Glutamine is a conditionally essential amino acid found in protein and essential for effective muscle growth and immune system support. Glutamine in sufficient quantities circulates in the blood and accumulates in the muscles. Glutamine is the most abundant amino acid in the body, and muscles are made up of 60% of it, which explains its widespread use in bodybuilding and sports nutrition.

The action of glutamine
Glutamine is essential for cell growth and also serves as fuel for the immune system. During a period of intense training or stress, blood levels of glutamine drop, which weakens the immune system and increases the risk of infection. The level of glutamine also drops in the muscles, which leads to the loss of muscle tissue, despite continued training.

Sources of Lutamine
Animal sources: beef, chicken, fish, eggs, dairy products.
Plant sources: cabbage, beets, beans, spinach, parsley. A small amount of free L-glutamine is found in vegetable juices.

How to take glutamine
Recommended doses of glutamine are 4-8 g per day. It is optimal to divide this dose into two doses: immediately after training and before bedtime. After / during training, the supplement quickly saturates the depleted pool, suppresses catabolism and triggers muscle growth. It is recommended to take glutamine before bed because growth hormone is produced at night, and glutamine can enhance this process. On rest days, take at lunch and before bed.
It is better to take glutamine on an empty stomach: half an hour before a meal or cocktail. This time period will be enough for most of the amino acid to be absorbed. It is believed that it is the peak rise in the concentration of amino acids that provokes the maximum release of growth hormone.

The combination of glutamine with sports nutrition
Glutamine combines well with many sports supplements, and the effects are mutually reinforcing. The optimal combination: glutamine + creatine, and then protein. This bundle can include pre-workout complexes, anabolic complexes and other supplements. Do not mix glutamine and protein together as this will slow down the absorption of the former, take them at least 30 minutes apart. Creatine and glutamine can be mixed and taken at the same time.

Side effects
Glutamine is a natural an amino acid that is constantly supplied with food. Glutamine supplementation is not harmful to health, and usually does not cause any side effects. There are reports that indicate the irritating effect of glutamine on the intestines in large doses (more than 15 g). And taking more than 10 g is useless, because. Glutamine in the human body is absorbed only in a certain amount (about 4-8 g), and the excess is excreted from the body.