EFFECT OF EXERCISE INDUCED GLUTAMINE ON IMMUNE FUNCTION

Rapidly dividing and proliferating cells required high rates of glutaminolysis. It is not only for energy but also for the precursor of many biosynthetic pathways used for macromolecule synthesis. In response to antigenic challenge, lymphocytes also utilize glutamine at high rate for rapid multiplication and proliferation. Skeletal muscle play the major role in glutamine homeostasis as it is the major site of glutamine synthesis to maintain the plasma glutamine concentration. Mononuclear cells cannot synthesize glutamine due to absence of its intracellular glutamine synthase but they possess a high-intracellular activity of glutaminase. So, lymphocytes must be supplied with glutamine from the plasma to accomplish its metabolic requirements. Heavy exercise decreases plasma glutamine concentration that may causes immune depression due to reduced supply of glutamine to lymphocytes. However, glutamine supplement was unable to abolish the exercise induced decline in salivary IgA. Though glutamine supplementation decreases the number of upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) in athletes. Glutamine supplementation abolished exercise induced decrease in plasma glutamine but not exercise-induced impaired lymphocyte functions.