How much glutamine should I take for weightlifting? | Exercise.com Learn: Your Fitness Business Resource

How much glutamine should I take for weightlifting?

Tyler Spraul is the director of UX and the head trainer for Exercise.com. He has his Bachelor of Science degree in pre-medicine and is an NSCA-certified strength and conditioning specialist. He is a former All-American soccer player and still coaches soccer today. In his free time, he enjoys reading, learning, and living the dad life. He has been featured in Shape, Healthline, HuffPost, Women's...

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UPDATED: Aug 25, 2020

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  • It is recommended that you supplement with 5 to 15 grams of glutamine on a daily basis if you are a weightlifter.
  • One of the benefits of glutamine is that it reduces the soreness that you experience and gets rid of the soreness more quickly than if you didn’t use it.
  • For use while working out, you should take it right before your workout and then some after you work out to help with your recovery.

Glutamine is a popular supplement for athletes and bodybuilders.

The health claims are that it helps to increase the size of your muscles and decrease the amount of body fat.

Although these claims have been questioned, there are many beneficial reasons to take glutamine when you are working out.

It is recommended that you supplement with 5 to 15 grams of glutamine on a daily basis if you are a weightlifter.

Glutamine supplementation is good not only for athletes but also for those who are fighting off illness.

As a non-essential amino acid, glutamine is easy to get in your daily diet. However, if your body is going through extra stress, it is a good idea to add more to your diet.

Any good supplement routine is paired with an exercise routine. Go PRO today for access to certified personal trainers, workout plans, training logs, and more.

Why Does Glutamine Help With Weightlifting?

Most people take glutamine because of the claim that it builds muscle, so it is very popular with those who lift weights. Another valid reason that you should supplement with glutamine is that it helps speed up the recovery of your muscles.

When you lift weights, especially heavy ones, your muscles get sore. One of the benefits of glutamine is that it reduces the soreness that you experience and gets rid of the soreness more quickly than if you didn’t use it.

In order for your muscles to get bigger, they need to recover because it is during the recovery and healing process that your muscles grow. Glutamine helps to enhance your recovery after a workout and helps you recover sooner. This helps speed up the muscle growth process and allows you to get back to the gym sooner and continue to increase your weight.

In What Forms Can I Find Glutamine?

Glutamine is considered a non-essential amino acid. It is referred to as non-essential, not because it isn’t necessary for body functions but because it is naturally made by the body so it isn’t necessary to add to your diet.

If you decide to add more glutamine to your diet, you can find it in food sources and in supplementation form. Food sources of glutamine include yogurt, miso, raw spinach, raw parsley, cabbage, ricotta cheese, cottage cheese, milk, yogurt, beef, pork, and poultry.

Glutamine is also found in most protein powders, protein drinks, and protein shakes. You can also purchase glutamine by itself.

Glutamine is found in powdered form and is usually tasteless. You can add it to your protein shake for even more glutamine, or just add powdered glutamine to water and drink it.

For more information about food sources, you can check out the National Agricultural Library website.

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If I Am Not an Athlete, Should I Still Take Glutamine?

Because glutamine is readily made by the body, it is not necessary to supplement with it. If you are not overly active and are generally healthy, you do not need to take any more glutamine.

If you are dealing with an illness or health issue and want to increase the function of your immune system, glutamine has been shown to improve your immune function. It also helps to improve the health of your intestines.

In those cases, as well as if you are putting your body through more physical stress such as intense workouts or weightlifting, you should supplement with glutamine.

You should always talk with your health care provider about how much you should take (and if you should take it at all), but in general, 5 to 15 grams a day is recommended. If you are fighting off an illness, you may want to take 10 to 15 grams daily. To improve your workout, take 5 grams on the days you do not work out, and 10 to 15 on the days that you do.

When Should I Take Glutamine?

It is a good idea to take glutamine twice a day. For use while working out, you should take it right before your workout and then some after you work out to help with your recovery.

On days that you are not working out, or if you are taking it to help fight off an illness, you should take a glutamine supplement first thing in the morning and then right before you go to bed.

Again, speak with your health care provider before supplementing with glutamine, and report any side effects you may experience.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

– What are the benefits of creatine?

Creatine helps you build muscle. Research has shown that people with more muscle tend to have a higher metabolism, allowing them to use calories from food intake more effectively. In short, when you have more muscle you burn fat easier.

– Do I have to take supplements?

Unless your doctor has instructed you to take certain supplements, you do not have to take them.

– Are supplements safe?

Whether or not dietary supplements are safe to take depends on a number of factors. Learn more about the safety of supplements here.

– What supplements do I need to take?

No one can answer that aside from your doctor. To learn more about the various supplements that doctors commonly recommend, check out this article.

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