Basics
Glutamine is the most plentiful plasma amino acid in the body representing approximately 60% of all the free amino acids. Located in the plasma and skeletal muscle of the body, glutamine plays a unique role in numerous critical and life sustaining functions of both humans and animals.
In particular, glutamine plays a significant role:
- As an energy substrate for cells of the intestinal mucosa. Within the gut, glutamine is the chief metabolic fuel for rapidly dividing cells such as epithelial cells and reduces intestinal villous atrophy. The normal adult intestinal surface area approaches the surface are of a tennis court, which is renewed or “repaved” every 3 days. Glutamine provides the “asphalt” to repave the absorptive tennis court. (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
- As an energy substrate for the immune system. Here glutamine provides critical fuel for cells such as lymphocytes and macrophages and is considered a critical component of the immune response. (7, 24, 25)
- As a substrate for renal ammonia genesis. (8, 9, 10, 11)
- Enhancing the in vitro bactericidal function of neutrophils. (12, 22, 23)
- As a precursor for the synthesis of nucleotides, proteins, and amino sugar. (13)
- As a regulator of protein turnover. (14)
- In improving nitrogen balance. (14, 15)
- In inhibiting protein breakdown. (10, 26)
- In stimulating the absorption of sodium and chloride. (40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47)
- In reducing chemotherapy-induced side effects. (26)
- In improving weight gain and drug absorption in malnourished patients with AIDS. (48, 49, 56, 65)