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Glutamine is an important amino acid with many functions in the body, considered a building block of protein, as well as a critical element of our immune system.
Kaged Muscle claims that their vegan-friendly L-Glutamine supplement has an effect on muscle gain and exercise performance, but since we’re quite skeptical, we decided to have a hard look at the evidence.
In this article, we will determine whether Kaged Muscle’s L-glutamine (as well as any other glutamine supplements) is really effective at improving muscle gain and exercise performance.
Main Takeaways
- L-Glutamine may be beneficial for individuals who are glutamine deficient, such as those on a vegan or vegetarian diet that is low in dairy. For most people who consume sufficient protein through meat and eggs, there isn’t a significant added benefit to taking this supplement for muscle gain.
- There’s some evidence suggesting that L-Glutamine may help in endurance exercises lasting more than one hour by preventing the depletion of glutamine and reducing markers of fatigue. This makes it potentially useful for endurance athletes, though the studies supporting this are not conclusive.
- Priced at $0.25 per serving or lower with a subscription, it is affordably priced. However, its utility is narrow, potentially benefiting those with glutamine deficiency or engaging in long-duration cardiovascular exercises.
Kaged Muscle L-Glutamine Overview
Kaged Muscle’s formula contains 5 grams of fermented L-Glutamine, which is slightly different from regular glutamine as it is an easier form of glutamine for your body to absorb.
However, according to much of the evidence we’ve encountered, L-Glutamine doesn’t seem to be particularly beneficial for the body as a supplement unless you’re glutamine deficient. This means it could potentially be helpful for those (like us) who have a vegan diet or a vegetarian diet that is low in dairy.
The reason being is that glutamine is mostly available in meats and eggs, as well as whey and casein, which are proteins found in dairy-based products. Vegans, in particular, do not eat any animal products, so it’s possible that taking an L-Glutamine supplement could exert some benefits.
For someone (an omnivore athlete, say) who consumes a lot of meat and egg protein on a day-to-day basis, it’s unlikely for him or her to have a lack of glutamine in his or her diet. Therefore, the utility of a glutamine supplement for healthy people is questionable.
So, Is Glutamine Really Necessary?
As we’ve briefly mentioned, Kaged Muscle (as well as other supplement companies) claims that L-Glutamine can improve muscle gain, but the truth is that such an effect doesn’t occur in healthy individuals. 1
However, it seems to work for individuals suffering from physical trauma, namely burns or muscular wounds (knife wounds), and disease states where muscle wasting occurs (AIDS).
As far as physical performance goes, glutamine doesn’t do anything for power output, in fact, a study conducted with healthy weightlifters didn’t see any positive results compared to a placebo. 2 Even higher doses of glutamine in an otherwise active population didn’t do anything. 3
However, it does seem to increase performance in longer-duration cardiovascular exercise. 4 Apparently, glutamine depletion occurs in exercise that lasts more than one hour, so taking glutamine essentially prevents depletion from occurring. So rather than increasing performance, glutamine “preserves” it.
Additionally, a different study found that glutamine or glutamine plus carbohydrates can help reduce a blood marker (ammonia) of fatigue during two hours of running. 5
So, with that being said, it’s possible that glutamine could have an effect on performance for endurance exercise, but we also have to keep in mind that these studies are not conclusive as they’re relatively small and older.
How Much Does Kaged Muscle’s L-Glutamine Cost?
One canister of L-Glutamine costs $24.99 per 100 servings, which is essentially equivalent to $0.25 per serving, making it affordable when compared to other formulas.
You can make it even more affordable by acquiring their recurring subscription service, which would bring the price down to $0.23 per serving.
If you’re interested in purchasing Kaged Muscle’s L-Glutamine supplement, feel free to do so through its official website or iHerb.
Is Kaged Muscle’s L-Glutamine Worth It?
Frankly, if you’re a healthy individual who consumes a sufficient level of protein (to the point where you’re not deficient in glutamine), then you have no need to increase your glutamine intake.
Although there is evidence that glutamine may prevent your glutamine and ammonia storage from getting depleted to the point where you’re extremely fatigued, it’s not sufficient for us to confidently say that glutamine is helpful in terms of maintaining or increasing performance throughout longer workouts.
If you’d like to take a supplement that actually helps with performance in the gym (in terms of power output and fatigue), as well as muscle gain, then we recommend looking at the following supplements:
These are more or less proven to help in those areas, especially if you choose the supplement with the right ingredients and respective dosages.
Unfortunately, we don’t think that glutamine supplements will be helpful for muscle gain or performance unless you’re impaired by a health condition or age. So, keep this in mind when weighing your options.
Editor’s note: The content on this website is meant to be informative, but it should not be taken as medical advice. The content of our articles is not intended for use in the diagnosis, prevention, and/or treatment of health problems. It’s always best to speak with your doctor or a certified medical professional before making any changes to your lifestyle, diet, exercise routine, or trying a new supplement.
References:
1. Candow DG, Chilibeck PD, Burke DG, Davison KS, Smith-Palmer T. Effect of glutamine supplementation combined with resistance training in young adults. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2001 Dec.
2. Antonio J, Sanders MS, Kalman D, Woodgate D, Street C. The effects of high-dose glutamine ingestion on weightlifting performance. J Strength Cond Res. 2002 Feb.
3. Antonio J, Sanders MS, Kalman D, Woodgate D, Street C. The effects of high-dose glutamine ingestion on weightlifting performance. J Strength Cond Res. 2002 Feb.
4. Coqueiro AY, Rogero MM, Tirapegui J. Glutamine as an Anti-Fatigue Amino Acid in Sports Nutrition. Nutrients. 2019;11(4):863. Published 2019 Apr 17.
5. Carvalho-Peixoto J, Alves RC, Cameron LC. Glutamine and carbohydrate supplements reduce ammonemia increase during endurance field exercise. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab. 2007 Dec.
