Your gut health and immune system go hand in hand, and along with a balanced diet, adequate hydration, regular exercise and sleep, supplementation might also greatly support the journey to better your health.
We checked in with a doctor and health experts to learn more about L-glutamine, a supplement often linked to a stronger immune system and healthy digestion. Read on for tips and insight from Dr. Jeff Gladd, MD, integrative medicine physician and chief medical officer at Fullscript, and Isaac Robertson, nutritionist, personal fitness trainer and co-founder of Total Shape.
The Pros Of Taking L-glutamine For Your Immune System
L-glutamine has been shown to "improve symptoms related to irritable bowel syndrome," Gladd explains, as well as a "leaky gut, a condition characterized by increased intestinal permeability where the lining of the digestive tract is impaired." This amino acid, he continues, "promotes a healthy gut by enhancing the integrity of the gut lining, preventing the absorption of harmful substances through the intestines, and keeping the immune system," which mostly resides along the digestive tract, "balanced."
Robertson agrees, and adds that this supplement helps us to "protect ourselves from interstitial problems." L-glutamine, he says, is used to "suppress the inflammatory sensations of the body and protects the cells from stressful conditions." Our body is prone to many toxins around us, he stresses, and though the body is self-immune to fight the toxins themselves, "we can help the body to detoxify by giving it supplements."
In terms of weight loss when it comes to L-glutamine, research is limited; however, Gladd notes that "some small studies have demonstrated significant reductions in body fat and weight" among individuals taking L-glutamine supplements. This, he concludes, is likely a result of "some combination of its indirect effects, enhanced glucose metabolism and proper digestive function."
