Thursday, December 13, 2007

Is glutamine really necessary for muscle growth?

Is glutamine really necessary for muscle growth?
Have you spent much time in a Health Food store browsing
through all of the muscle building supplements? If you
have, you may have been overwhelmed by all the different
types of supplements and all the brand names which claim to
work wonders for your muscle gaining efforts. One
supplement in particular which has received much publicity
is glutamine. Spend some time in the gym listening to the
weightlifters and bodybuilders chat about their favorite
techniques and supplements, and sooner or later you'll hear
someone mention glutamine. You may be told that this
supplement is extremely helpful in growing your muscles,
and you may even be told that it is essential for any
muscle building at all. Do you really need glutamine
supplements for your body building program?

Glutamine is the most abundant amino acid in the body.
(Amino acids are the building blocks of protein.) That much
is true. But what about actual supplementation? You must
understand that one of the major reasons that glutamine is
recommended is that it was shown to be helpful in trauma
cases. Studies have shown that muscle loss can be reduced
in patients with severe trauma such as in the case of burn
victims or AIDS patients. The problem is that this kind of
stress cannot be automatically compared to the kind of
stress your body undergoes during exercise. While there
may be certain situations in which such a supplement would
be helpful, glutamine supplementation is probably not
necessary in the majority of cases. You have to remember
that much of the hype that surrounds this product and
others like it comes from the supplement companies
themselves. Always remember to stick with the essentials
of progressive resistance training and increasing your
calories, however popular a bodybuilding supplement may be.

Why do bodybuilding supplements like glutamine sell so
well? They do well simply because so many bodybuilders are
looking for the magic pill that will instantly deliver
incredible results. Unfortunately, so many people in our
society have become accustomed to looking for shortcuts and
short term gratification. It's particularly sad when you
consider that learning how to gain weight naturally is not
as difficult as it may seem. The real magic pill is
combining the right knowledge (weight gain diet plus proper
workout routines) with determination. The beginner must
understand that weight gain, like most worthwhile goals,
requires diligence over the long term.

If this is a little discouraging for you, consider the
following. Remember that most great things in life are not
achieved with one amazing act. Rather, it is a series of
small choices carried out on a daily basis that will
determine our ultimate success or failure in life. A half
hour workout a few times a week for several months will
accomplish what one five hour workout cannot. Whatever you
choose, keep the long term in mind and rest assured that
living your dreams tomorrow, in both bodybuilding and
beyond, are well worth the price you pay today.


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