Abstract
Scientific evidence supports the role of L-glutamine in improving immune function. This could suggest a possible role of L-glutamine in recovery after intense exercise. To this end, the present report aimed to study if oral L-glutamine supplementation could attenuate muscle damage in a group of players of a mainly eccentric sport discipline such as basketball. Participants (n = 12) were supplemented with 6 g/day of glutamine (G group) or placebo (P group) for 40 days in a crossover study design (20 days with glutamine + 20 days with placebo and vice versa). Blood samples were obtained at the beginning and at the end of each period and markers from exercise-induced muscle damage were determined. The glutamine supplemented group displayed significantly low values of aspartate transaminase, creatine kinase and myoglobin in blood, suggesting less muscle damage compared to the placebo. In addition, adrenocorticotropic hormone levels were lower in the glutamine supplemented group than in the placebo. As a result, the circulating cortisol levels did not increase at the end of the study in the glutamine supplemented group. Altogether, the results indicate that glutamine could help attenuate exercise-induced muscle damage in sport disciplines with predominantly eccentric actions.
Highlights
IntroductionThe muscles develop fatigue and weakness throughout a limited period of time
During intense exercise, the muscles develop fatigue and weakness throughout a limited period of time
Sustained and intense exercise results in muscle damage altering muscle integrity and favouring the release of muscle proteins leading to cell swelling
Summary
The muscles develop fatigue and weakness throughout a limited period of time. The process is exacerbated in the case of subjects that do not exercise regularly, as well as during very intense exercise bouts. In these particular cases, muscle damage may take days to recover. Muscle damage may take days to recover This type of muscle damage is commonly known as “exercise-induced muscle damage” (EIMD) and occurs very often when performing exercises with predominantly eccentric actions [1,2]. Glutamine normal plasma levels are 500–750 μmol/L [3]. This amino acid is synthesized by the skeletal muscle and other tissues after transamination from branched chain amino acids
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