Big effect
Perioperative glutamine reduced infectious complications by 64% in a meta-analysis of 950 colorectal surgery patients — but the evidence is low-to-moderate certainty and may not generalize to healthy people.
This large effect is promising for a specific clinical scenario, but because the studies are among the first on this pairing and the certainty is low, the finding needs replication before it can be considered reliable for broader use.
In colorectal cancer patients undergoing radical resection, adding glutamine to intravenous nutrition around the time of surgery cut the risk of infections by about two-thirds and also reduced other complications and hospital stay. However, the evidence is graded as low-to-moderate certainty, the dose wasn't specified, and the results come from a sick, hospitalized population — so they don't apply to healthy people taking glutamine supplements.
Where this fits in the evidence
This is among the first studies we've indexed on L-Glutamine for Reduced Infectious Complication — treat it as an early signal until more research accumulates.
The study
- Meta-Analysis
- n = 950
- 2026-03
- Technology in cancer research & treatment
This is a plain-language summary of a research finding, not medical advice. Pillser surfaces research signals to help you decide what's worth investigating — always consult a qualified professional before changing what you take.