Glutamine can be produced from other precursors by the human body itself and is thus assigned to the semi-essential amino acids. However, the body must absorb the largest proportion of glutamine with food in the form of glutamic acid.
Compared to the other free amino acids, glutamine is the most abundant in the human organism in terms of quantity and serves as a very important source of energy in the body’s cells. All cells that need to renew themselves frequently or multiply quickly – such as the cells of the immune system – have a high demand for glutamine. Glutamine is therefore very significant for the immune status, especially during strong physical stress. Glutamine has another important function in muscle protein synthesis, i.e. in building up muscle protein; at the same time, this amino acid counteracts protein breakdown.
Glutamine plays an important role as a precursor of endogenous nitrogen in many important metabolic processes. Furthermore, this amino acid is, among other things, also responsible for the formation of such neurotransmitters in the brain, which have a calming effect on the nerve pathways.
Glutamine is rarely found in food. Glutamic acid, which is closely related in structure and can be converted into glutamine by the body, is found primarily in protein-rich foods such as poultry and fish.
