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Glutamine briefly explained
Glutamine is the most common amino acid in the body, especially in the muscles. In the case of disease, the consumption of glutamine is also significantly increased by immune cells, which use glutamine as a substrate. Glutamine is an essential nutrient for the cells of the gastrointestinal mucosa, which hold an important transport and defence function at the intestines-blood barrier. Glutamine is also critical for the proliferation of lymphocytes (white blood cells), whose production increases sharply in the case of infections or injuries, as well as for the formation of antibodies and the activity of other immune defence cells. In catabolic situations, such as severe physical exhaustion, glutamine supplementation can generally be indicated.
Literature
Cruzat et al. (2018): Glutamine: Metabolism and Immune Function, Supplementation and Clinical Translation, in: Nutrients. 2018 Oct 23;10(11). pii: E1564. doi: 10.3390/nu10111564.
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Author: Remo Jutzeler
Head R&D SPONSER SPORT FOOD
Ing. Applied Food Sciences UAS
MAS Nutrition & Health ETHZ
