What is glutamine?

So, before you consider adding glutamine to your routine, let’s explore what it does, its potential benefits and any side effects to watch out for.

Glutamine is one of 20 amino acids.² Your body can produce some of these amino acids itself, but others you may need to get from your diet.² You can also get glutamine through certain foods, like bone broth, eggs, yogurt, tofu, and leafy greens (like spinach).

However, there can be times when you experience a glutamine deficiency or you feel that you need to boost the levels of this amino acid – for example, after illness or surgery.² 

There are two types of glutamine – L-glutamine and D-glutamine.¹ The most important one to know about is L-glutamine, since it’s used to make proteins and perform other important functions in your body. 

D-glutamine, on the other hand, seems to have little to no effect on the way our bodies work.¹

Think the potential benefits could be for you? It’s best to get L-glutamine through your diet where you can, but you can also take supplements – they’re readily available and easy to take. Let’s find out more…

That said, glutamine supplements might offer some potential perks, such as: 

While these benefits are promising, further research is needed to confirm glutamine’s full impact on health.

Food sources containing high levels of glutamine include plant and animal proteins like beef, pork, poultry, milk, yoghurt, ricotta cheese, raw spinach and cabbage. A considerable amount of glutamine also comes from refined grains, whole grains and cereals.⁶ 

Finally, you can consider taking L-glutamine supplements as an easy and convenient way of boosting your glutamine levels. 

Alternatively, you could look at taking a comprehensive amino acid supplement that contains the recommended amounts of all amino acids, including L-glutamine. These are available in both tablet form and as powders in a variety of flavours. You can add them to drinks, such as shakes and smoothies, as well as to things like porridge and pancakes.

Nevertheless, we recommend that you consult with your healthcare practitioner before you start taking glutamine supplements.

Taking any sort of supplement can cause side effects and glutamine is no exception. Some of the side effects associated with routinely taking glutamine include:⁹

• bloating
• nausea 
• dizziness 
• heartburn 
• stomach pain 

 Doses of up to 0.65g of glutamine per kg of body mass have been reported to be tolerated without resulting in significant side effects.⁹ However, the typical dose of glutamine used in muscle recovery studies is around 0.1g of glutamine per kg of body weight per day.¹⁰ This means that while 0.65g per kg of body weight may have been tolerated, generally, a lower dose is given when scientific research is carried out.¹⁰

Studies on the effects of glutamine, especially taken in high doses for an extended period, are limited. This means that we don’t know exactly what impact it could have on your body long-term.

If you’re considering starting any supplement, you must check to make sure it doesn’t interact with any other medication (prescription or over-the-counter) you take. No formal drug interaction study has been done with glutamine, so we recommend you speak to your healthcare provider before taking your first dose.

Want more info on supporting your immune and digestive health? Discover our immunity guide or browse our favourite gut health products.

If you're thinking of adding glutamine to your daily mix, it might be worth considering – just remember to check in with your health professional first.