19) Journal of Exercise Science & Fitness Volume 9, Issue 2, December 2011, Pages 116-122

Glutamine Supplementation in Recovery from Eccentric Exercise Attenuates Strength Loss and Muscle Soreness

Brian Street, Christopher Byrne and Roger Eston^ab

^a

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of glutamine supplementation on indices of recovery following eccentric exercise. In a randomized single-blind placebo-controlled design, 15 physically active males (mean age, 21 ± 1.5 years; mean height, 1.81 ± 0.07 m; mean body mass, 78.4 ± 9.2 kg) were assigned to a control or glutamine intervention group. Each participant performed 100 drop jumps from 0.6m followed by ingestion of 0.3 g · kg⁻¹ body mass of maltodextrin mixed with 750 mL of distilled water and lemon flavoring (Control) or with an additional 0.3 g · kg⁻¹ L-glutamine (Glutamine) at 0, 24, 48, and 72 hours post-exercise. Knee-extensor concentric peak torque at angular velocities of 0.52 and 3.14 rad · s⁻¹, perceived muscle soreness, and plasma creatine kinase activity were measured at 0, 1, 24, 48, 72, and 96 hours post-exercise. L-glutamine supplementation resulted in a greater preservation of peak torque over the 96-hour measurement period at both 0.52 rad · s⁻¹ (Control, 75 ± 16%; Glutamine, 85 ± 15% of pre-exercise values, p = 0.03) and 3.14 rad · s⁻¹ (Control, 79 ± 16%; Glutamine, 90 ± 12%, p = 0.01). Muscle soreness was significantly lower over 96 hours with L-glutamine supplementation (Control, 4.6 ± 2.5 units; Glutamine, 3.6 ± 2.5 units, p = 0.03). L-glutamine supplementation did not affect the magnitude or temporal nature of the creatine kinase response. As a therapeutic intervention, glutamine supplementation was effective in attenuating strength loss and muscle soreness following eccentric exercise-induced muscle damage.