Glutamine

Your body's favorite supplement

Alana Falzon

Have you ever been extremely overwhelmed in the supplement section of the health food store? I have, every time, actually.  One time that sticks out was me frantically trying to figure out the difference between L-Glutamine and Glutamine…WHAT IS THE L??? The L stands for a biologically active form of an amino acid. So in the case of Glutamine… L-glutamine is the biologically active form and has a broader spectrum of medical uses. While “glutamine” is a mixture of L-glutamine and D-glutamine, and is not as effective in the body. They are chemically similar compounds, but they slightly differ in their structure and function. So let’s get into that.

What is this stuff anyway??? 

Gutamine is the most abundant and versatile amino acid in the body, meaning you are fully capable of creating this wonderful compound! However, under certain conditions like stress, sickness, or intense training, your demand can outrun your supply. For this reason, glutamine is a common part of nutrition supplementation protocols and is highly recommended for immunocompromised individuals. I won't go over the benefits of L-Gluamine vs Glutamine since even in supplementation, the bioactive compound is present, and they act the same. 

Gut Health - Glutamine is the primary source of enterocytes, which are the cells that line your gut. This amino acid could be beneficial to those suffering from leaky gut, gut infections, chronic inflammation, or autoimmune & gastrointestinal diseases. 

Muscle Repair & Recovery  - If you have heard of Glutamine before, it was highly likely that it was in a fitness setting. This is very commonly supplemented by athletes and gym bros.  Glutamine has also been used for those suffering from trauma, burns or infections because it aids tissue repair! 

Science time- as you now know, Glutamine is an amino acid (the building blocks of proteins) and one of the key elements within amino acids as well as nucleotides (these make up your DNA) is nitrogen.

For tissues to safely repair themselves, the body needs to move nitrogen around efficiently so it uses molecules like L-glutamine, like a little postman, to do this.

Immune system - many immune cells depend on L-glutamine as fuel and supplementing can support immune resilience in times of stress, illness, or travel when your body is using more than it can produce.

Detoxification/antioxidant product - glutamine is the precursor for glutathione, your body‘s master antioxidant, and it also supports the regulation of the PH in your kidneys! This stuff does it all! 

Cognitive and Craving Support - L-glutamine helps steady your mind by supporting the neurotransmitters that keep you focused and calm, and it also gives your brain a quick hit of clean fuel so you’re not chasing sugar or carb cravings when your energy dips

TOP Whole Food Sources of L-Glutamine 

I am always one to recommend making nutrition-based changes before taking a bunch of supplements. Glutamine is mostly bioavailable in animal-based foods. Plants contain less glutamine per gram, but eating a diverse mix could add up nicely.

This includes: 

Beef (grass-fed)

Chicken

Fish (mackerel, Salmon, Tuna, Cod & Sardines)  

Eggs 

Bone Broths 

Yogurt or Kefir

Grass-fed milk 

Cottage cheese 

(Fermented dairy is better for gut repair) 

Cabbage 

Beets 

Spinach (most dark leafy greens) 

Parsley

Legumes 

Another thing to think about is supportive nutrients to help your body produce its own Glutamine

Magnesium & B6: Avocados, Pumpkin seeds, bananas, nuts, liver, eggs 

Sulfur-rich foods: garlic, onions, cruciferous vegetables, eggs, seafood 

Protein protein! PROTEIN! 

*Cooking these with methods that preserve amino acids like glutamine is recommended.  

One More Thing Worth Sharing

Examine is an AMAZING database that I would highly recommend to any health & wellness professional. On their platform, you can see real evidence-based scientific information covering hundreds of health conditions and showing you interventions like supplements and diets that have been evaluated based on measurable changes. They even have their own AI Chatbot that can quickly scan all of their human-made publications for speedy answers. 

https://examine.com/supplements/glutamine/?show_conditions=true

Resources:

Cruzat, V., Macedo Rogero, M., Noel Keane, K., Curi, R., & Newsholme, P. (2018). Glutamine: Metabolism and immune function, supplementation and clinical translation. Nutrients, 10(11), 1564. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu10111564

Kim, M.-H., & Kim, H. (2017). The roles of glutamine in the intestine and its implication in intestinal diseases. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 18(5), 1051. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms18051051