What Is Glutamine Glutamine Is A Conditionally Essential Amino Acid, It Is The Third Most Abundant Amino Acid In The Body And Brain. It Is The Most Abundant Free Amino Acid Found In The Muscles Of The Body. It Crosses The Blood-Brain Barrier And Can Be Used As Fuel For The Brain. Glutamine, An Inhibitory Neurotransmitter, Acts As A Precursor To Gaba, The Anti-Anxiety Amino Acid. It Crosses The Blood-Brain Barrier, Where It Increases Energy And Mental Speed. In The Brain, Glutamine Is Converted To Glutamic Acid - Which Is Essential For Brain Function - And Vice Versa. Helps Maintain The Proper Acid-Alkaline Balance Of The Body And Is The Basis Of Building Blocks For The Synthesis Of Rna And Dna. Promotes Mental Capacity And Maintains A Healthy Digestive Tract. Glutamine Cleans Ammonia From Tissues Helps The Brain To Discard Ammonia Waste, A Byproduct Of Protein Breakdown. When An Amino Acid Is Broken Down, Nitrogen Is Released. The Body Needs Nitrogen, But Free Nitrogen Can Form Ammonia, Which Is Highly Toxic To Brain Tissue. The Liver Can Convert Nitrogen To Urea, Which Is Excreted In The Urine, Or Nitrogen Can Be Bound To Glutamic Acid. This Process Forms Glutamine. Glutamine Is Unique Among Amino Acids In That Each Molecule Does Not Contain One Nitrogen, But Two. Thus, Its Creation Helps To Clear Ammonia From The Tissues, Especially The Brain Tissue, And Can Transport Nitrogen From One Point To Another. Glutamine And Muscle System Glutamine Is Found In Large Amounts In Muscle And Is Readily Available, When Needed, For The Synthesis Of Skeletal Muscle Proteins. Glutamine Helps The Body Develop Muscle When The Disease Causes Muscle Damage - Something That Occurs After A High Fever, Chronic Stress, Illness Or Injury. Because This Amino Acid Helps Build And Maintain Muscle, Glutamine Intake Is Good For Dieters And Weightlifters Alike. It Also Prevents Muscle Damage Caused By Prolonged Bed Rest Or Diseases Such As Cancer And Aids. This Is Because Stress And Injury (Such As Surgical Trauma) Cause Muscles To Release Glutamine Into The Bloodstream. In Fact, During Stress, One Third Of The Glutamine Present In The Muscles Can Be Released. As A Result, Stress And Illness Can Lead To Skeletal Muscle Loss. But If Enough Glutamine Is Available, This Can Be Prevented. When Glutamine Is Taken With Balanced Amino Acids, Muscle Breakdown (Atrophy) Is Prevented. Those Who Are Going To Have Surgery Should Take Glutamine Before, During And After Surgery. Dr. Douglas Wilmore Of Harvard Medical School Has Found That Glutamine Is The Key To Metabolism And Muscle Maintenance. Glutamine Is The Primary Source Of Energy For The Immune System And For Factors That Increase Growth Hormone. Why Glutamine Is A Conditional Essential Amino Acid In 1980 Glutamine Was Restored As A Conditionally Essential Amino Acid. Before 1980 Glutamine Was Considered An Unnecessary Amino Acid. A Conditionally Essential Amino Acid Means That Under Normal Conditions The Body Can Prepare (Synthesize) Sufficient Amounts Of This Amino Acid. But In Times Of Stress, Such As Fever, Illness, Trauma, Diet Or Chemotherapy, The Body Can Not Synthesize As Much As It Needs. An Extra Amount Of This Amino Acid Must Be Taken In The Form Of A Nutrient To Prevent A Deficiency. Glutamine And Immune System The Most Important Function Of Glutamine Is To Strengthen The Immune System. Glutamine Supports The Proliferation Of Selected White Blood Cells That Strengthen The Body'S Defense System. Glutamine Helps Other Immune Cells Kill Bacteria, Heal Wounds, And Maintain And Support Glutathione, An Important Antioxidant. Retaining Glutathione In The Liver Protects This Organ From The Effects Of Acetaminophen Overdose. It Also Supports The Development Of The Pancreas. Glutamine, Intestinate And Intestinal Permetration Scientists At The Nih (National Institutes Of Health) In 1970 Found That Glutamine Is The Most Important Nutrient For The Intestinal Tract. In Times Of Illness, The Body Uses More Glutamine To Help Repair Tissue In The Kidneys, Intestines And Liver. The Most Nutritious Ingredient Needed For Intestinal Repair Is Glutamine. Research Has Shown That Glutamine Is One Of The Most Important Fuels For The Intestinal Cell Wall. Leaky Gut Syndrome Is More Commonly Recognized Today Due To The Increased Use Of Anti-Inflammatory Drugs. Intestinal Permeability Syndrome Makes The Intestines More Permeable And Allows Ingredients And Foods That Do Not Normally Enter The Circulation To Pass. This Has The Effect Of Causing Food Allergies, Which Causes More Discomfort And Pain. Glutamine Helps The Intestine Heal And Become Less Permeable. Japanese Researchers Have Found That Glutamine Helps The Stomach Heal From Ulcers. Other Benefits Of Glutamine L-Glutamine Supplements May Be Helpful In Treating Arthritis, Autoimmune Diseases, Fibrosis, Intestinal Diseases, Peptic Ulcers, Connective Tissue Diseases Such As Polymyositis And Scleroderma. Cancer. L-Glutamine Can Enhance Mental Function And Has Been Used To Treat A Variety Of Problems, Including Developmental Disabilities, Epilepsy, Fatigue, Impotence, Depression, Schizophrenia And Aging. Studies Have Shown That L-Glutamine At A Dose Of 500 Mg Four Times A Day Reduces The Desire For Alcohol. L-Glutamine Also Seems To Reduce The Craving For Sweets And Carbohydrates And So May Be Helpful For Some People Who Have A Problem With Obesity Or Sugar Abuse. Glutamine Is An Effective Growth Hormone Stimulant, According To Dr. Vincent Giampapa, Director Of The Longevity Institute International. In His Book Growth Young With Hgh, Dr. Giampapa Reported That 2 Grams Of Glutamine Is More Potent Than 1 Gram Of Arginine, Ornithine And Lysine Combined.