Peak-Muscle.com  

Welcome to the Peak-Muscle.com forums.

You are currently viewing our boards as a guest which gives you limited access to view most discussions and access our other features. Come join us in on one of the best online fitness communities. We have 16,000 members that are likeminded towards a fitness, bodybuilding lifestyle. Registration is free and only takes but a few minutes. By joining our free community you will have access to communicate privately with other members (PM), respond to polls, upload content and access many other special features. You will be able to create threads to discuss and or create a fitness regimen. Or just bounce ideas off of some very knowledgeable members. So don't miss out. Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free so please, join our community today!

Register FAQ Members List Calendar Arcade Mark Forums Read
Go Back   Peak-Muscle.com > Bodybuilding and Fitness Discussion > Supplements
User Name
Password

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 12-05-2021, 03:37 PM   #1
01dragonslayer
Banned
 

Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: Mid-west
Posts: 2,343
01dragonslayer is a jewel in the rough01dragonslayer is a jewel in the rough01dragonslayer is a jewel in the rough01dragonslayer is a jewel in the rough
Glutathione for Building Muscle Mass and Strength

The goal of retaining lean muscle mass and strength should not be limited to avid gym gurus. While exercise enthusiasts may be motivated by appearance and physique, everyone should be interested in retaining muscle mass as a means of preserving long term health. Research increasingly shows that loss of muscle mass and strength has an adverse impact on health, particularly during aging.

Sarcopenia is the technical term for age-related muscle loss. According to a 2014 review published in The Lancet: Diabetes & Endocrinology, loss of muscle mass and strength is an important risk factor for accelerating rates of physical disability, hospitalization, and death in the older population, and is associated with the progressive health implications of diabetes, obesity, hyperthyroidism, hypercortisolism, vitamin D deficiency, osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis, COPD, congestive heart failure, renal disease and more.

Retaining muscle mass and strength is critical as individuals age. Peak muscle mass and strength is seen between 20 and 30 years of age. Small decreases are noted between ages 30 and 50, and decreases accelerate after the fifth decade of life, with some people experiencing as much as a 15 percent strength loss per decade, with more than 50 percent of fast twitch muscle fibers being lost by 75 years of age.

Glutathione isn’t typically a go-to supplement for supporting muscle mass and strength, but according to a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study published in 2018 in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, glutathione may be a key participant in building muscle mass and strength. In this study, 75 resistance-trained males were randomly assigned to ingest 200 mg/day of glutathione + 2 grams/day of L-citrulline (GSH + CIT), 2 grams/day of L-citrulline-malate, or cellulose placebo daily while also participating in 8 weeks of resistance training. Body composition and muscle strength were tested before and after 4 and 8 weeks of resistance training and supplementation. After 4 weeks, lean muscle mass and strength was positively correlated (p < 0.05) and significantly increased in the GSH + CIT group, but not in the L-citrulline-malate or cellulose placebo groups. It is worth emphasizing, though, that this study was conducted in subjects already engaged in regular resistance training (males, ages 18-35, who performed resistance training at least three times weekly for a year), so we cannot necessarily extrapolate the results to individuals who do not participate in this kind of activity.

On the surface, we might question how glutathione can be a muscle-builder since it’s best known for its role as a master antioxidant. Apart from this traditional function, glutathione helps to preserve the muscle protein synthesis pathway. How? Low molecular weight thiols, such glutathione, have been shown to upregulate the nitric oxide (NO) pathway. As it interacts with NO to form S-nitrosoglutathione (GSNO), it stabilizes NO so it is released slowly. Its antioxidant effects also protect NO from oxidative damage, potentiating its effectiveness. NO influences protein kinase B (Akt) signaling though a cGMP/phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) dependent pathway, which is the primary pathway for upregulating translation initiation required for muscle protein synthesis. Therefore, glutathione preserves NO so it is available for upregulating pathways required for building muscle.

Resistance training is instrumental for building and maintaining lean muscle mass and strength. But this doesn’t mean that all patients need to purchase a gym membership and fall in love with squats and deadlifts. Body weight training, which requires no special equipment, can be effective. Many elderly individuals are prescribed physical therapy programs. Glutathione supplementation may help enhance the intended outcomes of these programs. Not only that, but all individuals in every life stage can engage in strength training routinely to stay mobile and capable of everyday activities and to prevent falls and fractures. Dumbbells and barbells may appeal to certain populations, but resistance bands or a person’s own body weight can be effective for those who prefer not to join a gym or to buy cumbersome equipment.

The role of glutathione can reach beyond its traditional role as an antioxidant. Evidence suggests it can be a helpful adjunct to muscle building protocols, and as a result, potentially reduce the risk for various age-related health issues.
01dragonslayer is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 03:51 AM.


Powered by: vBulletin Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.