title: Effect of glutamine supplementation combined with resistance training in young adults.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of oral glutamine supplementation combined with resistance training in young adults. A group of 31 subjects, aged 18-24 years, were randomly allocated to groups (double blind) to receive either glutamine (0.9 g x kg lean tissue mass(-1) x day(-1); n = 17) or a placebo (0.9 g maltodextrin x kg lean tissue mass(-1) x day(-1); n = 14 during 6 weeks of total body resistance training. Exercises were performed for four to five sets of 6-12 repetitions at intensities ranging from 60% to 90% 1 repetition maximum (1 RM). Before and after training, measurements were taken of 1 RM squat and bench press strength, peak knee extension torque (using an isokinetic dynamometer), lean tissue mass (dual energy X-ray absorptiometry) and muscle protein degradation (urinary 3-methylhistidine by high performance liquid chromatography). Repeated measures ANOVA showed that strength, torque, lean tissue mass and 3-methylhistidine increased with training (P < 0.05), with no significant difference between groups. Both groups increased their 1 RM squat by approximately 30% and 1 RM bench press by approximately 14%. The glutamine group showed increases of 6% for knee extension torque, 2% for lean tissue mass and 41% for urinary levels of 3-methylhistidine. The placebo group increased knee extension torque by 5%, lean tissue mass by 1.7% and 3-methylhistidine by 56%. We conclude that glutamine supplementation during resistance training has no significant effect on muscle performance, body composition or muscle protein degradation in young healthy adults.
authors.affiliation: College of Kinesiology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada.
authors.forename: D G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Candow
authors.forename: P D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Chilibeck
authors.forename: D G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Burke
authors.forename: K S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Davison
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Smith-Palmer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005973:Glutamine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D007717:Knee / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008762:Methylhistidines / Q000652:urine; D009124:Muscle Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D010806:Physical Education and Training; D013851:Thinness; D013997:Time Factors; D019415:Torque; D014891:Weight Lifting / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D008762:Methylhistidines; D009124:Muscle Proteins; D005973:Glutamine; C028118:3-methylhistidine