Glutamine
Recovery · Amino acid
Tier B-
What this is
Large gap between clinical utility (severely ill/wounded patients) and healthy-athlete marketing. Ziegler 2013 EPaNIC-era REDOXS trial found IV glutamine in ICU was harmful — cooled enthusiasm. Modest gut-barrier support claims. Competes with BCAAs for transport.
Mechanism
Most abundant free amino acid; conditionally essential during catabolic stress; primary fuel for enterocytes and immune cells; glutathione precursor
Dose & route
5-10 g/day PO (athlete); up to 30 g/day clinical
Citations
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23594003/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29466325/
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6124787/
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This is an independent synthesis of published research by a non-clinician. Scores are opinions supported by citations, not prescriptions. See the full disclaimer and methodology for how this score was produced and what it does and doesn't mean.