The Effects of Acute Oral Glutamine Supplementation on Gastrointestinal Permeability and Heat Shock Protein Regulation in Peripheral
Blood Mononuclear Cells of Endurance Runners
Micah Zuhl MSSE May 2014 - Volume 46 - Supplement 1 5S p77
Glutamine is the most abundant amino acid in the body and a known inducer of heat shock protein 70 (HSP70). Recently, we have shown that seven days of glutamine supplementation lowers exercise induced GI permeability possibly through activation of HSP70 and suppression of NFƆB inflammatory pathway in response to vigorous exercise. Whether or not an acute glutamine dosage up-regulates HSP70 and attenuates the inflammatory response to exercise is not known.
PURPOSE: Test if an acute dose of oral glutamine reduces exercise GI permeability through activation of the heat shock response leading to inhibition of pro-inflammatory markers.
METHODS: Trained runners (N=7) completed baseline and exercise intestinal permeability tests. Exercise included two 60-min treadmill runs at 70% of VO 2max in a 30°C room after ingestion of glutamine (.9g/kg FFM) (GLN) or placebo (PLA). Plasma levels of endotoxin and TNF™, along with PBMC protein expression of HSP70 and IƆB were measured pre, post, 2, & 4 h post-exercise.
RESULTS: Permeability was lower in the GLN trial compared to PLA (0.042 ± 0.008 vs. 0.061 ± 0.01). Plasma endotoxin was lower at the post-exercise time point in the GLN vs. PLA (10.79 ± 2.53 EU/ml vs. 12.73 ± 1.85 EU/ml). TNF™ was lower at 4 h post-exercise in the GLN vs. PLA (1.643 ± 0.091 pg/ml vs. 1.874 ± 0.126 pg/ml). PBMC expression of IkB™ was higher at 4hr post-exercise in GLN trial vs. PLA (1.551 ± 0.246 vs. 1.094 ± 0.152). HSP70 was higher pre-exercise and at 2hr post-ex in GLN trial compared to PLA (1.356 ± 0.082 vs.
1.000 ± 0.000 and 1.652 ± 0.087 vs. 1.279 ± 0.104)
CONCLUSIONS: Acute oral glutamine supplementation prevents exercise induced intestinal permeability and suppresses the inflammatory response possibly through HSP70 activation.