clients who are seeking to optimize their health and physical performance.
I always tell my clients, the BEST way to lose weight, stay lean and achieve optimal performance is via “clean” whole food sources. Dietary supplements are there as an aid and MAY optimize overall health and performance.
Keep the non-biased scientific backed supplement reviews coming, great info in such a confusing and commonly deceptive industry. Best Regards.
Dave W.
Dave W. thanks I appreciate that – and that’s a neat website you have also 🙂
Google: Colker CM (2000). Curr Ther Res 61:19.
Dave, I managed to find the study you were referring to Effects of supplemental protein on body composition and muscular strength in healthy athletic male adults
In the study, 16 young men who were broken up into 2 groups:
40 grams of whey protein plus 5 glutamine and 3 grams BCAA
40 grams of whey protein
Those getting whey + glutamine + BCAA had better exercise performance and body composistion compared to those getting just whey protein
Problems with the study
1. It’s a very small study – only 8 people actually got the glutemine
2. since people got glutamine and BCAA, how do we know it was the glutamine that caused the difference?
3. Body fat was measured with skin fold testing. Id prefer to see hydrostatic weighing or Bod Pod
It’s an interesting study and Id like to see a larger trial to replicate these findings and which took BCAA out of the equation.
Appreciate the heads up. I added this study to my files.
Hey Joe, Is there any evidence that glutamine can clog your arteries or any other negative effects like gluten does? Keith
Keith Ive never heard that glutamine can clog arteries etc. Here is a review article on glutamine might help the heart after severe trauma http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3438763/
Hi – Interesting article and makes sense. I lift 3 days a week and do moderate cardio exercise. I take glutamine as I understood it helps with muscle recovery, while not having some of the more bloated side effects from creatine.
While I cannot comment 100% on that result (I think it helps recover vs no supplement), I did notice better overall health and I felt more rested with it.
Since I was a kid, I have had severe immune deficiency problems. I was interested to read the results in your article regarding immune benefits, and I feel I can reasonably testify that, if for nothing else, glutamine appears to help with immune deficiency.
Brian, great Im glad glutamine is helping you 🙂
Ive been overtraining, to were now I can’t even work out due to fatigue. do u think it be a good idea to try glutamine to help?
Betty, Glutamine won’t hurt you and – maybe – it might help. But if you really are over training you need to cut back on the length AND intensity of your workouts. Cut them back to about 40% of what you normally do. I also want you to read these other 2 posts Ive written for additional information :
http://www.joe-cannon.com/overtraining-syndrome-review-exercise-signs-symptoms/
http://www.joe-cannon.com/rhabdomyolysis-personal-trainers-exercise-review-symptoms-negatives-eccentric-fitness-bootcamp/
Glutamine around 2 to 5 gram dosage taken on empty stomach at bed time will spike growth hormone. I normally take it at bed time and in the morning upon waking up. But I do agree with your study. thanks.
I enjoy persimmons.
Do they have glutamine in them?
I just wanted to give my experience with glutamine. I work out 5x/week and do a variety of aerobic and weight training exercises. I use a level tsp full of glutamine before & after my workouts and notice a tremendous difference in muscle soreness. If I don’t take it and do a hard core workout I definitely suffer the next day. So it has definitely had positive effects for me. Hope this helps!
I heard you on doctor radio the other day and decided to check out your site. I have celiac disease and had a lot of small intestine damage from years of ingesting gluten, that I didn’t even know was a poisonous good to me! Since being diagnosed 18 months ago, I have been strictly gluten free but still have some GI issues.
I read about something called leaky gut in which the damage permeates your intestinal wall and small pieces of food can get in your bloodstream and your body thinks those food are toxins and you become intolerant to those foods, at least until you heal. I read that glutamine can help you heal so have been taking it for a couple months. Do you know much about this? Also, what supplements do you advise for a damaged celiac??? I know probiotics are supposed to be good but don’t take them regularly. Thanks!
Kristi, glad you heard me on Dr. Radio! It was a lot of fun to do. I hope I sounded ok; I didn’t get to hear myself 😉 As for Ciliac damage, I did some checking for you today and didn’t see much in terms of supplements. I did see one study noting that the supplement L Carnitine might help fatigue that’s associated with Celiac. It was a small “pilot study” so it was just a beginner, trial run. Here is the link http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17693145?dopt=Abstract
You might also want to get our vitamin D levels checked as some have noted that this vitamin may be lower in celiac. Here is a study of kids and celiac http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21439004 the same may be true for adults (best to get your D levels checked to be sure). Since vitamin D seems to have some anti-inflammatory properties, this may be an option. Do get your D levels checked. I didn’t mention it on Dr Radio but one study noted that vitamin D might increase inflammation when the vitamin D levels are above 21 ng per ml. Whether or not that might mean it makes celiac worse I just don’t know but its something to consider until other research confirms/denies it.
As for your question about glutamine and celiac, I’m honestly not sure if you need it or not. As I’ve pointed out on this site, that a lot of the research for glutamine helping people involves injected glutamine. I did some digging into this topic of glutamine and celiac for you today and I didn’t see any studies saying that glutamine supplements helped people with celiac disorder. I did notice some celiac forms where people said glutamine supplements made them feel worse. Have you asked a doctor about this? Have you ever asked registered dietitian who specialize in Celiac disorder about this? They may have a better answer for you than I do. The website to find an RD in your area is EatRight.org – you can enter your zip code and they will show you the RDs in your area and you can contact them and ask this question.
If you do find an answer to this, please let me know.
I’m gluten intolerant. My gut was destroyed. Glutamine 500 mg 3 x day has healed me tremendously. I had my first normal bm within 2 days of starting it and every morning since. Before it was alternating diarhea/constipation. Now I think I might actually be absorbing nutrients for my healthy diet and supplements. Hope it works for others.
Lisa, really happy glutamine has helped you!
Glutamine is definitely used by many people with Bowel Issues like UC and Crohn’s and is very helpful in healing the colon.Join UC/Crohn’s support groups for more info.
Pramod, thanks for the feedback.
I don’t claim to be a professional athlete but I am in the military and my job requires I stay in shape. In the last year I have begun cycling 2-5 times a week (depending on my work schedule). Most of my rides are 30-60 miles and I have done several centuries with a lot of climbing. I can say that I have noticed a big difference the following day with muscle soreness and stiffness when I forget to take my Recoverite by Hammer which has Glutamine and of course several other ingredients. While not scientific, it never fails that when I forget to take it I regret it.
Thanks for your work and your website, I just found it today and there is a lot of good info. Have you looked a shark cartilage in the pill form? I have used it in the past instead of motrin for joint pain and it seems to work.
Hey Bill, glad you found my website! I think for what you are doing that glutamine makes sense. While I have not seen any data on glutamine and muscle soreness, there is research on it helping aerobic exercise performance during long duration exercise events, such as what you are doing. I also would classify you as an “athlete” since you are in the military. regardless of biking 30-60 miles, I don’t think most people realize what it takes to do what you do and you have my thanks!
One thing I can definitely say is glutamine helps keep your blood sugar level and reduces carb and sugar cravings. I started taking it years ago after reading Dr Perricone’s anti-inflammatory book and it has really helped me.
Debra, thats very interesting. Glutamine certainly does a lot of different things – probably the reason why we make it. I did a little digging into glutamine and blood sugar and while I did not find much I did locate a pilot study (“baby study”) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2928340/?tool=pubmed These researchers didn’t find that it helped blood sugar but its just a starter study. I will keep my eyes open for other studies on glutamine and carb cravings/ blood sugar
Good article Joe. I completely agree with what you have to say. I train pretty aggressively in the gym and for sport, run two companies, have a wife and two kids. My training and lifestyle pushes me to the limit of being healthy/sick. I take glutamine to support my immune system which I believe evidence supports. The problem with supplement companies is that they don’t market this product in this way. They are targeting the boof head gym rats who really don’t know what they are doing who just want to get big and will take absolutely anything you tell them will put on size at a ridiculous price. We need to remember most supplement companies want to make an extra dollar and really don’t give a toss about the athlete.
Aaron thanks for your words and yes I know thats what they do. Its capitalism. Its not the type of capitalism I agree with. That’s why people have to be educated consumers. For what you do every day, I’d say glutamine was a safe bet.
Linda thanks for the feedback. When it comes to figure competitions, bodybuilding etc, in theory there may be something to glutamine. Because in fitness competitions, victory can come down to the subjective view of some “judge”, I would never say “you dont need glutamine” because its such a strenuous event and it might make the difference.
In theory it does make some sense for athletes and low glutamine levels have been observed in those who have over training syndrome. You bring up an interesting point about lupus. Since its an autoimmune disorder and since glutamine impacts the immune system I would be interested in seeing glutamine levels in people who have lupus.
I wrote my glutamine review out of utter frustration with all those “experts” who dont have the guts (or knowledge) to share the truth about the glutamine research. I dont think I’ve ever been to a website that told the honest truth.
I wanted people to know both sides of the glutamine story.
Sir, I have Spine Damage, which I believe (and my doctors don’t wish to confirm) has caused my ‘Idiopathic Peripheral Neuropathy’, I also have developed several other immune deficiency diseases; and no one can tell me whether they are related to my nerve disorder.
Last month, I started taking l-Glutamine supplementation ( a teaspoon, twice a day). And, I have been trying to learn more about it.
Will it help my digestion? I am never hungry, and when I do eat, I have no sense of having done so. I don’t always realize if I’m full, and food has a tendency to just sit in my stomach (medically tested and proven) since I became injured.
How is it manufactured? How is the powder made? Where does a factory/manufacturer get their source materials?
I realize that these are silly little questions, but I am curious.
Thank you for reading this; and in advance of any response.
Have a great day.
David
I would also like to figure out how much I should be taking on a daily basis. And for how long.
I cant say. Why don’t you reevaluate things after you have another blood test to see if anything has changed or if you are feeling better.
Hi David, no questions are silly! I’m not aware of any research on glutamine helping digestion or idiopathic peripheral neropathy. If it helps you let me know. Theoretically glutamine might help your immune system. You might notice a difference
While I cant say the exact way the powder is made, but Ive heard sometimes special bacteria are used. I’m sure the company that makes the product you are using, can tell you. Im sure the source materials are obtained through different companies. Again the company who makes your product can answer that question best. Their phone # and/or website should be listed on their label.
I cant say how much you should use for you your conditions. I’m a fan of starting with the least possible for the first week to see how you respond, before increasing to what the maker recommends.
Hi David,
I came across this during my medical research and thought you might be interested reading about the medical perspective upon glutamine which sometimes is taken out of context for application upon bodybuilding.
And Joe I would like to say good job on your article. It is refreshing to actually see someone use research properly to form arguments and telling the whole truth.
https://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/supplement/glutamine
Karen, thanks so nice for your very kind words 🙂
Hi Joe: Very good article. I took Glutamine while training for my figure competition. It could have been the vitamins, and other natural supplements that I took while training, but personally, I think Glutamine really helped with my energy and just overall well being. It could have been because I have Lupus, and during my training for my show, taking the supplements that I did…I never felt better and Glutamine was one of them. So I’m not disputing your article at all. I think Glutamine helped me because my immune system is shot…having Lupus…and could have similar effects as if it was Cancer or HIV.
Daniel,
for people who really do push themselves as hard as you do, I don’t have a problem with glutamine supplements because they are pretty cheap (as you said) and because there is some glutamine research on hard core athletes (primarily aerobic athletes). I wanted people to know the facts about glutamine because I rarely anyone telling people who the glutamine research was done on. When people know the real facts about glutamine then they can make a more informed decision. And that’s the important thing.
On glutamine supplementation-
It’s no secret that when we push ourselves through rigorous workouts, specifically resistance training, we put our bodies in a weakened state, repeatedly, and cyclically. So to be able to add something supplementally that can help to bolster an otherwise compromised immune system, would be an easy choice to make.
This very notion of immuno-boosting is enough to make you want to at least try glutamine. My current training cycle is now about a year old; I started supplementing in the second month. I don’t know if I can say that it helps me recuperate faster, but I don’t tend to feel worn down for the day after working out. In fact, quite the opposite; I normally feel amazingly fresh and “electric”. And I know that I haven’t had even one inkling of a cold. I only take it on workout days, before and after at 500mg each. So for a conditionally essential amino acid, I don’t mind spending the $15 or so for the capsules; they seem to have an affect as advertised.
Hello, I have a question about Pyruvate as a weight loss catalyst. Does it promote weight loss?
Hi Johnny. I was one of the first people in America to review the research on pyruvate in the 1990s. I even helped out Dateline NBC with a segment they did on it. There is research on pyruvate but most of it used a lot of pyruvate (more than is in supplements) and was conducted under strict laboratory conditions (not real life). The research is good and shows some weight loss effect may occur but I am skeptical of how much weight people would lose in the “real world”. I tried it myself as an experiment for a month and didn’t lose any weight. I reviewed all of pyruvates claims in my book Nutritional Supplements What Works and Why. I will also be posting a review on pyruvate in the near future.