A lot of people rag on glutamine here and say that it is not even absorbed by the body..



Glutamine supplementation increases postprandial energy expenditure and fat oxidation in humans.

Iwashi ta S, Mikus C, Baier S, Flakoll PJ.

Center for Designing Foods to Improve Nutrition, Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA.

BACKGROUND: Glutamine interacts with insulin-mediated glucose disposal, which is a component of the increase in energy expenditure (EE) after a meal. The study aim was to examine if glutamine supplementation alters postmeal nutrient oxidation.


METHODS: Ten healthy young adults consumed a mixed meal (6.5 kcal/kg, 14%:22%:64% = protein:fat:carbohydrate) containing either glutamine (GLN:1.05 kcal/kg) or an isocaloric amino acid mixture (alanine: glycine:serine = 2:1:0.5; CON). GLN and CON treatments were administered on separate days in random order for each subject. EE, nonprotein respiratory quotient (RQ), and fat and carbohydrate oxidation rates were assessed using indirect calorimetry for 30 minutes before and for 360 minutes after meal ingestion.

RESULTS: Premeal EE and RQ were similar between treatments. The increase in EE above basal during both early (0-180 minutes) and late (180-360 minutes) postmeal phases was greater in GLN than in CON (p < .05), resulting in postmeal EE being 49% greater during the total postmeal phase (p < .05). Net change of carbohydrate oxidation was 38% higher during the early phase with GLN (p < .05), whereas it was 71% lower during the later phase (p < .05). GLN enhanced fat oxidation by approximately 42 kcal compared with CON during the late phase (p < .05).

CONCLUSIONS: Glutamine supplementation with a mixed meal alters nutrient metabolism to increase postmeal EE by increasing carbohydrate oxidation during the early postmeal phase and fat oxidation during the late postmeal phase.

Consideration must be given to the potential that these postprandial changes in EE are related to glutamine-mediated changes in insulin action and consequently glucose disposal.

PMID: 16517950 [PubMed - in process]

Eh...I'm still not impressed. Please post more studies about the effectiveness of glutamine. I have a hard time believing you'll find many...if really any.

I believe glutamine is good for immune function but that's about it. Glutamine is pretty expensive for the cost and you could spend your money better else where.

I can't even understand the amount of glutamine given to each study participant.

Interesting, but I'm not about to say Glutamine will help...and that's based off my own heavy use of it several years ago...made no difference when I started taking it, increased taking it, and eventually stopped it 6 months later.

were you tracking your BF levels regularly during that time Malkore?
This study concludes that glutamine increases fat burning capabilities, it also aids in the utilization of nutrients.

Either way.. I am not peddling the stuff. I just dont get why so many people say it does nothing at all.

I didn't say it didn't do anything; I said it was great for immune function and specifically if you have ulcers or digestive problems. I have seen some studies floating around that endurance athletes benefited but it was the benefit of their immune system.

It's kinda' the thing with chromium and L-carnatine...heavily touted for fat loss...great for blood sugar stabalization and cardiovascular health but not really for fat loss.

Fair enough Evo.. I wasnt actually saying that YOU had said it did nothing. I have read many people say it has been "disproven" before.. I was referring to them.

It's cool. I try to be objective about most things. Working with supplements you get kinda' critical about things but I believe with most things-there is a place for them.

http://www.fitness.com/forum/showpos...14&postcount=3
http://www.fitness.com/forum/showpos...80&postcount=7
http://www.fitness.com/forum/showpos...32&postcount=6
http://www.fitness.com/forum/showpos...9&postcount=11
http://www.fitness.com/forum/showpos...4&postcount=15

I usually try to say 'just skip it, not worth your time'...but I can see how that comes across as 'this doesn't do anything useful'