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
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