FEEL GREAT
Scientists have identified an amino acid shortfall that’s causing up to 90 percent of women to pack on pounds—and the delicious cure that supercharges slimming
THE LEMON-AID THAT FLUSHES FAT LOSE 1 LB A DAY
THE FOODS THAT WORK BETTER THAN ANTIDEPRESSANTS
Constant cravings, tiredness, won’t-budge pounds… For far too many of us, these symptoms are frustratingly familiar. But while many women believe these factors are an unavoidable result of aging, research reveals this “new normal” isn’t normal at all—it’s actually a sign that the body is short on the amino acid glutamine. “Glutamine is the most abundant amino acid in the body, and it’s critical for energy and weight loss,” asserts Fred Pescatore, M.D., author of The A-List Diet. “It
aids in metabolism, brain signaling and blood-sugar regulation. So when glutamine levels dip, women suffer fatigue, brain fog and more.”
Experts estimate that glutamine shortfalls affect up to 90 percent of women born before 1977. “As we age, our glutamine stores drop off,” explains Dr. Pescatore. “Not only is the body less efficient at making the amino acid, but tissue damage caused by inflammation or illness calls on the body’s supplies of glutamine to assist in repair, further depleting levels.” Adding to the burden: “The stress hormone cortisol also depletes glutamine,” notes nutritionist JJ Virgin, Ph.D. And without sufficient glutamine to regulate blood sugar and metabolism, cravings increase and fat burning slows, making weight loss all but impossible.
But restore optimal levels of glutamine—and wow! In a study in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, women who took glutamine lost 3.5 times more weight over four weeks than those given a placebo. Researchers credit the amino acid’s ability to increase the production of hunger-dampening hormones by
100 percent within 30 minutes.
The benefits extend beyond controlling cravings. “Glutamine decreases muscle wasting as we get older,” says Dr. Pescatore. That’s good news for weight loss since the more muscle we maintain as we age, the hotter our metabolism burns. The amino acid also helps shore up immunity and speed wound healing. And, says Dr. Pescatore, “It can also slow down the aging process, which means fewer wrinkles and less hair loss.”