How Glutamine Benefits Bodybuilding

There are tons of different substances out there that are all purported to be incredibly useful for bodybuilders. Of these, though, only a few can be backed up by reliable science. The amino acid glutamine, fortunately, is of this rare number. But, what is glutamine? Read on to find out exactly how glutamine benefits bodybuilding. What Is Glutamine? As mentioned, glutamine is an amino acid. Specifically, it's a conditionally essential amino acid – which means that, although your body is capable of creating some you might need supplementation to keep your levels where they need to be. For example, your glutamine levels could drop by as much as half after an intense workout. Like all amino acids used by your body, glutamine plays tons of different roles once it enters your system. Included on the impressive list of glutamine benefits are improvements to everything from your digestion to your immune system. But, we're interested in how glutamine benefits bodybuilding, right? Right. When It Comes to Muscle... As it turns out, glutamine can support muscle growth and fat loss in a variety of ways. First, glutamine is directly connected with protein synthesis – the process by which protein is added to your muscles to build up lean mass. Through this same system, your muscles are protected from being broken down for fuel, which is a real danger during cutting phases. But glutamine also speeds up and improves the recovery processes that your body goes through after an intense workout. And, these processes are exactly what causes your muscles to grow. But they're also what causes soreness and limited range of motion. So, by making this recovery faster and more efficient, you can ensure that your muscles are ready to go the next time you head to the gym. Finally, glutamine can greatly increase your body's production of growth hormone. As it's oh-so-descriptive name suggests, this hormone is directly connected with building new tissue – including muscle. Read More: Does Creatine Work? Is Creatine Safe? Liquid Creatine vs Powdered Creatine