Today I’m reviewing glutamine for the calming properties and to also share how glutamine helps reduce intense sugar cravings, helps with gut healing and prevents low blood sugar (which can actually cause anxiety and panic attacks).
I’m also sharing some additional resources for you on glutamine.
Here are all the symptoms we see with low blood sugar:
- Crave sugar, starch or alcohol any time during the day
- Irritable, shaky, headachey – especially if going too long between meals
- Intense cravings for sweets
- Lightheaded if meals are missed
- Eating relieves fatigue
- Agitated, easily upset
- Nervous, anxious, panic attacks
Together with low serotonin and low GABA, addressing low blood sugar is one of the most effective approach I use with clients to help ease anxiety. We achieve this with the use of glutamine and by controlling blood sugar by starting the day with a breakfast that includes quality animal protein.
Glutamine also helps eliminate sugar cravings and the strong desire for something sweet when opened directly on to the tongue. This blog and video explains it all: Glutamine for low blood sugar and calming effects
watch this video to hear how powerful glutamine was for Nicole – she saw results in around 5 minutes. I really like to get testimonials like this because when I talk about the profound and quick effects of the amazing amino acids it almost sounds too good to be true! But in this case (and the majority of cases), it really is true!
Nicole says “I get irritable, I get shaky and I get to the point that if I don’t get food NOW I think I’m going to hurt something!”
She tried the glutamine and in under 5 minutes she went from that feeling to: “I’m ok. I feel happy, I feel calm, I feel I can make it longer without needing food right away.”
She finished up by saying “I’m impressed at how well that worked for me”
When I mentioned I was working on this blog (on facebook) I had plenty of questions about this sugar craving benefit we see with glutamine. Keep in mind that low blood sugar is just ONE of the root causes of sugar cravings and glutamine will only work if the cravings are driven by low blood sugar. The way to figure it out is to do the amino acid mood questionnaire
Here is a simple way to help you figure it out:
- if you have to eat sugar when you haven’t eaten in awhile it’s likely low blood sugar and glutamine on the tongue stops the sugar desire on the spot
- if you stress-eat your sugar cravings are likely due to low GABA, and GABA will stop the stress-eating and calm you down
- if you eat sugar or carbs to feel happy (and especially from late afternoon onwards) then your sugar cravings are likely due to low serotonin, and tryptophan stops the cravings and boosts mood and reduces anxiety
- if you eat sugar for an energy boost then it’s likely due to low catecholamines and tyrosine will stop those cravings and give you a mood and energy boost
- if you are a comfort-eater then it’s likely due to low endorphins and DPA will stop that “I deserve-it-reward-eating” and also give you a hug-like mood boost
When I asked for feedback one person felt glutamine made her depressed. This was new to me but I never say never and suggested she look at what else was in the product she used. I had one client feel more anxious on glutamine and it was due to one of the fillers.
Glutamine converts to GABA in most people and this is another way it helps calm you. For some people it converts to too much glutamate and can be a bit too stimulating. I’ll have these people use less or only use it during the day or not use it all. As with all nutrients used as supplements there is no one size fits all.
Dr. Josh Axe shares that glutamine is critical for any program designed to heal leaky gut and I write about this in this blog: Glutamine for healing a leaky gut
as a functional amino acid with multiple key physiological roles, glutamine holds great promise in protecting the gut from atrophy and injury under various stress conditions in mammals and other animals.
Here are some of the actual glutamine products I recommend and use with clients:
- Pure Encapsulations L-Glutamine 500mg: L-glutamine (free-form) 500 mg, vitamin C (as ascorbyl palmitate) 5 mg. The capsules can be swallowed or the capsule can be opened on to the tongue
- Designs for Health Glutamine Powder: This is a powdered glutamine that you can use right on your tongue or even mixed in water. The taste is quite pleasant.
As with all the amino acids, when using glutamine:
- Start low (500mg is a typical starting dose) and increase as needed.
- Do a trial to determine if the anxiety and sugar cravings are in fact due to low blood sugar. I always do this with clients before starting any amino acid. Be sure to read how to do an amino acid trial. It has the amino acid questionnaire, the precautions and information on how to use targeted individual amino acids.
- Take between meals and away from protein for the best effects
The blog has many other posts on glutamine – simply use the “search” function to find them.
This blog post is part of the series of amino acid product reviews:
- Tryptophan for low serotonin (worry-in-the-head anxiety)
- GABA for low GABA symptoms (physical anxiety)
- DPA for weepiness, pain and comfort and reward eating
- Tyrosine for focus, motivation, energy, a good mood and possibly even anxiety
The resources in this blog and my other articles are intended to be used in conjunction with my book: The Antianxiety Food Solution – How the Foods You Eat Can Help You Calm Your Anxious Mind, Improve Your Mood, and End Cravings. If you do not have my book I highly recommend getting it and reading it before jumping in and taking the amino acid supplements:
There is a complete chapter on the amino acids and one for pyroluria, plus information on real whole food, sugar and blood sugar, gluten, digestion and much more.
You can find the glutamine products and the others I recommend here on this blog: The Antianxiety Food Solution Amino Acid and Pyroluria Supplements
I’d love to hear if glutamine has worked for you and how it’s helped? With low blood sugar symptoms and anxiety? For intense sugar cravings? For gut healing?
If you have questions please post them below or on the supplements blog
Thanks Trudy! Very interesting and useful !
Hi,
I was reading Trudy’s blog trying to figure out why I have irresistible cravings for sweets at night, every night! When I got to the Low Catecholamines category, I realized I had every symptom listed there. However, I have never heard of catecholamines before and cannot find any information on what to take to help rebalance my brain. I am hoping you can help me – pretty please with sugar on – oops, there I go again with my sugar cravings!!! LOL
L-glutamine gave me constipation.
Thanks for your article. I take 5-htp. I thought it was supposed to be closer in the serotonin pathway than tryptophan. Meaning that tryptophan would have to be converted to 5-htp and then to serotonin. Can you explain why you recommend tryptophan and not 5-htp?
Jennifer
Some people do better on one vs the other. I happen to see more people do better on tryptophan so start with this.
From my saliva test results, i have low serotonin, low gabba, low dopamine, low glutamate, and low epinephrine. I plan to take tryptophane. I occasionally suck on a Gabba pill when I feel i am just not coping with the anxiety and that helps. I already take taurine and i also want to add glutamine powder to heal leaky gut. What is the difference between glutamate and Glutamine? Do you think these choices look like they will work?
Mandi
I’m not aware of saliva testing for neurotransmitters and use the questionnaire and trials to figure out what will work best for each person. If something is working (you mention GABA helps you) I have my client increase if they need additional support.
Thank you Trudy,
I did your questionnaire and it confirmed my low neurotransmitters. I am just concerned about my low serotonin. The gabba helps but should I also take tryptophane to help the serotonin? Can one take both? I drink a lot of bone broth and that may deplete the serotonin more? (I also just stopped collagen powder after your talk about it depleting serotonin more due to no tryptophane)
I am currently struggling with gastritis as well as a lifetime of low blood sugar and irritability. I started glutamine a few days ago (15 grams a day) and I am amazed at how it has calmed my gut as well as calmed the sugar cravings. I am also sleeping better!
My 14 year old struggles with the same issues. Is it possible to give her this while she is on an SSRI? Any contraindications or reason that I should spread it out away from her medication? I would love to see her go off of it!
Laura
What wonderful results for you! I like to have clients start low with 500mg of glutamine 4 x day between meals and away from protein (so 2g to start). And then slowly increase to find the ideal amount.
I’ve had many clients use both SSRIs and glutamine and wouldn’t hesitate doing a trial of 500mg glutamine with a 14 year old girl with low blood sugar issues, anxiety and gut issues. With SSRIs it’s a comprehensive approach – more here https://www.everywomanover29.com/blog/taper-from-antidepressant-tryptophan-amino-acids/
I am on a high dose ssri as take glutamine and have no issues at all. It works well for me.
I bought organic Glutamin powder and on the package it says you can take up to 3 times a day 5 grams per serving to calm down your sugar cravings. Do you think thats too much?
Kemal
This is typical dosing you’ll read about on glutamine products and is most often too high. I have clients do a trial and usually start with 500mg 3-4 x day and increased based on their needs
Hello,
I read a study Fromm Johns Hopkins University where they recommended 15,000 mgs per day for gut repair. When I went above that amount, it seemed to Constipate.
The same study used much higher doses for people who were recovering from cancer treatments.
Thanks for having this up , I have having intense anxiety issues the last few months , this week the worst. To the point I have had a appetite for 4 days and have ate hardly nothing. Was noticing when I layer down I would get light headed bad and a sick feeling in my stomach. Then I would jump up and have to pace around. You feel horrible when you can’t eat for days yikes. Well as I trial knowing this might be low blood sugar for sure with no eating right. Took some l glutamine and 10 minutes later could lay down for about 15 minutes. It was interesting so will give it a look maybe it will help to eat again feeling more stable given the right dosing with no food until it come back. Thanks if you can chime in on this Trudy it would be great.
Bryan
Glutamine is very helpful for low blood sugar and some can convert to GABA and be calming too. With severe anxiety and no appetite I look for low zinc being a factor.
Ty my zinc blood test came back good but maybe need to do a another tally test. Dr want me to go on very low dose .25 Zoloft but I’m a bit unsure . He said I can try natural first by all means and suggested tryptophan and a CBD brand and seeing a endocrinologist maybe. Thanks Trudy
my concern is intense sugar cravings even if i ve just eaten protein- carb- fat balanced meal
if i start it s difficult to stop
eating carbs even fruit. 1 piece. in the evening seems to adversely affect going to sleep
can be. many hours before i sleep
which amino acid is suggested for this scenario
thank you
Betty
Cravings can be triggered by low blood sugar and in this instance glutamine helps. If it’s not low blood sugar related then we look at brain chemical imbalances. I encourage you to read this section again (and the bullets below) and do the questionnaire: “Keep in mind that low blood sugar is just ONE of the root causes of sugar cravings and glutamine will only work if the cravings are driven by low blood sugar. The way to figure it out is to do the amino acid mood questionnaire.”
Candida is also always a consideration with cravings too.
I was wondering how u feel about ashwaghanda. I suffer from anxiety and take 20 mg of escatilopram a day . I find GABA helps my mind. I’m thinking about adding DPA because my whole life I have been a closet nite eater. I’ve gotten it under control somewhat for about a year, that is when my anti depressant was raised from 10 to 20 mg. But I still get temped to nite eat. When I was a child I hid cookies and cake under my pillow and would spend 2 hrs playing with my dinner because I didn’t want it . I wanted my reward. As I got older For many years I wouldn’t eat breakfast or lunch just a little dinner and a brag of kisses at nite and wake up and eat sweets . I was also a sleepwalker as a child and eat while sleepwalking. I now take ashwaghanda to sleep. I tried tryptophan but doesn’t seem to do much. Thank you for any suggestions. PS.also take 50 mcg of levothyroxine.
Is there an alternative for glutamine or a way to bypass it? I have chronic migraines and cannot tolerate glutamate either.
I take Topamax for my headaches. I have been looking for a solution for so long now.
Marlene
Yes there are many other options. If it’s for low blood sugar anxiety or cravings focus on eating for blood sugar control and adrenal support; if it’s for healing leaky gut use other gut healing nutrients like butyric acid; if it’s for calming use GABA; if it’s for other types of cravings (low serotonin, low GABA, low endorphins, low catecholamines) use one of the other amino acids.
That is wonderful advice thank you. I’ll check the butyric acid.
I could be mistaken, but isn’t Glutamine the Precursor to Glutamate which is a very excitatory neurotransmitter?
I tried both l-tyrosine and l-glutamine together and I had such an increase in gas, bloating and upset stomach that I stopped again immediately. I’ve tried one at a time, and I tolerate L-tyrosine better than the l-glutamine. But I’m confused. I’ve read both that l-glutamine causes and fixes gut distress. I’ve had problems with gas and bloating consistently for years, but why were both dramatically worsened by something that’s supposed to help? I consider the GI symptoms more important than sugar issues, but I’d certainly like to fix both!
Rachel
This is very unusual and in cases like this I check the other ingredients in the products. I would love to hear which brands and what the other ingredients are so I know for future reference.
We also dig deeper into the cause of the gas and bloating and look into candida, low stomach acid, poor bile and SIBO.
Hi Trudy,
Thank you for researching and sharing the tremendously helpful information in your books, webinar presentations and blogs.
I recently followed one of your posts on GABA down the rabbit hole to a linked blog post and then to another post where I found a mention of using glutamine for hypoglycemia. This is the only reference that I have read on this in 35 years of research on the subject. I follow a low carb, higher protein, healthy fat diet, but still suffer low blood sugar issues consistently at one particular time of day. After so many years of eating second breakfast to prevent the lows, I was ready to give any other healthy option a try.
It works!!! I found a powder that I mix approximately 500 mg of with water. It works within about 15 minutes and keeps me going for about 2 – 3 hours — long enough to reach a reasonable time for lunch.
I’m thrilled to have this option as anytime that I travel, low blood sugar becomes a huge issue as I suffer from ketotic hypoglycemia and end up with massive headaches and vomiting for 6-8 hours.
You have freed me from a huge weight! Thank you and hugs!
Cat
Thanks for sharing and what wonderful results! I’m going to share this in a future blog post because there may be others who are new to this
One thing to be aware of this that when used as a powder directly on to the tongue (rather than in water), the benefits are seen more quickly.
Are you aware of what is causing your ketotic hypoglycemia ? Do you also experience anxiety, irritability and cravings (and other low blood sugar symptoms) when you have these episodes? And have you had salivary adrenal testing done? I’m also curious what your breakfasts look like?
Cat
Here is the new blog post – Glutamine for hypoglycemia/low blood sugar: “500mg mixed in water works in 15 minutes and keeps me going for 2 – 3 hours” https://www.everywomanover29.com/blog/glutamine-for-hypoglycemia-low-blood-sugar-500mg-mixed-in-water-works-in-15-minutes-and-keeps-me-going-for-2-3-hours/
Thanks again for sharing your story. I’d love to update the blog with the questions I’ve posted above so feel free to comment on the new blog or here