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Does high doses of L Glutamine cause any problems

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 9/5/2009 4:46 PM (GMT 0)
Thinking of starting L-Glutamine since I have read a lot about the intestinal healing abilities from it. One place I read some people take high does because of their intestines. Any suggestions? And do you take it with a meal or before for best absorption?
Posted 9/5/2009 5:12 PM (GMT 0)
I have the same questions - I tried it some months ago and I am not sure if it worked, and I wonder if anyone has had success with it and tips for use.
Posted 9/6/2009 3:21 PM (GMT 0)
I take it every day after a meal, I don't know if it works much but I ran out about 3 weeks ago.  Started flaring last Sunday started taking it again on the Monday and I am feeling much better today.  I have also been using rectal meds so it is probably them that has made me feel better but who knows.
Posted 9/7/2009 2:02 AM (GMT 0)
Glutamine can be quite constipating in my experience, so I would start off with 5 grams or less for a few days before trying higher doses gradually.
Posted 9/7/2009 11:11 AM (GMT 0)
If you tend toward constipation, it is recommended that you take it with meals. If you have diarrhea, then take it on an empty stomach.

Other supplements to consider for intestinal healing are n-acetyl glucosamine (about 3 grams/day) and aloe vera juice (minus the aloin).
Posted 9/7/2009 4:02 PM (GMT 0)
I would love to be constipated...
Posted 5/2/2013 4:48 AM (GMT 0)
I take Glutamine, not all the time however as of a week or so ago it has become something I take 3 times day. I was originally diagnosed 9 months ago however I had symptoms for about a year prior to seeking medical help. I noticed that when I am taking it things tend to get better. Ever since I was diagnosed things have been extremely bumpy. Every time I get close to being better I get a cold/flu or something which causes a flair.


Right now I'm taking Sulfazine 1000MGx4 Dicyclomine 20mgx4 about 1TBS glutamine x3 (I don't measure) 1500MG Omega-3x1 150000UI D3x1 130MG Ironx1 100mcg K2 along with a normal multivitamin "Omega Men Sport"

I just got off of a month long of Mesalamine Enemas. Not sure if they even helped so I'm not taking them anymore because they were far to expensive.

Long story short Glutamine should be extremely helpful if you are having a flair or sorts. I have had consistiant bleeding aside from some short breaks for a very long time, in fact the majority of my colons lining was completely ulcerated. Anyway Glutamine is supposed to be one of the primary building blocks of the Colon, this means if you are having a flair taking it will help you heal faster because your body can only produce so much at any given time. Similarly to how Iron will help you make more blood cells if you are anemic.
Posted 5/2/2013 8:32 AM (GMT 0)
I took a supplement containing it for a while, I never know what helps because I do too much at once and can't work out what was helpful and then get better for a while and get lazy but I did well when I was on it.

The dosage I took was as recommended on the supplement. I am in the UK, don't know if they sell elsewhere
www.biocare.co.uk/default.aspx?GroupGuid=29&ProductGuid=28590
Looks like it contained 750mg taken once a day.

I have just come across a supplement with it that looks like a good combination of ingredients, probiotics as well. However, presume it is only available in North America?
www.thorne.com/Products/Gastrointestinal-Health/prd~SF741.jsp
Posted 5/2/2013 8:41 AM (GMT 0)
Incidentally, I have just this week started eating small amounts of raw, unpasteurised sauerkraut, which I have never got around to making myself but happily the local health food store here is stocking (link here for anyone in UK)
www.rawhealth.uk.com/product-562-7.html

I was expected all sorts of trouble from it, gas etc as I have experienced from eating pasteurised sauerkraut. However, I have had a really good few days so suspect it is actually helping and I have just read that it is very high in l-glutamine.
Posted 5/2/2013 10:21 AM (GMT 0)
Hmm, it says veggies like spinach and cabbage are natural sources of l-glutamine, so those might be worth trying over supplements first.
Posted 5/2/2013 11:05 AM (GMT 0)
Certainly, so long as you can tolerate them and you do not have thyroid problems, good to start with them. I have stared in small amounts. Also using molybdenum supplement to deal with sulfur metabolism.
Posted 5/2/2013 11:16 AM (GMT 0)
Johnny,

Welcome to the forum.

Regarding:  Ever since I was diagnosed things have been extremely bumpy. Every time I get close to being better I get a cold/flu or something which causes a flair.

Are you on any probiotics?

These are very important. If not, I would suggest you ask your doc for a prescription for VSL #3DS ( have him write it as 4 sachets per day, so it will give you some leaway, i.e. when you are flaring you'll take 4 per day, and when you're not you can drop down to 2-3).

Also, as soon as I feel a cold coming on, or even if I"m undergoing more stress than usual, I will double up on the probiotics and it nips it in the bud.

I would suggest that if you're not already on probiotics to get good ones, and if you are taking them, double them at the first sign of a cold or flare.

If you are interested in other suggestions, there are things IMO that you can control, which will have a direct impact on your disease, the symptoms you experience and their severity.

I was able to control my UC into remission through various supplements, probiotics, diet modification, and LDN , low dose naltrexone.

For more info on the protocol which has put me into remission, please go to this link: https://www.healingwell.com/community/default.aspx?f=38&m=1666318 , and look at the 11th post.

I hope you feel better and let us know how we can help you.

Posted 5/2/2013 12:14 PM (GMT 0)
I take glutamine once in a while usually only after a flare but the jury is still out about taking tons of it every day. Do not believe everything you read on the forum.  

But besides being aware of side effects when taking meds, maybe we should also be just as cautious about consuming some supplements:

articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2004/05/01/glutamine.aspx
The major use for high-dose glutamine would be to repair gastrointestinal injury. In such cases, I would recommend short-term use only...

Glutamine accumulation has also been found in Alzheimer’s disease, Huntington’s disease and high levels of brain glutamine have been associated with a worse prognosis in Lou Gehrig’s disease. Likewise, recent studies have shown that high brain glutamine levels increase brain levels of free radicals and impair the ability of brain mitochondria to produce energy. When the brain produces low energy, excitotoxins, such as glutamate, become even more toxic. It has been shown that the reason for glutamine toxicity under these conditions is because it is converted to the excitotoxin--glutamate...

Newer studies indicate that actually it is the glutamine that is causing the brain’s injury. Increasing glutamine in the diet would significantly aggravate this damage
Posted 5/2/2013 3:19 PM (GMT 0)
I use Glutamine daily (for over a year) and find it very helpful to repair muscle tissue (from long workouts/running). If you are flaring, this should be something you take as the body burns through it when stressed. As long as you dont take more that 40 grams/daily for year(s), you will be fine.

Glutamine is used to counter some of the side effects of medical treatments. For example, it is used for side effects of cancer chemotherapy including diarrhea, pain and swelling inside the mouth (mucositis), nerve pain (neuropathy), and muscle and joint pains caused by the cancer drug Taxol. Glutamine is also used to protect the immune system and digestive system in people undergoing radiochemotherapy for cancer of the esophagus. Additionally, glutamine is used for improving recovery after bone marrow transplant or bowel surgery, increasing well-being in people who have suffered traumatic injuries, and preventing infections in critically ill people.

Some people use glutamine for digestive system conditions such as stomach ulcers, ulcerative colitis, and Crohn’s disease. It is also used for depression, moodiness, irritability, anxiety, insomnia, and enhancing exercise performance.
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