Glutamine supplementation can reduce some atherosclerosis markers after exhaustive exercise in young healthy males

• Published in: Nutrition (Burbank, Los Angeles County, Calif.) Los Angeles County, Calif.), 2022-02, Vol.94, p.111506-111506, Article 111506
• Main Authors: Alipanah-Moghadam, Reza, Molazadeh, Leila, Jafari-Suha, Zeinab, Naghizadeh-Baghi, Abbas, Mohajeri, Mahsa, Nemati, Ali
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adiponectin; Antioxidants; Arteriosclerosis; Atherosclerosis; Atherosclerosis - prevention & control; Athletes; Biomarkers; Body mass index; Body weight; Cancer; Cardiovascular disease; Cholesterol; Cooperation; Dehydrogenases; Density; Dietary Supplements; Exercise; Exhaustive exercise; Fitness equipment; Glutamine; Glutamine supplementation; High density lipoprotein; Humans; Interleukin 6; Intervention; Leptin; Lipoproteins; Male; Males; Oxidation; Oxidative stress; Physical exercise; Physical fitness; Serum levels; Sugar; Supplements; Tumor necrosis factor-TNF
• ISSN: 0899-9007; 1873-1244
• DOI: 10.1016/j.nut.2021.111506

•Oxidative stress is an important risk factor for chronic diseases such as cancer.•Antioxidants in foods can eliminate free radicals and reduce levels of oxidative stress.•Glutamine is an antioxidant that helps reduce postexercise oxidative stress in male athletes. Glutamine can be beneficial to athletes for its antiinflammatory and antioxidant effects. The present study was designed to investigate the effect of glutamine supplementation on some atherosclerosis markers after exhaustive exercise in young healthy males. In an intervention study, 30 healthy males (case = 15 and control = 15) were randomly assigned into two groups. For 14 d, the intervention group received 0.3 g of glutamine per kilogram of body weight per day, with 25 g of sugar in 250 mL of water, and the control group received 25 g of sugar per 250 mL of water. At the end of the intervention, the participants completed one session of exhaustive exercise, and then fasting blood samples were taken to test serum levels of atherosclerosis markers. In the intervention group, the serum levels of leptin, cholesterol, and oxidized low-density lipoprotein were lower than in the control group after 2 wk of glutamine supplementation (P < 0.05). Interleukin-6 serum levels were lower in the intervention group compared to the control group after supplementation, but not significantly. Serum levels of leptin, interleukin-6, cholesterol, and oxidized low-density lipoprotein, as well as the ratio of oxidized low-density lipoprotein to high-density lipoprotein, were significantly decreased in the intervention group compared to the control group after exhaustive exercise (P < 0.05). Glutamine supplementation has beneficial effects for athletes, particularly those doing strenuous physical exercise, through reducing atherosclerosis-related biomarkers and elevating serum adiponectin levels, and it can potentially play a role in decreasing the initiation and progression of atherosclerosis.