Glutamine: Interactions

Interactions of glutamine with other agents (micronutrients, foods):

Low-carbohydrate diets

Via gluconeogenesis (metabolic pathway to re-synthesize glucose), the human body can stabilize glucose (blood sugar) levels during carbohydrate deficiency. In the case of low-carbohydrate diets, the human brain is thus supplied with energy via the regeneration of glucose. For this purpose, glucose is produced in the liver from the glucoplastic amino acids glutamine and alanine. For this reason, glutamine is also called “brain-food”. Studies showed: People who took glutamine in addition to a low-carbohydrate diet were found to have better mental vitality, less fatigue and better moods.

Vitamin B6 deficiency or “Chinese restaurant effect”

Some people experience nausea, vertigo (dizziness) and cephalgia (headache) especially after eating a meal at a Chinese restaurant or even after eating ready-made soup seasonings. These symptoms – summarized as the “Chinese restaurant effect” – are triggered by the high content of glutamic acid in Asian cuisine – for example in soy sauce, but today also in Maggi or similar. These symptoms only occur in people with vitamin B6 deficiency. The administration of vitamin B6 protects against all symptoms of the “Chinese restaurant effect”. It is now known that “Chinese restaurant syndrome” is ostensibly triggered by certain receptors in the esophagus (food pipe) that respond to the high concentration of glutamic acid.