Benefits of L-Glutamine
What's all the hype about? There's been much banter regarding L-Glutamine in the nutritional arena. But we would like to set the record straight and educate you on how to best understand the importance of L-Glutamine in your day-to-day.
You'll read comments like these: "L-Glutamine: Not Recommended. Those with hypersensitivity to monosodium glutamate (MSG) should use glutamine with EXTREME caution." that make you want to run in the opposite direction, simply because you don't know whether you have an allergy to MSG or you just rather play it safe and not consume something that may be harmful to other individuals. And that is completely respected, however, before you dismiss any and all products that contain l-glutamine, let's take an in depth look — we think you'll be impressed with the results:
Glutamine is one of the 20 amino acids encoded by the standard genetic code. That means, you are predisposed to it, from inception. It is in fact one of the building blocks of human life. Like many other amino acids, l-glutamine is biochemically important as a constituent of proteins.
Are you scared of L-Glutamine? Natural occurrences of l-glutamine can be found in foods with high protein, such as fish, red meat, beans, and dairy products. Are you still scared now? Proceeding with "EXTREME" caution is an over statement that is usually exercised in poor marketing schemes that misinform and mislead you to believe non-sense.
To better understand the "use" of l-glutamine, we'll turn to sports. In the very vast world of sports, l-glutamine is a critical supplement. The main use of l-glutamine within the sports arena is as a means of replenishing the body's supply of amino acids that have been used during exercise or everyday activities.
Studies which have looked into problems of excessive consumption have proved inconclusive. Normal supplementation is healthy mainly because l-glutamine is supposed to be supplemented after prolonged periods of exercise (for example, a workout or exercise in which amino acids are required for use) and replenishes amino acid supply; this being the main reason l-glutamine is recommended during fasting or for people who suffer from physical trauma, immune deficiencies, or cancer.
L-Glutamine Aids Gastrointestinal Function
There have been several recent studies into the effects of glutamine and what properties it possesses, and, there is now a significant body of evidence that links glutamine-enriched diets with intestinal effects; aiding maintenance of gut barrier function, intestinal cell proliferation and differentiation, as well as generally reducing septic morbidity and the symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome. The reason for such "cleansing" properties is thought to stem from the fact that the intestinal extraction rate of glutamine is higher than that for other amino acids, and is therefore thought to be the most viable option when attempting to alleviate conditions relating to the gastrointestinal tract.
These conditions were discovered after comparing plasma concentration within the gut between glutamine-enriched and non glutamine-enriched diets. However, even though glutamine is thought to have "cleansing" properties and effects, it is unknown to what extent glutamine has clinical benefits, due to the varied concentrations of glutamine in varieties of food.
Aiding recovery after surgery
It is also known that glutamine has various effects in reducing healing time after operations. Hospital waiting times after abdominal surgery are reduced by providing parenteral nutrition regimens containing amounts of glutamine to patients. Clinical trials have revealed that patients on supplementation regimes containing glutamine have improved nitrogen balances, generation of cysteinyl-leukotrienes from polymorphonuclear neutrophil granulocytes and improved lymphocyte recovery and intestinal permeability (in postoperative patients) - in comparison to those who had no glutamine within their dietary regime; all without any side-effects.
Conclusion
So before you go running off in terror, we hope that we've given a thorough explanation of how l-glutamine is a part of your everyday. And unless you actually suffer from a very rare hypersensitivity to MSG, you have nothing to worry about.
Let's put this l-glutamine non-sense to rest.
If you would like to learn more about Monosodium Glutamate, visit FDA and Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) (we'd like to offer a link on l-glutamine at the FDA, however, there's nothing to report!)
