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Posted 1/27/2012 9:27 PM (GMT 0)
What brand(s) of L-Glutamine do you use?
Capsule or powder form?
How much and how often do you take it?

Thanks.........:-)
Posted 1/27/2012 9:47 PM (GMT 0)
I only recently started taking it and I take it in 500 mg capsule form, once per day in the morning, without food. The brand I use is Source Naturals. I can't say one way or another whether it has helped me. I started two other products simultaneously -- psyllium seed powder (as distinguished from psyllium husk powder, which I also take), and Florastor. I tend to attribute my remission (not 100% but at least 95% now) to those two but I'm still taking the L-Glutamine anyway. ;-)
Posted 1/27/2012 11:07 PM (GMT 0)
Itsalwaysomething,
Personally, I like L-Glutamine powder, IMO it's more effective.
If you have diarrhea, you can take 1 teaspoon in a little water on an empty stomach. And then for long term colonic repair, you can add it to your shakes, and I take 5 grams daily.
Posted 1/28/2012 12:33 AM (GMT 0)
I was told to take 4 850mg pills 3x per day. I can't remember the brand of the top of my head, but can look when I go downstairs. I have been on it for 3 months. Don't really notice anything different, but am still plugging away with it.
Posted 1/28/2012 1:07 AM (GMT 0)
The brand that I have is Jarrow formulas.
Posted 1/28/2012 1:42 AM (GMT 0)

InSoFla said...
Itsalwaysomething,
Personally, I like L-Glutamine powder, IMO it's more effective.
If you have diarrhea, you can take 1 teaspoon in a little water on an empty stomach. And then for long term colonic repair, you can add it to your shakes, and I take 5 grams daily.

Ditto! :)
Posted 1/28/2012 2:00 AM (GMT 0)
pure encapuslations brand. it's pure powder. hypoallergenic, pharma grade, no fillers.
Posted 1/28/2012 4:33 AM (GMT 0)
I just buy the powder from the Vitamin Shoppe down the road from me. I take 1/2 tsp in my morning juice/water, about 1/2 hour before eating anything. I might ramp it up to 1 tsp at some point.
Posted 1/28/2012 12:03 PM (GMT 0)
Bump,

I would like to know the same as OP. I am in flare for a little over a month now and now on 40mg of Pred. My GI asked me to stay on Pred for a longer period so I will be on Pred for 3 months or so this time. I guess its the time to add L-Glutamine. She isn't keen on me adding L-Glutamine but I would like to add it anyways.

I wonder if there is any other amino acid 'mix' brand that anyone would go for instead of L-Glutamine only.

@janey47,
Could you pls elaborate on psyllium seed powder as opposed to husk powder. How is it better in cleaning up the colon? I have always used husk powder and honestly, pretty content with the job it does.
Posted 1/28/2012 12:56 PM (GMT 0)
deltaforce,

How about adding a slippery elm powder/VSL#3 cocktail? It's very effective. But it serves a different purpose; L-Glutamine long term is for colonic repair, the "cocktail" serves the purpose much like the mesalamines but IMO more effectively, of coating the whole alimentary canal in order to get the inflammation reduced.

Posted 1/28/2012 4:07 PM (GMT 0)
I too, get the powder from the Vitamin Shoppe. It is their own brand. 1/2 teaspoon in the morning and night.
Posted 1/29/2012 10:34 AM (GMT 0)
I ordered Optimum L-Glutamine 1kg container from Amazon yesterday. The Vitamin Shoppe is crazy expensive.

@ InSoFla,

I considered adding Slippery Elm Bark powder but my GI doesn't have a clue about it and since I am in flare at the moment, she recommended me to hold on till I get out of flare. Once my bleeding and urgency ends then I could add to see if and how it helps. She doesn't want me to add too many things at a time (and I refused to use enemas due to severe discomfort).

With VSL#3, due to cost issues, I am going with Benebiotics to begin with. I ordered 2 of those yesterday from their website.

Thanks for your suggestion.
Posted 1/29/2012 12:55 PM (GMT 0)
Hi deltaforce-
I have been mixing Benebiotics, Jarrow S. Boulardii and slippery elm with a little honey and drinking the mixture after dinner. Should mention that I empty the capsules into a couple of ounces of water to mix.
Have found that the mixture soothes my digestive tract so there is less inflammation (noticeable in morning BMs).
Hope this info is helpful........:-)
Posted 1/31/2012 12:12 AM (GMT 0)
deltaforce,

Yes, the rule is only change one thing at a time.

Personally, I would not wait for the bleeding and other symptoms to stop before adding slippery elm bark powder. SLippery elm powder serves as an equivalent to 5asa... but your GI won't have a clue about it, as you said.

It's good you got the L-Glutamine powder.

Let us know how that works out for you.

I hope you start to feel better soon.

Posted 1/31/2012 12:31 AM (GMT 0)
deltaforce --

this thread by badslinke gives a ton of info + links to more. This could in fact be the thread that got me started looking for the seed powder rather than the husk powder.

https://www.healingwell.com/community/default.aspx?f=38&m=2152224


In particular, this post:

The husks really do a good job of bulking up the stool, but also seemed to increase the number and frequency of movements. This is understandable, given the husk powder has more insoluble fiber than the seed powder. The husk powder tends to be a rough, almost sandy texture, while the seed powder is very fine, like refined flour. This leads me to believe the seed powder is almost completely composed of soluble fiber.

If you check out the 4th and 5th references of the study above, you find out that soluble fibers are more fermentable by colonic bacteria, and thus the seed powder results in greater productions of butyric acid (butyric acid is the result of benefical bacteria fermenting the soluble fibers from the powder; they basically feed on it and produce butyrate as a result). However, insoluble fiber is needed to move things down the intestinal tract, so that bacteria along the entire intestine have the opportunity to ferment the soluble fibers. Otherwise, much of the fermentation will take place in the upper parts of the large intestine, and most of us UCers really need this to reach the colon or lower parts of the intestine.
Posted 2/1/2012 6:22 PM (GMT 0)
Just wanted to thank everyone that posted very interesting information. I just started L-Glutamine since yesterday 5mg, every afternoon. It may take a while to see any effect.
I will consider Psyllium seed powder (from Startwest Botanicals, if anyone buys from other place, pls post), though I am more interested in Flaxseed (due to its Omega-3 along with soluble fibers)

I am not qualified for VSL#3 DS assistance program due to my resident status in the US so Benebiotics is my way to go. The bottles are on their way.

Next step should be Slippery Elm Bark Powder.

Thanks again folks. This place is great, I wish I could hang out with you folks in REAL LIFE, not just in cyberworld.
Posted 2/2/2012 4:41 PM (GMT 0)
Deltaforce -- I've purchased psyllium seed powder from Starwest and also from the Bulk Herb Store. It seems like it's hard for them to keep in stock so having more than one source is helpful.
Posted 2/2/2012 6:35 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks for the pointer janey.

Bulk Herb store (http://www.bulkherbstore.com) is pretty cheaper than Starwest Botanicals. Hope the quality is same.. Any comment on that?

Just curious if any of these stores offer discount coupons or codes, say after registration or after your first order or in their newsletters.
Posted 2/2/2012 6:50 PM (GMT 0)
I think Bulk Herb Store is selling in 1/2 pound increments and Starwest is selling in 1 lb increments so Starwest is actually less expensive per pound. I know the powder looks different (Bulk Herb Store's powder is lighter in color than Starwest's) but I haven't seen any other difference.

I haven't gotten any discount offers from either, but stay tuned ;-)
Posted 2/2/2012 9:55 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks for all the comments.
Just received my Amazon order of Source Naturals free-form powder.
Looks like a heaping teaspoonful is 5 grams.
Will start adding it to a morning shake.
:-)
Posted 2/3/2012 5:57 PM (GMT 0)
Does L-glutamine help specifically with bleeding?

Any shake recipes that you would like to share?
Posted 2/4/2012 3:22 AM (GMT 0)
Twinlab Glutamine Powder- 5g twice daily on empty stomach.
Posted 2/5/2012 1:42 AM (GMT 0)
ManhattanMama,

Does L-glutamine help specifically with bleeding?

IMO, yes because it helps with colonic repair.

Posted 3/27/2012 7:51 PM (GMT 0)
Is L-glutamine powder okay for a flare-up?
Posted 3/27/2012 8:57 PM (GMT 0)
I take very heavy doses of pure l-glutamine powder mixed with spring water during flares- I take as much as 30-60 grams (30,000 - 60,000 mg) a day, mostly on waking and at bedtime with my probiotics. These are the sorts of quantities that Atkins used to give his IBD patients in his clinic. I certainly do not mean to suggest for anyone to blindly follow my lead- but I thought that I would pass on my own experience. In remission, I take 5-20 grams (5000-20000 mg) a day on most days, upping my dose a bit if I feel my stool is a bit soft or verging on loose. i buy ON brand 1000 g tubs for around 45.00 at Vitamin Shoppe.

Post Edited (Probiotic) : 3/27/2012 3:00:53 PM (GMT-6)

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