🔑 Core Function

• Gut health: Primary fuel for intestinal cells (enterocytes).
• Immune support: Fuels lymphocytes and macrophages during stress or infection.
• Nitrogen transport: Carries nitrogen safely between tissues → critical for acid–base balance.
• Glutathione synthesis: Provides glutamate and nitrogen for antioxidant defence.

🧬 Family & Essentiality

🌿 Plain-Language Summary

Glutamine is the body’s “recovery amino acid”. It nourishes the gut lining, supports immune function, and shuttles nitrogen between tissues. The body usually makes enough, but during illness, injury, or intense exercise, extra glutamine may be needed.

⚗️ Molecular & Chemical IDs

• Abbreviation: Gln / Q
• Chemical formula: C₅H₁₀N₂O₃
• Structure: Amide form of glutamic acid

⚡ Functions

• Gut fuel: Preferred energy source for intestinal mucosa.
• Immune defence: Fuels white blood cells during infection, injury, or recovery.
• Nitrogen shuttle: Regulates acid–base balance, ammonia detoxification, and nitrogen supply.
• Antioxidant support: Provides substrate for glutathione synthesis.

🍽️ Absorption & Bioavailability

🇦🇺 Australian NRVs (NHMRC)

• No specific NRV (RDI/AI) set for glutamine
• Protein adequacy normally ensures sufficient supply

🥗 Food Sources

• Meat, poultry, fish
• Dairy (milk, yoghurt, cheese)
• Eggs
• Legumes, soy products
• Cabbage, spinach (particularly high in free glutamine)

🧪 Testing & Monitoring

• Plasma glutamine measurable in specialist/research labs or critical care.
• ❌ Not part of routine GP pathology testing in Australia.

🔄 Interactions

• ➕ Works with glutamic acid in nitrogen balance.
• ➕ Vitamin B6 supports glutamine-metabolising enzymes.
• ⚠️ Caution: Supplemental glutamine may be unsuitable in severe liver disease (risk of high ammonia).

📊 Evidence Snapshot

• ✅ Established: Key for gut and immune energy supply, nitrogen balance, and antioxidant support.
• ⚖️ Clinical use: Strong evidence in burns, trauma, and critical illness (reduces infection risk). Sports recovery effects are less consistent in healthy athletes with adequate protein intake.