Glutamine is an amino acid that is produced naturally by the human body and is found in protein-rich foods. It is also available in the form of dietary supplements. In times of severe physical stress, glutamine is very important for maintaining sufficient immune function and intestinal function and is essential for wound healing. In such situations, supplementation can be helpful.
What Is Glutamine?
Glutamine (also known as L-glutamine) is a non-essential amino acid. This means that it does not need to be obtained from dietary sources, since the human body can make it on its own. It is the most abundant amino acid in the human body and is also found in a wide variety of foods. It is also used in dietary supplements and is claimed to be useful for a variety of different conditions, such as depression, anxiety, insomnia, and various nutritional disorders.
Glutamine is an amino acid. It is important for building proteins and other amino acids. For most people, the body can make more than enough of its own, although the amino acid is also found in protein-rich foods. In addition to its use as a building block for making proteins, glutamine also has several other functions in the body. It serves as a fuel for different types of cells in the body, including several types of immune cells.
In times of severe physical stress, glutamine is very important for maintaining sufficient immune function and intestinal function and is essential for wound healing. In such situations, the body may not be able to produce enough to meet its needs. In such situations, supplementation (usually given by IV) can be helpful.
Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: KristiMonson, PharmD;
List of references (click here):
Jellin JM, editor. Pharmacist's Letter/Prescriber's Letter Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database Web site. Available at: http://naturaldatabase.com/. Accessed March 26, 2008.
Food and Nutrition Board, Institute of Medicine. Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy, Carbohydrates, Fiber, Fat, Fatty Acids, Cholesterol, Protein, and Amino Acids (Macronutrients). Washington, DC: National Academy Press, 2005. Available at: http://books.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=10490&page=R1. Accessed March 26, 2008.
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