11 Ways Glutamine Benefits Every Part of Your Body

Your body requires essential amino acids, and you should include them in your daily diet plans. They play a role in almost every system throughout your body. Regular intake can make you healthier and help you treat certain conditions. The most abundant amino acid your body needs daily is glutamine, but unfortunately, many people have very little knowledge about this meaningful building block of protein. 

However, it’s vital to inform yourself about the importance of this amino acid and find new ways to incorporate it into your daily eating habits. Your body can’t improve digestion and repair damaged tissue without glutamine, and it also has a significant role in strengthening the immune system and getting rid of toxins and waste. It’s necessary to consume lots of foods rich in glutamine because this amino acid can benefit almost every part of your body. 

What exactly is glutamine?

As we mentioned before, it is the most important amino acid in your body. L-glutamine is the form of glutamine that our bodies use daily. Many people are familiar with this supplement, especially athletes and gym enthusiasts, but they mostly use it to enhance their exercise performance. However, scientific research can’t fully back up these attributes, but that doesn’t mean that glutamine can’t help you during or after an intense workout. Since glutamine is vital for providing fuel for different cells in your body, it can make you more energetic. It’s advisable to rely on other nutrients that will help you enhance your performance because you’ll be able to notice results only if you combine them. 

It’s not an essential amino acid, but some people label it as conditionally essential. In most cases, your body will be able to produce an adequate amount of glutamine, but there will be times when the amount of this amino acid in your body won’t be enough. Our bodies need more glutamine during stressful times, and we also need it more to fight inflammations and recover from injuries. 

Signs of glutamine deficiency

We often fail to recognize the processes in our bodies and label them as signs of certain diseases or ailments. One strange process or condition can be an indicator of a variety of problems. But, if you follow a pattern or visit your doctor or a nutritionist, you will be able to determine the causes. 

Various symptoms can help you identify glutamine deficiency. Anxiety and sugar or alcohol cravings are very common in people who need more of this amino acid in their bodies. They also have a poor immune system, and often struggle with diarrhea or constipation. If it takes you more than a couple of days to recover from an intense workout session, and your wounds are not healing as fast as they used to, it’s advisable to visit your doctor. 

Luckily, once you change your diet, you will notice instant improvements. Your body will get enough glutamine, and you will feel a lot better after intense workout sessions. 

Here are 11 Glutamine Benefits that you should know

1. Glutamine and metabolism

That amino acid is well known for being a vital metabolic fuel. It promotes the secretion of human growth hormone. The more HGH there is in your body, the more fat will you be able to burn daily. Regular glutamine intake can increase the amount of HGH in your body by 300 percent. That response leads to an increase in resting metabolic rate. 

Glutamine will prevent the deterioration of the gut and help your body to preserve a mucosal structure. It will improve digestion and help you maintain healthy guts. However, keep in mind that excess amounts of glutamine can be harmful. Find an adequate dosage, and don’t take more than your doctor recommends. Moderate quantities will make you a lot healthier, and you will notice the changes only a few days after you decide to add more glutamine to your diet. 

2. Glutamine and chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is a treatment that can kill fast-growing cancer cells in the body. Head and neck cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy frequently develop mycosis. Mycosis is the inflammation of the mucous membranes in the oral cavity and the voice box. Pain often follows these inflammations, and in most cases, the patients feel discomfort and ache. If the patients start taking glutamine supplements, they are sometimes able to treat inflammation and lower the intensity of pain. 

Scientists used to perform a lot of experiments to test the benefits of glutamine. The rats responded well to the glutamine in their diet, and the scientists were able to record the improvements. When rats were subject to abdomen radiation, glutamine made them lose less weight than the rats that didn’t get the supplements. 

Some studies also show that glutamine can prevent cancer, which is yet another reason to take a moderate amount of this amino acid every day.

3. Can glutamine help you lose weight?

We already talked about how glutamine can create more HGH, which can reduce the amount of fat in your body. However, it’s also vital to mention that this essential amino acid in our bodies can help you lose more weight faster. If you get the glutamine from foods that are also rich in proteins, you will notice the results shortly after you make dietary changes. These foods will make you feel fuller, and you won’t experience constant longings for sugary and baked goods. Once all your cravings stop, natural weight loss will follow. 

It’s vital to know that it’s not enough to increase the glutamine and protein intake if you want to lose weight. That is just one of all the changes you need to embrace. If you yearn to witness the best results, you will also have to start to exercise at least a few times a week. 

4. Glutamine and muscle building

One of the main goals of most athletes and fitness enthusiasts is to increase mass and tone muscles. Many studies can link glutamine to muscle building. The process that enables the building of muscles is called protein synthesis. Activation of amino acids is the major stage in protein synthesis. As one of the most important amino acids in your body, glutamine takes part in this process. It also protects your muscles from breakdown. 

However, the levels of this amino acid tend to diminish during an intense workout. That’s why it’s vital to be careful about glutamine intake and compensate after each workout session. HGH or human growth hormone also contributes to muscle growth. This hormone can increase the muscle mass and volume of those cells. Keep in mind that around 60 percent of your skeletal muscle is made of glutamine. These facts should be a reminder of the importance of this amino acid and other supplements and should motivate you to consume adequate amounts of glutamine. 

5. Glutamine can boost immunity

Glutamine is vital for your immune system. However, during your weakest moments, your body may not be strong enough to produce the desired amounts of amino acid. Add more glutamine into your diet if you notice symptoms of a cold. Increased intake can boost your immunity and help you recover faster. It’s a great immune-boosting agent, and it can also ensure that your body preserves enough protein stores in your body. If you’re determined to enhance your immune status, you should eat more seafood, meat, and dairy products, especially milk. 

6. Promotes brain health

As one of the essential neurotransmitters in the brain, it helps your body regulate the glutamate-glutamine cycle. That process is vital for your brain function. Once the cycle is disrupted, you may experience anxiety, stress, depression, or even alcohol addiction. Glutamine makes your brain feel younger, which is yet another reason why you need to increase your daily intake. 

7. Glutamine and liver function

People with liver problems use glutamine supplementation to maintain the health of this organ, but they also use it as a part of their detox program. 

For example, rats with glutamine-supplemented diets had nearly fifty percent less fat in their livers. Rats that were given a regular diet had a higher amount of fat in their livers. However, we’re still expecting clinical research, and we hope that you will be able to find more useful information in the future. 

8. Glutamine and diabetes

Glutamine can help you burn fat, which makes it ideal for preventing diabetes. It suppresses insulin levels, but it can also stabilize blood glucose levels. Since glutamine is capable of fighting high levels of sugar in our blood, you can use it to prevent diabetes. Amino acids can aid you when it comes to fighting cravings from sugary and fatty foods. 

Amino acids are great for your health, and your body knows how to produce them on its own. However, there are times when we need to put more effort to include them in our daily diet. If you struggle with cravings and high levels of sugar in your blood, it’s advisable to talk to your doctor. They might recommend taking glutamine and other vital amino acids for your system. 

9. Muscle-wasting in people with HIV

Scientists are still struggling to find a cure for HIV. However, they are doing their best to make the lives of HIV patients a lot better and easier. These people often experience a loss of lean tissue mass, and as time passes, people lose more without being able to regain what’s lost. But, glutamine encourages weight gain and nutrient absorption, which is why most doctors recommend their patients with HIV to take oral supplementation. They might have to take higher doses because that’s the only way to make glutamine effective. But, these supplements can only make them feel better, even if they have to take more glutamine than an average person. 

10. Recovery after surgery

If you have to spend a couple of days in the hospital, you should consider eating more foods that are rich in glutamine. This amino acid can help you recover faster and get back on your feet as soon as possible. It will reduce the amount of time you spend lying in a hospital bed, and you will feel a lot better throughout the whole recovery process. It doesn’t affect the surgery in any way, which makes it safe to use even before the surgery. However, keep in mind that you’re not supposed to eat or drink anything right before they give you anesthesia. 

11. Lowered risks

Chronically ill people need to be very careful when it comes to nurturing their well-being. They have to develop an adequate nutrition plan that enables them to live without any pains and aches or complications. Glutamine can be vital for these people because it reduces the risk of spreading bacteria from their guts to other parts of their system. It may not be able to reduce death cases, but it can reduce infections that often require you to visit the hospital and stay there for a couple of days. Glutamine supplements or foods rich in glutamine can ensure that these people lead a happy life without worrying about potential health complications of this type. 

Conclusion

As you won’t have to take glutamine supplements often, it’s vital to find the ones that suit you the most. Do your best to take good care of your health and speed up your recovery after an accident. Don’t forget to talk to your doctor before you start including amino acids in your diet, because they can give you more advice and recommendations in case you need them. 

Meat and some dairy products contain a generous amount of glutamine. You can also find it in some vegetables, such as cabbage, beets, spinach, and brussels sprouts. Fermented foods such as miso paste can also provide a fair amount of this amino acid. If you notice any symptoms that may indicate that you need to produce more glutamine, a trip to your doctor’s office will resolve your suspicions, and after a short consultation, you will know whether you need to add it to your diet or not.