Oral Glutamine has been shown to maintain muscle mass in catabolic patients.11 However, Glutamine
supplementation may increase ammonia levels and add to the ammonia burden of certain patients and athletes,
jeopardizing recovery and performance respectively.8 To overcome this burden the use of alpha-ketogluturate has
been shown to act as a Glutamine precursor, without contributing to ammonia build up. However, L-glutamine at a
dose of up to 2,000-5,000 mg per day appears to be safe.
Oral ornithine alpha-ketogluturate reduces muscle catabolism in burn and surgery patients and is known to
increase muscle Glutamine levels. Ornithine alpha-ketogluturate also stimulates the release of growth hormone
and may thereby further provide an anti-catabolic and indirect anabolic ef ect on muscle tissue and lean mass, in
general. A daily dosage of 2-4 mg per day of ornithine alpha-ketogluturate is required to increase growth hormone
levels. 12,13,14