Glutamine: The Overlooked Key To Faster Recovery

This humble amino acid may have flown under most health conscious persons radar for too long!

Whether you're recovering from an injury, a digestive issue, depression, immune dysfunction, allergies, or even a strenuous gym workout, then you must know about glutamine! 

Are you unable to stay on your newest 'healthy' diet because of your carbohydrate or alcohol cravings? Glutamine could be the answer to your problems!

What is glutamine?

Glutamine is the most abundant free amino acid in the body and is involved in more metabolic processes than any other amino acid.

Even though its not considered an essential amino acid because our body can produce it, when we suffer any stress or trauma, our body relies on its reserves.

If our reserves are not replenished it can lead to our body telling us we require fast supplementation!

Glutamine supports muscle gain and prevents muscle loss, it is essential for metabolism, repair and recovery. Glutamine is found in large amounts in muscle tissue.

Most serious body builders know about glutamines' brilliant ability to build and maintain muscle. That's why you can see all the serious gym junkies drink their protein powders and glutamine within half hour of finishing their workouts!

It eases muscle soreness, speeds repair of muscle tissue, and promotes a faster recovery from strenuous workouts. 

 

Watch my glutamine video here for more info..

10 Awesome Ways Glutamine Can Help You Heal Faster

Glutamine and cancer

Because glutamine helps prevent muscle break down it is also fantastic for people suffering from any muscle wasting conditions due to prolonged bed rest, such as cancer.

Cancer patients who experience mouth ulcers when receiving chemotherapy and radiation will benefit from glutamine because it helps speed healing, boosts immune function and helps enhance energy levels.

Did you know that double blind studies have shown that glutamine supplementation dramatically increased survival in critically ill patients? That is a significant finding!

Glutamine is especially important for the immune system because it serves as a source of fuel for white blood cells.

Many cancer treatments have detrimental effects on the gut and can impair appetite and nutrient absorption.

Dr. Michael Murray, one of Americas most prominent doctors specializing in natural medicine recommends using glutamine to support recovery from surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy.

As much as one third of the glutamine present in the muscles can be released into the bloodstream during times of stress, injury and trauma.

That's why sick people can lose a significant amount of skeletal muscle tissue. However, if enough glutamine is available, this muscle wasting can be prevented.

Have a look at my favorite and most affordable glutamine here!

Glutamine, leaky gut & allergies

Glutamine is one of the most important nutrients for your intestines. It has the ability to repair a 'leaky gut' by maintaining the structural integrity of the intestinal wall.

Its an important amino acid in the gastrointestinal tract because it modulates inflammation and promotes repair mechanisms.

Its imperative for nourishing and restoring the intestinal villi (gut lining) that have been affected by immune reactivity and inflammation. It also helps prevent bacteria from attaching to the intestinal wall, and growing and spreading.

People who experience IBS, cealiac, colitis, gastric ulcers and can all support their bodies recovery by supplementing with this amino acid.

Almost every case of allergy, chemical sensitivity, skin rashes, and migraines can be traced back to an issue with gut permeability, or 'leaky gut'. Glutamine is a major contributor in helping 'seal' a permeable gut.

Most nutritional formulas that aim to improve digestion will contain glutamine in their list of ingredients for this reason. 

Glutamine and the brain

Glutamine is known as 'brain fuel' because it can pass the blood brain barrier. 

This very selective barrier filters the circulating blood going to the brain, and glutamine is able to pass through and have a direct affect on brain function.

Glutamine will enhance mental activity, improve mood, ease anxiety, brain 'fog', lift depression, and generally just stabilize moods.

Other amazing facts about glutamine

Glutamine and detoxification

Glutamine is important for the formation of powerful antioxidant glutathione. Glutathione helps the liver detoxify many toxins that we are exposed to in our environment, as well as those that form internally.

We form more toxins when we are sick, suffer inflammation, and when our immune system is impaired. These are the times our body would benefit from supplementing with glutamine.

We are also less able to clear those toxins when we don't have enough vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients such as glutamine, which support the body’s detoxification processes.

What is an effective dose to supplement with?

This will depend on what you are needing help with. Obviously, the more chronic your symptoms, the higher and more frequent the dose will generally need to be.

Doses can range from 1,000gm-20,000gms per day.

For example, someone who just wants to prevent muscle soreness after a workout it would be sufficient to supplement with approximately 5gm once daily.

Whereas someone experiencing more serious and chronic health conditions such as IBS, clinical depression, or cancer may need to take 5-10grams three times a day.

And of course, if you have a chronic condition, always work with an integrative health practitioner who embraces all healing modalities who can guide you accordingly to your needs.

5 grams is approximately 1 heaped teaspoon of glutamine powder. Mix in with a glass of water, or put it in a smoothie. 

I personally prefer the powdered form instead of tablets because you can adjust the dose accordingly.  

So next time you're recovering from any illness, trauma, or surgery remember this humble amino acid.

Please also feel free to subscribe to the Journey Thru Wellness You Tube channel and blogs if you are keen to learn more about how you can maximize your health!

References:

How To Prevent & Treat Cancer With Natural Medicine-Dr M. Murray

The Physicians Handbook Of Clinical Nutriton- H. Osiecki

Prescription For Nutritional Healing-Balch &Balch