If you need support for your immune system, athletic recovery or gut health, glutamine and other amino acids from our IV therapy Toronto lounge might help.

The human body requires an abundant amount of glutamine, and “… the rate of [its] consumption by immune cells is similar or greater than glucose,” confirms a Nutrients article.

Glutamine – when it’s intravenously blended with a medley of amino acids and combined with lifestyle modifications and oral intake  – could encourage improved brain function, and might improve muscle health for optimal functioning. In this post, the Toronto Functional Medicine Centre explains how IV therapy with these beneficial ingredients might lead to health improvements.

Beneficial effects on immune function, gut health, and more

Many studies have discussed the advantages of this supplementation. Some of its benefits may include:

• Might assist with brain health and stress management: Glutamine could offer protection against DNA damage, cell damage, beta-amyloid, and hydrogen peroxide-induced stress. This amino acid supplementation might help seniors with neurodegenerative diseases adjust to pressure. In particular, studies on these diseases have suggested that glutamine contains neuroprotective properties, while helping to improve “cellular readiness” when facing stress, explains a Molecular Neurodegeneration article.

• Could have the capacity to improve gut health: Food Science and Human Wellness explains that inadequate gut health can play a role in poor health overall. In fact, a faulty gut could contribute to brain function dysregulation. According to the journal, glutamine could offer assistance by stabilizing the gut microbiome and lessens inflammation when the gut faces irritation.

• Has the potential to help alleviate ulcers: The amino acid was shown to tackle Helicobacter pylori in the stomach. Research authors explained to the Harvard Gazette that this study validated how gastric cellular damage could be overturned: “The amino acid stimulated ammonia detoxification in the stomach – as it does in the liver – so that the effective concentration of ammonia was reduced, thereby blocking cell damage.”

• Could offer muscle health support: Glutamine might lessen muscle pain and encourage athletic recovery after a physical performance. In one study, supplementation led to the speedy recovery “… of peak torque and diminished muscle soreness following eccentric exercise,” explains the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism. However, it was also noted that the recovery effect tended to be noticeable in males compared to females.
• Might bolster immune function: Cells in your immune system require glutamine to function properly. When your body can’t produce enough of it, the amino acid will then be drawn from protein stores (i.e. your muscles) to secrete additional levels. Thus, supplementing could upgrade levels and encourage alleviation of infections. One study in the journal Amino Acids found that patients who underwent bone marrow transplants stayed at the hospital for a short time and had subdued infection levels using IV glutamine.

Why visit a functional medicine provider

Truly, this amino acid has importance on the human body, especially on cellular functioning. If you’re experiencing dysphagia or malabsorption, oral supplementation may not necessarily be suitable, as it could lead to unwanted side effects. In this case, a functional medicine provider or IV therapist may be consulted. Intravenous drips are designed to bypass the digestive tract; the nutrients enter the bloodstream swiftly and, in some cases, IV drips might help with avoiding an upset stomach.

At our clinic, glutamine support is only available when it’s combined with other amino acids for intravenous infusion therapy. Our Yorkville-based vitamin IV lounge also carries other drips with key vitamins and nutrients, like high-dose vitamin C, glutathione, mistletoe, NAD IV therapy (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide), and other nutrients such as glycine. Whether you want to boost energy, make changes for improved metabolism, or promote anti-aging effects, contact us to become a patient.

About our IV vitamin drips and other therapies

At the Toronto Functional Medicine Centre, customizing vitamin drip treatments is a personalized service we’re honored to provide. Each IV therapy drip is freshly compounded with natural and safe ingredients. Your complete diagnostic session (prior to your first drip session) will help us determine important factors, including allergies, genetics, former and current health issues, and such.

When you become a patient of the Toronto Functional Medicine Centre, you have access to our integrative approach to health care. You may consider various therapies, such as herbal medicine, allopathic medicine (Western), acupuncture, bio-identical hormone therapy, and others. Our compassionate care is designed to address your individuality to tackle the root cause of your health concerns. Some of the health issues our functional medicine programs might address include: chronic fatigue syndrome, degenerative disease, autoimmune disease, lack of energy, blood sugar levels, cellular function, adrenal function, nutritional deficiencies, premature aging, mental performance, seasonal infections, and others.

What’s hindering you from attaining optimal health? Let’s customize a treatment plan to achieve your health goals. Click here to reach us for a DISCOVERY SESSION on IV therapy in Toronto.

Disclaimer: The information in this article is designed for educational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for informed medical advice or care. This information should not be used to diagnose or treat any health problems or illnesses without consulting a doctor. Consult with a health care practitioner before relying on any information in this article or on this website.

References:

Albrecht J, Sidoryk-Węgrzynowicz M, Zielińska M, Aschner M. Roles of glutamine in neurotransmission. Neuron Glia Biol. 2010 Nov;6(4):263-76. doi: 10.1017/S1740925X11000093. Epub 2011 Oct 21. PMID: 22018046.

Calder PC, Yaqoob P. Glutamine and the immune system. Amino Acids. 1999;17(3):227-41. doi: 10.1007/BF01366922. PMID: 10582122.

Candow DG, Chilibeck PD, Burke DG, Davison KS, Smith-Palmer T. Effect of glutamine supplementation combined with resistance training in young adults. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2001 Dec;86(2):142-9. doi: 10.1007/s00421-001-0523-y. PMID: 11822473.

Chen, J., Chen, Y., Vail, G. et al. The impact of glutamine supplementation on the symptoms of ataxia-telangiectasia: a preclinical assessment. Mol Neurodegeneration 11, 60 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13024-016-0127-y

Chen J, Herrup K. Glutamine acts as a neuroprotectant against DNA damage, beta-amyloid and H2O2-induced stress. PLoS One. 2012;7(3):e33177. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0033177. Epub 2012 Mar 8. PMID: 22413000; PMCID: PMC3297635.

Cruzat V, Macedo Rogero M, Noel Keane K, Curi R, Newsholme P. Glutamine: Metabolism and Immune Function, Supplementation and Clinical Translation. Nutrients. 2018 Oct 23;10(11):1564. doi: 10.3390/nu10111564. PMID: 30360490; PMCID: PMC6266414.

Deters, Brett J. and Mir Saleem. 2021. “The role of glutamine in supporting gut health and neuropsychiatric factors.” Food Science and Human Wellness 10, (2): 149-154. doi:10.1016/j.fshw.2021.02.003.

“Glutamine supplements show promise in treating stomach ulcers,” The Harvard Gazette, Bonnie Prescott, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, published May 15, 2009, viewed on September 24, 2022.

Kim MH, Kim H. The Roles of Glutamine in the Intestine and Its Implication in Intestinal Diseases. Int J Mol Sci. 2017 May 12;18(5):1051. doi: 10.3390/ijms18051051. PMID: 28498331; PMCID: PMC5454963.

Legault Z, Bagnall N, Kimmerly DS. The Influence of Oral L-Glutamine Supplementation on Muscle Strength Recovery and Soreness Following Unilateral Knee Extension Eccentric Exercise. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2015 Oct;25(5):417-26. doi: 10.1123/ijsnem.2014-0209. Epub 2015 Mar 26. PMID: 25811544.

van der Hulst RR, van Kreel BK, von Meyenfeldt MF, Brummer RJ, Arends JW, Deutz NE, Soeters PB. Glutamine and the preservation of gut integrity. Lancet. 1993 May 29;341(8857):1363-5. doi: 10.1016/0140-6736(93)90939-e. PMID: 8098788.