The body can make enough glutamine for its regular needs. But during times of extreme stress (the kind you experience after heavy exercise or an injury), your body may need more glutamine than it can make. Most glutamine is stored in muscles, followed by the lungs where much of the glutamine is made.
Glutamine is important for removing excess ammonia (a common waste product in the body). It also helps your immune system function and may be needed for normal brain function and digestion.
You can usually get enough glutamine without taking a supplement because your body makes it and you get some in your diet. Certain medical conditions, including injuries, surgery, infections, and prolonged stress, can lower glutamine levels. In these cases, taking a glutamine supplement may be helpful.
Uses
Wound healing and recovery from illness
When the body is stressed (from injuries, infections, burns, trauma, or surgical procedures), it releases the hormone cortisol into the bloodstream. High levels of cortisol can lower your body's stores of glutamine. Several studies show that adding glutamine to enteral nutrition (tube feeding) helps reduce the rate of death in trauma and critically ill people. Clinical studies show that taking glutamine supplements strengthens the immune system and reduce infections, particularly infections associated with surgery. Glutamine may help prevent or treat multiple organ dysfunction after shock or other injuries among people in the intensive care unit. Glutamine supplements may also help in the recovery of severe burns.
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
Glutamine helps protect the lining of the gastrointestinal tract known as the mucosa. For that reason, some researchers believe that people who have IBD (ulcerative colitis and Crohn disease) may not have enough glutamine. However, two clinical trials found that taking glutamine supplements did not improve symptoms of Crohn disease. More research is needed. In the meantime, ask your doctor when deciding whether to use glutamine for IBD.
HIV/AIDS
People with HIV or AIDS often experience severe weight loss (particularly loss of muscle mass). A few studies of people with HIV and AIDS have found that taking glutamine supplements, along with other important nutrients, including vitamins C and E, beta-carotene, selenium, and N-acetylcysteine, may increase weight gain and help the intestines better absorb nutrients.
Athletes
Athletes who train for endurance events (like marathons) may reduce the amount of glutamine in their bodies. It is common for them to catch a cold after an athletic event. Some experts think that may be because of the role glutamine plays in the immune system. For this select group of athletes, one study showed that taking glutamine supplements resulted in fewer infections. The same is not true, however, for exercisers who work out at a moderate intensity.
Cancer
Many people with cancer have low levels of glutamine. For this reason, some researchers speculate that glutamine may be helpful when added to conventional cancer treatment. Supplemental glutamine is often given to malnourished cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy or radiation treatments, and sometimes used in people undergoing bone marrow transplants.
Glutamine seems to help reduce stomatitis (an inflammation of the mouth) caused by chemotherapy. Some studies suggest that taking glutamine orally may help reduce diarrhea associated with chemotherapy.
More clinical research is needed to know whether glutamine is safe or effective to use as part of the treatment regimen for cancer.
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