I want to note that the one possible justification for using glutamine is referenced in this article, however they do note that "
glutamine concentration falls after an acute bout of prolonged exercise,
but not after short-term high intensity exercise" meaning not after lifting--however in states of overtraining where there are repeated bouts of short-term high intensity exercise with insufficient rest, glutamine levels may also fall:
"After
prolonged exercise, the plasma concentration of glutamine has been reported to fall by about 20% and may remain depressed for some time (Parry Billings et al., 1992; Walsh et al., 1998a). Normal levels of plasma glutamine (about 600 mM) appear to be required for optimal functioning of some leukocytes including lymphocytes and macrophages. These changes during early recovery from exercise would appear to weaken the potential immune response to pathogens and have been suggested to provide an "open window" for infection representing the most vulnerable time period for an athlete in terms of their susceptibility to contracting an infection (Pedersen and Bruunsgaard, 1995). Certainly, at this time, there does seem to be a temporary reduction in several aspects of immune function and athletes should be encouraged to adopt practices to minimise the risk of contracting an infection."
"When exercise is repeated frequently there may not be sufficient time for the immune system to recover fully. Furthermore, plasma glutamine levels can change substantially after exercise and may become chronically depressed after repeated bouts of prolonged strenuous training (Parry Billings et al., 1992; Walsh et al., 1998a)."
"Plasma glutamine The concentration of plasma glutamine has been suggested as a possible indicator of excessive training stress (Rowbottom et al., 1996). Abnormally low levels of plasma glutamine are commonly reported in overtrained athletes, although not all studies have found a fall during periods of increased training and overtraining (for a recent review see Walsh et al., 1998a).
The plasma glutamine concentration falls after an acute bout of prolonged exercise,
but not after short-term high intensity exercise. Falls in glutamine can also occur after physical trauma, burns, inflammation and infection. The plasma glutamine concentration increases temporarily after consumption of a meal containing protein but falls by about 25% after several days on a low carbohydrate diet (Greenhaff et al., 1988). "
<message edited by danmirage on Monday, January 29, 2007 7:31 AM>