RECHARGE

Most brands sell a recovery product, and the most common ingredient is the amino acid glutamine. The claims often made for supplementation with glutamine are more muscle growth and fat loss, and faster recovery times. But are they true?

Glutamine is the most abundant amino acid in the body, and is heavily depleted by intense, prolonged exercise.^{^[1,2}^{^]}

Research has shown that supplementation with glutamine can…

Reduce the negative effects of prolonged exercise on the immune system.^{^[3-}^{^5]}

Improve your endurance and reduce fatigue in prolonged exercise.^{^[6,7}^{^]}

Help your body better deal with the systemic stress of prolonged exercise.^{^[8-}^{^10]}

Regular supplementation with glutamine can help you push your body harder in the gym without falling into overtraining.

But while glutamine is a worthwhile supplement backed by good science, it’s not without hype.

The claims we’re referring to revolve around building and preserving muscle. Can supplementation with glutamine do this?

Not quite.

CAN GLUTAMINE HELP YOU BUILD AND PRESERVE MUSCLE?

Research has shown that intramuscular glutamine levels play an important role in protein synthesis and the prevention of muscle breakdown.^{^[11-}^{^14]} It also improves the body’s ability to use leucine (an essential amino acid that plays a vital role in protein synthesis).^{^[15]} If we were like other supplement companies, we would leave it at that and claim that supplementation with glutamine clearly must improve muscle growth.

But here’s the kicker: there’s no research to indicate that supplementation with glutamine improves protein synthesis in healthy, well-fed adults (as opposed to humans and rats in diseased or under-fed states).

To the contrary, in fact, several studies conducted with healthy adults showed that supplementation with glutamine has no effect on protein synthesis, muscle performance, body composition, or the prevention of muscle breakdown.^{^[16-}^{^18]}

So, while supplementation with glutamine may not provide an anabolic boost, its anti-stress and anti-fatigue benefits make it a worthwhile buy if you’re exercising regularly, intensely, and for prolonged periods.

INTRODUCING LEGION RECHARGE
L-GLUTAMINE AND L-CARNITINE L-TARTRATE

Glutamine peptides such as L-alanyl L-glutamine are often marketed as superior forms of glutamine, but these claims aren’t supported by science.

Such peptides been shown to increase muscular concentrations of glutamine, just as L-glutamine does, but there’s no scientific evidence that L-ananyl L-glutamine or any other peptide is more effective than L-glutamine.^{^[19,}^{^20]}

So, instead of trying to get you to waste money on fancy-sounding peptides, we’ve decided to add another amino acid to our glutamine to help with recovery from exercise: L-carnitine L-tartrate.

Carnitine is a compound that your body produces from the amino acids lysine and methionine. Carnitine plays a vital role in the generation of cellular energy. L-tartrate is a salt used to increase the absorption of other nutrients.

Research has shown that supplementation with L-carnitine L-tartrate can…

Reduce exercise-induced muscle damage and soreness.^{^[21-}^{^23]}

Improve muscle repair.^{^[24]}

Increase post-workout muscular uptake of testosterone.^{^[25]}

Improve insulin sensitivity.^{^[26]}

Forms of L-carnitine are often sold to supposedly help with fat loss, but it’s not reliable in this mechanism. Studies show that it can only deliver such benefits if you’re in a deficient state.^{^[27-}^{^30]}

CLINICALLY EFFECTIVE DOSAGES

Each serving of RECHARGE contains the following:

5 grams of glutamine

700 milligrams of L-carnitine L-tartrate

As with all of our products, this serving size allows you to easily use clinically effective dosages of both of these ingredients.

Studies have shown that 100 – 200 mg per kg of body weight of glutamine each day is sufficient for athletes, and that chronic usage is important.^{^[31-}^{^33]}

Research has shown that 1-2 grams of L-carnitine L-tartrate per day is enough to reap its recovery-related benefits.^{^[34]}

Thus, a man weighing 180 pounds would take just 3 servings of RECHARGE per day to achieve the high end of clinically effective dosages of both L-glutamine and L-carnitine.

DELICIOUS FLAVOR, AND NO ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS, DYES, OR FILLERS

RECHARGE tastes great, and is naturally sweetened. While artificial sweeteners may not be as dangerous as some people claim, studies suggest that regular consumption of these chemicals may indeed be harmful to our health, and that more research is needed.

We’ve chosen to stay on the safe side and use the natural sweetener stevia, instead.

Stevia is a plant with sweet leaves, and research has shown that it increases insulin sensitivity, helps regulate blood glucose levels, has anti-carcinogenic properties, decreases oxidative stress associated with eating large amounts of carbohydrates, possibly reduces blood pressure and inflammation in the body, lowers LDL-C levels, and protects the kidneys.^{^[35-}^{^38]}

And in case you’re worried that naturally sweetened means “horrible tasting,” you can rest easy. We’ve taken special care to ensure that PULSE tastes delicious, mixes well, and goes down easy.

GREAT VALUE

You should base your use of RECHARGE on the clinically effective dosages given earlier: