L-glutamine is a conditionally essential amino acid with various benefits and uses:

1. Muscle Recovery and Performance: L-glutamine supports muscle protein synthesis, which is crucial for muscle repair and growth. It helps in the recovery process after intense physical activities by replenishing glutamine stores in muscle tissues¹².

2. Immune Function: It plays a vital role in maintaining a healthy immune response, especially during periods of physical stress or illness when the body’s demand for glutamine increases³⁴.

3. Gut Health: L-glutamine is essential for gut health as it maintains the integrity of the intestinal barrier, potentially preventing harmful substances from entering the bloodstream. However, research results on its effectiveness for gut health remain mixed⁵⁶.

4. Sickle Cell Disease: L-glutamine has been approved for use in the treatment of sickle cell disease to prevent painful crises. It appears to work by increasing levels of NAD and glutathione, which are essential for cellular oxidative-reductive balance⁷.

5. Anti-Fatigue: L-glutamine is considered beneficial in sports nutrition for its potential anti-fatigue properties, including increased glycogen synthesis and reduced ammonia accumulation⁸.

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Footnotes

1. Audrey Yule Coqueiro, "Glutamine as an Anti-Fatigue Amino Acid in Sports Nutrition," PMC, 2019. ↩

2. Claire Muszalski, "The Benefits Of L-Glutamine & When You Should Be Taking It," Myprotein, 2020. ↩

3. Dr. Amy Myers, "Does L-Glutamine Support Muscle Recovery After Exercise?" Amy Myers MD. ↩

4. Laura Harcourt, "L-Glutamine and Recovery," Holland & Barrett, 2023. ↩

5. Najate Achamrah, "Glutamine and the regulation of intestinal permeability," PubMed. ↩

6. Laura Harcourt, "L-Glutamine and Recovery," Holland & Barrett, 2023. ↩

7. Weaver SB et al., "L-Glutamine - LiverTox," NCBI Bookshelf. ↩

8. Audrey Yule Coqueiro, "Glutamine as an Anti-Fatigue Amino Acid in Sports Nutrition," PMC, 2019. ↩