Effect of L-Glutamine Supplementation on Electromyographic Activity of the Quadriceps Muscle Injured By Eccentric Exercise

  Objective(s): The purpose of the present study was to examine the effects of L-glutamine on electromyographic (EMG) activity of the quadriceps muscle injured by eccentric exercise (EE).   Materials and Methods: Seventeen healthy men (age: ۲۲.۳۵±۲.۲۷ yr; body mass: ۶۹.۹۱±۹.۷۸ kg; height: ۱۷۷.۰۸±۴.۳۲ cm) were randomly and double-blind study with subjects assigned to either an L-glutamine supplementation (n=۹) or placebo (n=۸) group. The subjects in two groups were asked to take three times during a week for ۴ weeks. Each subject was screened for dietary habits before inclusion into the study. Participants performed ۶ set to exhaustion eccentric leg extensions at ۷۵% of ۱RM and rest intervals were ۳ min among sets. Pain Assessment Scale (PAS), EMG activity and range of motion (ROM) measurements were taken before exercise protocol and ۲۴ and ۴۸ hr afterwards. Results: There was no statistically significant difference between groups in perceived muscle soreness (SOR), ROM and EMG activity (P < ۰.۰۵). Conclusion: The results indicate that L-glutamine supplementation has no significant effect on muscle injury markers in between groups, although glutamine supplementation attenuated delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) effects in sup group.