Glutamine vs Creatine - 2 Major Differences to Know

Creatine is a chemical that the body makes from amino acids in the kidneys, pancreas, and liver. It’s stored in the skeletal muscle tissue and saved for later use. It is also found in food, such as red meat.

“Creatine monohydrate, the most extensively studied form of creatine, is considered the most effective supplement for athletes looking to increase lean body mass and as well as enhance muscular strength, power, and endurance.”

- Dr. Melina Jampolis, Physician Nutrition Specialist 

In my experience, creatine is like a turbo boost for my muscles during resistance training. I've felt that surge of energy that helps me push through those last few reps. And while it's true that the energy burst is brief, it's often just enough to help me complete a set with maximum intensity.

This is why athletes use creatine supplementation. A study from the National Institute of Health (NIH) has shown that creatine supplements help muscles grow and provide more muscle strength [1].

The main difference between glutamine and creatine is that glutamine compounds go directly into muscle protein synthesis, while creatine indirectly contributes to muscle growth by affecting metabolism and fat loss.

Creatine is synthesized in the liver and kidneys from amino acids.

While a regular person can get all the creatine they need from the body itself, people recovering from an illness, injury, or surgery may need additional creatine supplements.

Some athletes prefer glutamine because it’s directly involved in protein synthesis. We can get glutamine from dietary sources because it’s a conditionally essential amino acid.

• Muscle Gain - A study by NIH found that young adults who do high-intensity training and who used glutamine had six times more muscle mass than those who didn’t [2].
• Quicker muscle recovery - Glutamine increases glycogen storage and helps preserve muscle mass because it increases nitrogen availability during muscle breakdown.
• Better gut health - It helps keep the intestinal lining healthy by ensuring our body absorbs all nutrients it needs.
• Stronger immune system - Glutamine fuels lymphocytes, i.e., white blood cells, which fight infection and disease.

Here are the specific benefits of creatine:

Energy Production  - Creatine monohydrate supplements increase the stores of phosphocreatine in muscles. Phosphocreatine helps create ATP — the molecule you use for all basic life functions.

When you exercise, ATP breaks down and produces energy. The issue is that you use ATP faster than you can make it. This is where creatine supplements come in. They help athletes increase phosphocreatine and thus have more ATP.

Muscle Function - Apart from increasing the energy levels, creatine does other great things for muscles:

• It helps grow muscle mass
• Boosts proteins that help make new muscle fibers
• Increases muscle water content
• Decreases myostatin — a molecule that hinders muscle growth

High-Intensity Exercise Performance

I’ve talked about how creatine helps in ATP production. This also means it allows athletes and bodybuilders to have better high-intensity exercise.

Overall, creatine can improve:

• Strength
• Muscles endurance
• Muscle recovery
• Brain performance

Other creatine benefits:

• It lowers blood sugar levels
• It makes the immune system stronger
• It enhances growth hormone production

Yes, creatine and glutamine can be combined for benefits. This combo can serve as an excellent sports or post-workout nutrition drink, reducing muscle soreness, enhancing strength, and restoring energy stores faster after exercise.

Overall, this supplementation improves body composition and health. In my experience, and supported by research, there have been no significant side effects. Choosing products from the same company is advisable.

Combining with omega-3 fatty acids and BCAAs offers comprehensive support for athletes, reducing inflammation, enhancing recovery, and providing muscle protection. Together, they contribute to an optimized hormonal profile and overall athletic performance.