The body usually produces plenty of the amino acid L-glutamine on its own, and you also obtain L-glutamine from food. However, supplements may be helpful at certain times, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. For example, L-glutamine levels can be lowered by intensive exercise, prolonged stress, injuries, infections and surgery, requiring supplementation. Glutamine supplements also are promoted as useful for some health disorders, including certain types of colitis. Consult a qualified health care provider before taking L-glutamine supplements.
Colitis
Colitis involves inflammation and swelling of the large intestine, also called the colon. Some symptoms include bloating, pain, diarrhea and bloody stools. Colitis has numerous possible causes, such as infection, irritable bowel syndrome and inflammatory bowel disease. Inflammatory bowel disease is an umbrella of disorders including ulcerative, Crohn's, collagenous and lymphocytic colitis. These disorders not only cause debilitating symptoms but commonly lead to serious complications. Because L-glutamine helps protect the mucous membrane lining of the gastrointestinal tract, it has been theorized that people with inflammatory bowel disease may need more of this amino acid, notes the University of Maryland Medical Center.
Function
L-glutamine is important for immune and digestive system health and normal brain function. It also removes the waste product ammonia from the body. Several clinical studies have found that providing glutamine intravenously or through a feeding tube maintains intestinal integrity, and intravenous glutamine also decreases nausea, vomiting and diarrhea caused by chemotherapy in patients with gastric or colorectal cancer, reports the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. However, limited research indicates that L-glutamine is not helpful for people with colitis.
Research
A study published in the November 2005 issue of the "European Journal of Clinical Nutrition" investigated the effects of L-glutamine supplementation on patients with an acute worsening of Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis. L-glutamine provided by the intravenous method of total parenteral nutrition did not appear to change intestinal permeability, inflammatory parameters, disease activity or nutritional parameters.
Considerations
If you'd like to try L-glutamine for treating colitis symptoms, no significant reactions to the supplement have been reported, according to Sloan-Kettering. Talk with your doctor before taking the supplement, however, to make sure that L-glutamine is safe for someone with your particular health condition. L-glutamine supplements are available in powders, capsules, tablets and liquids.
References
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Glutamine
- Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center: Glutamine
- PubMed Health: Colitis
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Inflammatory Bowel Disease
- "European Journal of Clinical Nutrition"; Glutamine-Enriched Total Parenteral Nutrition in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease; J. Ockenga, et al.; November 2005
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