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? The major reason that
glutamine is believed to help muscle is that studies
proved it beneficial in trauma patients. 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. Don't forget that the supplement
companies themselves provide much of the hype
that surrounds these products. 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 because bodybuilders,
like most people, prefer to look for a seemingly
magical product that promises immediate 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 you're feeling discouraged, consider the following.
Most great things in life are not accomplished
with one incredible act. On the contrary, both
our successes and failures in life almost always
come from the accumulation of small choices over
time. You will accomplish more working out a few
times a week than you will in one super long workout.
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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