Glutamine is an amino acid that is used to make proteins. Glutamine is essential for muscle strength, stamina, and recovery. Although glutamine is produced in the body and can be obtained from food, when the body is under stress, whether caused by intense exercise, illness, or injury, the body is unable to produce adequate amounts of its own glutamine. Follow these steps to learn how to take a glutamine supplement.
Step
Method 1 of 2: Understanding Glutamine
Step 1. Know things about glutamine
Glutamine is an amino acid that is produced in the body. Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins that are important for regulating cell growth and function. In particular, glutamine helps remove waste substances, also known as ammonia, from the body. Glutamine also helps your immune system and digestion.
In the body, glutamine is stored in the muscles and lungs
Step 2. Look for natural sources of glutamine
The body generally obtains most of the glutamine by producing the substance itself and through daily food intake. However, when the body is under stress, injury, or infection, your body is unable to produce sufficient amounts of glutamine. If this happens, there are two ways to get extra glutamine.
You can get it naturally through a diet supplemented by an increase in glutamine-rich foods. Glutamine is naturally contained in high protein foods such as milk, fish, meat, nuts. Glutamine can also be obtained from vegetables such as spinach, cabbage, and parsley. Although these foods provide the body with glutamine, they do not provide as much glutamine as supplements
Step 3. Ask your doctor about glutamine supplements
If you can't get enough glutamine through food, or if you need extra glutamine because of increased stress on the body, ask your doctor about a glutamine supplement. The dose and type you should take varies greatly depending on the health problem you are experiencing. Your doctor can tell you whether this form of treatment is appropriate and can tell you how much glutamine you should take.
- Generally, the dose of supplements used is 5-10 grams a day, which is usually divided into three doses in a day. However, your doctor may also ask you to consume up to 14 grams a day. Keep in mind that there are some conditions that require higher doses. Do not use a higher dose unless your doctor advises you to do so.
- Glutamine supplements are used for a variety of health problems, but not all of them are based on solid research.
Step 4. Consider trying different forms of supplements
Although you should ask your doctor for the supplement, glutamine supplements are generally available over-the-counter at pharmacies and health food stores. This supplement is usually available in the form of L-glutamine and can be part of a protein supplement. The content of the supplement should be listed on the packaging whether the product is made from natural or synthetic ingredients. Many supplements appear to be sourced from plants so they are free from animal ingredients, but you should always check the label.
Glutamine is available in capsule, powder, liquid, and tablet forms. Powder and liquid forms may be a better choice for people who have difficulty swallowing or who use this supplement to treat stomatitis
Step 5. Take glutamine supplements properly
There are certain rules that you need to follow in taking glutamine. Glutamine supplements can be taken with or without food, but make sure you don't take them with hot foods or drinks. The reason is that glutamine is an amino acid that can be affected by temperature. Glutamine should be taken only with cold or room temperature liquids.
Glutamine supplements in powder or liquid form can be mixed with water or low acid juices such as carrot or apple juice. Do not mix it with juices made from the citrus fruit group such as grapefruit and oranges, as these fruits are more acidic. Never mix liquid or powdered glutamine with hot drinks as the heat will strip the amino acids away
Step 6. Know the side effects and warnings
Because glutamine is naturally produced in the body, it is rare for glutamine to have adverse side effects. However, you should avoid consuming excessive glutamine because it can cause indigestion. You should also consult your doctor before taking glutamine if you have liver or kidney disease, or if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. You may need to reduce your dose or stop taking glutamine completely.
- Please note that glutamine is completely different from glutamate, glutamic acid, monosodium glutamate, and gluten. Therefore, people suffering from gluten intolerance need not worry about having an adverse reaction when taking glutamine.
- However, in certain cases, people can experience adverse reactions when taking glutamine. Symptoms experienced include stomach pain, vomiting, headache, sweating, and joint pain. If this happens, you should stop taking glutamine immediately.
Method 2 of 2: Using Glutamine in Certain Situations
Step 1. Use glutamine in wound healing
Glutamine supplements are often used to treat people who have experienced stress from an injury. Cortisol, a hormone released when the body is under stress from injury, burns, and infection, causes a decrease in glutamine production. Some research suggests that glutamine supplements help boost the immune system, which helps fight the side effects of wounds.
Glutamine also helps reduce infection. Glutamine's natural muscle-replenishing properties also make it very effective for patients who have suffered burns or underwent surgery
Step 2. Take glutamine for body building
Glutamine is a popular bodybuilding supplement. Just as your body experiences stress from an injury, your body will also experience stress when you build it. The assumption of most people is that this supplement will help restore stamina and strengthen muscles that have been overstrained by very hard exercise.
Although this is a popular method, there have been no conclusive studies with evidence of its use in body shaping
Step 3. Increase low glutamine levels due to cancer
Cancer patients often have low levels of glutamine in the body. Because of this, research is underway to find out how glutamine supplementation can help people with cancer. Currently, it is used for malnourished patients who are going through treatment as well as for patients receiving bone marrow transplants.
Some research suggests that glutamine supplements can help treat stomatitis, which is an inflammation of the oral mucosa, and diarrhea associated with chemotherapy
Step 4. Treat other health problems
Researchers believe that there are a number of other health problems that glutamine can help treat. Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which includes ulcerative colitis (inflammation of the large intestine or colon and rectum) and Crohn's disease, can be treated with glutamine. This is because glutamine plays a role in protecting the mucosa, which is the lining of the digestive tract. Take one 5 gram glutamine tablet, six times a day orally for up to 16 weeks. The length of time to take it is limited because this dose is much higher than the normal dose.
- Despite the fact that glutamine can be helpful in treating diarrhea and inflammation of the mucosa near the mouth, studies have not shown that glutamine is helpful in treating other digestive problems such as Crohn's disease.
- Glutamine can also help in the treatment of HIV/AIDS. Some research shows that glutamine supplements, in addition to other supplements, can lead to increased body weight and muscle mass. This is important because people with HIV/AIDS often experience severe weight loss and muscle mass loss. In addition, glutamine supplements can help people with HIV/AIDS better absorb nutrients, which is a major focus of this health problem.
