Hey I read that article too! Internet makes it a small world, huh?!? I guess even though I do not want to get down to 10-13% body fat, I could come close with the 15-17% I want right now! Close enough for me anyway... for the moment... :D

So, if I've understood this correctly glutamine raises the hGH levels?
I've ordered glutamine recently with the purpose of having faster recovery and I was told that dieters who exercise need more of it.

Apparently it has raised with me as well, as I too have a greater sex drive, but I thought it coincided with having a new BF. Boy, can you imagine how bad it is, to see that guy go away again.. well, I read somewhere that Dutch women have to and are catching their men themselves.. it's a reversed world here.

Blue Angel, I'm nearly 40! But still a very puberty-like woman, not in my looks but in my thoughts. My childhood wasn't really all that happy, filled with worries and such and I was a couch potato too. So, I'm feeling fitter, happier and sexier than I ever felt as a teenager! Even though I am weighing more and am fatter than I did at the time.

Fietser

Anne-Marie
 

Yes glutamine does raise the GH levels but also plays a part in other processes also. Stops cravings for sweet stuff etc. Well here is a study or two that I found about exercise in relation to the increase in hormones. The first study mentions better bone density in those that resistance train. That is something that occurs with increase of DHEA's first of all and testosterone...even in women.

1: Am J Phys Med Rehabil 2002 Nov;81(11 Suppl):S3-16 Related Articles, Links


Performance and physiologic adaptations to resistance training.

Deschenes MR, Kraemer WJ.

Department of Kinesiology, The College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, VA 23187-8795, USA.

Weight lifting, or resistance training, is a potent stimulus to the neuromuscular system. Depending on the specific program design, resistance training can enhance strength, power, or local muscular endurance. These improvements in performance are directly related to the physiologic adaptations elicited through prolonged resistance training. Optimal resistance training programs are individualized to meet specific training goals. When trained properly (i.e., similar intensity and volume), these functional and physiologic adaptations are similarly impressive among women and the aged as they are among young men. Yet, in contrast to relative measurements, sex and age differences exist in the absolute magnitude of adaptation. Of equal importance, perhaps most notably among the elderly, are the important health benefits that may also be derived from resistance training. For example, bone density, insulin sensitivity, and co-morbidities associated with obesity can be effectively managed with resistance exercise when it is conducted on a regular basis. The extent of the functional and health benefits to be accrued from resistance training depend on factors such as initial performance and health status, along with the specification of program design variables such as frequency, duration, intensity, volume, and rest intervals.

Publication Types:
Review
Review, Tutorial

PMID: 12409807 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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Now this next abstract that I'm gonna cut and paste is in older men, but the same goes for women too...

1: Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 2002 Nov;283(5):E929-36 Related Articles, Links


Effect of training on the GH/IGF-I axis during exercise in middle-aged men: relationship to glucose homeostasis.

Manetta J, Brun JF, Maimoun L, Callis A, Prefaut C, Mercier J.

Service Central de Physiologie Clinique: Centre d'Exploration et de Readaptation des Anomalies Metaboliques et Musculaires, hopital Lapeyronie, 34295 Montpellier, France. jerome.manetta~free.fr

The aim of this study was to compare circulating levels of growth hormone (GH), IGF-I, and IGF-binding protein (IGFBP)-1 and IGFBP-3 in response to a long-duration endurance exercise in trained vs. sedentary middle-aged males and to determine whether a relationship with glucose homeostasis exists. Seven trained men (Tr) were compared with seven age-matched sedentary men (Sed) during two trials of 60 min of cycling exercise performed below (-VT) and above (+VT) the ventilatory threshold. Insulin sensitivity (S(I)) was higher in Tr than in Sed (P < 0.001). Basal GH, IGF-I, and IGFBP-1 and -3 were higher in Tr (P < 0.05). During +VT, Tr had a threefold higher GH response, whereas their blood glucose level was better maintained (P < 0.05). Basal IGFBP-1 was correlated with S(I) (P < 0.01). These data indicate that endurance training in middle-aged men increased the activity of the GH/IGF-I system and improved glucoregulation both at rest and during high-intensity endurance exercise.

PMID: 12376319 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]


HERE IS ANOTHER ONE...


1: J Sports Sci 2002 Jun;20(6):487-94 Related Articles, Links


The time course of the human growth hormone response to a 6 s and a 30 s cycle ergometer sprint.

Stokes KA, Nevill ME, Hall GM, Lakomy HK.

Department of Physical Education, Sports Science and Recreation Management, Loughborough University, UK.

Exercise is a potent stimulus for the release of human growth hormone (hGH), but the time course of the hGH response to sprint exercise has not been studied. The aim of the present study was to determine the time course of the hGH response to a 6 s and a 30 s maximal sprint on a cycle ergometer. Nine males completed two trials, on one occasion performing a single 6 s sprint and on another a single 30 s sprint. They then rested on a couch for 4 h while blood samples were obtained. Three of the participants completed a further control trial involving no exercise. Metabolic responses were greater after the 30 s sprint than after the 6 s sprint. The highest measured mean serum hGH concentrations after the 30 s sprint were more than 450% greater than after the 6 s sprint (18.5 +/- 3.1 vs 4.0 +/- 1.5 microg l(-1), P < 0.05). Serum hGH also remained elevated for 90-120 min after the 30 s sprint compared with approximately 60 min after the 6 s sprint. There was a large inter-individual variation in the hGH response to the 30 s sprint. In the control trial, serum hGH concentrations were not elevated above baseline at any time. It would appear that the duration of a bout of maximal sprint exercise determines the magnitude of the hGH response, although the mechanism for this is still unclear.

PMID: 12137178 [PubMed - in process]



HERE IS A STUDY ON THE EFFECTS OF EXERCISE ON THE SEX STEROID LEVELS OR ANABOLIC STEROID LEVELS SHOULD I SAY...


1: Eur J Appl Physiol 2002 Feb;86(4):315-21 Related Articles, Links


Effects of resistance exercise volume and nutritional supplementation on anabolic and catabolic hormones.

Williams AG, Ismail AN, Sharma A, Jones DA.

Human Physiology Research Group, School of Health, Staffordshire University, Stoke-on-Trent, UK. a.williams~staffs.ac.uk

Seven resistance-trained men performed six bouts of resistance exercise, each separated by at least 1 week, in a crossover design. High, moderate and low volumes of exercise were used, each performed twice and followed immediately post-exercise by either a placebo or carbohydrate-protein supplementation. All bouts of resistance exercise were performed using a load equal to 100% of each subject's ten-repetition maximum (10-RM), and all rest periods between sets of exercise were 1 min. Blood was obtained before and at intervals after exercise until 120 min post-exercise. Lactate levels were significantly (P < 0.05) elevated immediately post-exercise, and to a significantly greater extent after the greatest volume of exercise. Levels of growth hormone rose significantly after the greatest volume of exercise only. Those of insulin and glucose rose significantly after supplementation only. Cortisol levels tended to be higher after the greatest volume of exercise, but the differences were not significant. Supplementation had no effect on the lactate, growth hormone or cortisol responses to resistance exercise. The data indicate that volume of exercise and protein-carbohydrate supplementation can alter the metabolic and hormonal responses to resistance exercise independently. However, cortisol levels remain high after a high volume of resistance exercise, irrespective of whether a post-exercise carbohydrate-protein supplement is used.

Publication Types:
Clinical Trial
Controlled Clinical Trial

PMID: 11990744 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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This article is against the use of substances to invoke a GH response in athletes:

1: Nutrition 2002 Jul-Aug;18(7-8):657-61 Related Articles, Links


Comment in:
Nutrition. 2002 Jul-Aug;18(7-8):683-4.

Use of amino acids as growth hormone-releasing agents by athletes.

Chromiak JA, Antonio J.

Department of Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Sport, Mississippi State University, PO Box 6186, Mississippi State, MS 39762-6186, USA. jchrom~colled.msstate.edu

Specific amino acids, such as arginine, lysine and ornithine, can stimulate growth hormone (GH) release when infused intravenously or administered orally. Many individuals consume amino acids before strength training workouts, believing this practice accentuates the exercise-induced GH release, thereby promoting greater gains in muscle mass and strength. The GH response to amino acid administration has a high degree of interindividual variability and may be altered by training status, sex, age, and diet. Although parenteral administration consistently leads to increased circulating GH concentration, oral doses that are great enough to induce significant GH release are likely to cause stomach discomfort and diarrhea. During exercise, intensity is a major determinant of GH release. Although one study showed that arginine infusion can heighten the GH response to exercise, no studies found that pre-exercise oral amino acid supplementation augments GH release. Further, no appropriately conducted scientific studies found that oral supplementation with amino acids, which are capable of inducing GH release, before strength training increases muscle mass and strength to a greater extent than strength training alone. The use of specific amino acids to stimulate GH release by athletes is not recommended.

Publication Types:
Review
Review, Tutorial

PMID: 12093449 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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And if your really interested in this topic you can study it further on the PubMed site at this URL...


<a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?CMD=search&DB=PubMed">Growth Hormone</a>

There are some 14 pages regarding this and studies. I am convinced though as I said that as we get older, a lot of us become inactive and that is why the GH release decreases as much as it does. In other words, if you keep your fitness and your health intact, GH is going to be increased for you at a level to match your activity. If exercise and plenty of good rest (sleep---the longer in the deeper part of sleep the better ) are what help this hormone to be in abundance, then to my mind there is no need to take supplements as as soon as you start to increase your activity levels..the body increases everything that you need to make good repair. Just as long as you do not overdo it..because if you do then you start to release too much cortisol and this not only suppresses GH but also chews into muscle.

If your sex drive has increased and your feeling better than you did in your youth then this is more than likely the reason why.

My glutamine tablets had more than 500mg in them. They are a 1000mg for some reason. I haven't really bothered taking any since I studied the way the body makes GH though. I feel that as long as you take a good multi vitamin, and make sure your not deficient in those, then your body will not be short on the basic nutrients and should come up with the goods where GH is concerned all by itself.

Cheers

Anne-Marie

Wow Blue Angel, that's a thorough search.

I was actually advised to take 5 grams of glutamin a DAY.
Still haven't received the actual order yet, very soon I'm going to run out of whey and may be forced to buy something which is 4x as expensive.
Stupid if you think that unprocessed whey is so cheap as it is a byproduct of cheese production.
Here you pay 31 euro/USD for 500 g of whey in the retail shop.
I can get 4 kg for a 'bargain' price at 100 €/$ but I've ordered 4,5 kg for 48 $ (plus tax). And i still think it's expensive.

Glutamine is actually one of the most common amino acids.. it abounds in the muscles, but when dieting you can be lacking.

I will try to not do as much cardio, though it is counterintuitive to do less when dieting!

Fietser

What foods is glutamine in
 

besides Cottage cheese? I was just wondering what you would expect to derive from a cup full of cottage cheese after a workout in glutamine.

LOL~research! Pain in the butt me...if anyone is ill here I am on the PubMed site and reading all the latest studies BEFORE I go to the Doctors!

He thinks we are a pain I am sure...as does my sons Doctor no doubt. I know so much about my sons medical condition now--we debate certain protocols and treatments and blood test frequency!

I mean for all I know 1000mg may be what I need because I am dieting, but I am almost sure that there is a more natural way to get the glutamine in. Maybe I'll do a little search later and find out what foods I can eat.

Unless carbs are the main provider of glutamine or are essential for the production of it..we should not be lacking at all really if we eat the right foods. I always presume though these days since low carbing that these metabolic processes have been around in the human body since the dawn of time and that there must be some low carb way to get this stuff in...otherwise cavemen would have been deficient too! LOL!

Interesting thread...