Many people often ask us what supplements they should take to make gains from their training. They are very shocked and look at us weird when we don't recommend the latest pre-workout or some hyped up supplement that is really just creatine or BCAA's. In fact, I don't even know what they are talking about when they speak of some of the supplements they are interested in. I know the amino acid I want to take not some commercial brand name of it with a "blend" that supposedly makes it way more effective.
We look to replace nutrients that are deficient and also to help support systems of the body that may not be functioning as well as they should be. In hard training athletes one of the main areas to work on is the gut. Many studies have shown that athletes who train hard tend to have increased intestinal permeability or leaky gut. If you have a leaky gut then you will not be able to absorb all the nutrients you consume from your food or supplements which could then hamper the gains you can make in lean muscle mass for example. It has also been said that you will be weaker because you are unable to create as much intra-abdominal pressure if you suffer from a leaky gut . If you have a "leaky gut" then bacteria can also make its way to the bloodstream. So by supporting the health of the gut an individual can increase their lean mass and strength. To do this we like to use glutamine among many other things and also avoid foods that the individual is sensitive to.
Michael Jurgelewicz, DC, DACBN, DCBCN, CNS has recently reviewed a study where the researchers demonstrated that acute supplementation with glutamine mitigates intestinal permeability in runners.
Glutamine is a relatively cheap amino acid and serves many benefits. It is a supplement that we take on a daily basis for many reasons, to support the health of the gut and quell inflammation, to support the immune system, and also to help replenish glycogen post workout when not consuming carbs. You must buy a quality product though.