LONG-TERM GLUTAMINE SUPPLEMENTATION IN
ELITE GYMNASTS
ANCA MIRELA IONESCU1*, MARIA MIRELA VASILESCU2, ADELA
CARMOCI1, ADRIANA SARAH NICA1, SEBASTIAN IONESCU3
1Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine,
University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Carol Davila”, Bucharest
2Kinetotherapy and Sports Medicine Department, Faculty of Physical
Education and Sports, University of Craiova, Craiova
3Marie Curie Emergency Hospital, Bucharest
* corresponding author: anca_mirela_ionescu@yahoo.com
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Abstract:

This study investigates the potential benefits of high-glutamine daily
supplementation with 1.0g·kg-1 during 90 days of strenuous training and sport performance. Thirty top female aerobic gymnasts took part in this study, randomly assigned to either the glutamine supplementation (GS group; n=15) or a placebo group (P group; n=15). Both groups had the same program of strenuous training and a controlled food intake. Physical,
biochemical and hormonal evaluation included aerobic (maximal oxygen uptake) and anaerobic (total work performed) effort capacity testing, creatine kinase and growth hormone plasma levels measurement. At the end of the study, significant increases in maximal oxygen uptake and growth hormone level and decreases of creatine kinase were observed in the GS group (p < 0.05), suggesting a better oxidative metabolic activity of the
skeletal muscles cells during training. Anaerobic capacity did not change significantly between the two groups. In conclusion, supplementing the diet of top female aerobic gymnasts with high-glutamine wheat protein isolate improved significantly their aerobic performance with less muscle damage during training and a better post exercise recovery.

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