L-glutamine (or glutamine) is an important amino acid for our health.
Glutamine is the most abundant amino acid in the body. Key metabolic organs, such as the gut, liver, and skeletal muscles, mainly control glutamine.
· L-glutamine is an essential nutrient for the immune system: lymphocyte proliferation, cytokine production, macrophage and neutrophil phagocytosis.
· L-glutamine contributes to the production of other amino acids, proteins, and antioxidant glutathione.
· Glutamine is the principal metabolic fuel for small intestine cells. Supplemental use of glutamine stimulates gut mucosal cellular proliferation and mucosal integrity (leaky gut), preventing intestinal bacterial leak. L-glutamine relieves the gas, bloating, and pain caused by the leaky gut.
· L-glutamine helps people with IBS and IBD by protecting the mucous membrane of the digestive system.
· The body’s glutamine availability and metabolism are directly associated with the skeletal muscle tissue. Skeletal muscles are quantitatively the most relevant glutamine stock, synthesis, and release site.
· Glutamine use has been found to be of great importance in the treatment of trauma and surgery patients and has been shown to decrease the incidence of infection in these patients.
Glutamine is a choice for the treatment of sickle cell anemia.
· Glutamine helps with sugar cravings and weight loss.
L-glutamine can be delivered by food: meat, milk, cheese, eggs, tofu, nuts, and beans.
In case of infection, sepsis, traumas, cancer, surgeries, and intense and prolonged physical exercise, the demand for glutamine increases dramatically, which may lead to glutamine deprivation and severe impairment of the immune function.
The body’s demand of glutamine can be covered by glutamine supplements.