L-Glutamine - Benefits and Doses
Updated: Jul 10, 2020
L-Glutamine is an amino acid (a building block for proteins), found naturally in the body.
But when its deficiency occurs one should take supplementation for the same.
During heavy workouts too, body needs extra glutamine.
How does it work ?
L-Glutamine is the most abundant free amino acid in the body. Amino acids are the building blocks of protein. L-Glutamine is produced in the muscles and is distributed by the blood to the organs that need it.
L-Glutamine might help gut function, the immune system, and other essential processes in the body, especially in times of stress. It is also important for providing "fuel" (nitrogen and carbon) to many different cells in the body.
L-Glutamine is needed to make other chemicals in the body such as other amino acids and glucose (sugar).
Obesity. Some early studies show that taking L-glutamine for 2-4 weeks might help reduce waist size in people who are overweight or obese. It's unclear if L-glutamine can help with weight loss. One small study in obese women shows that it can, while another in overweight and obese adults shows that it can't. It's not known if taking L-glutamine long-term has benefits for people who are overweight or obese.
Poor nutrient absorption that occurs when part of the small intestine is missing or removed (short bowel syndrome).
Nerve damage caused by the drug vincristine. Taking L-glutamine daily during vincristine treatment seems to reduce nerve damage in children and young adults.
ADULTS
BY MOUTH:
Daily Intake Recommendations: 0.35-0.5 grams per kilogram body weight each day or 4.3 grams every four hours.
Children: L-Glutamine is LIKELY SAFE when taken by mouth in doses up to 0.7 grams/kg body weight daily or when given by IV in doses up to 400 mg/kg body weight daily. Not enough information is known about the safety of higher doses of L-glutamine in children.