Word on the street, is that ‘leaky gut’ may be the cause of your digestive problems and seemingly incurable bloat. Leaky gut, also known as intestinal hyperpermeability, is a digestive and gastrointestinal condition, in which bacteria and toxins leak through the gut lining or intestinal wall. Health professionals do not recognize leaky gut as a diagnosable digestive health condition. However, studies suggest that leaky gut, does in fact, exist. Enter, L-Glutamine. L-Glutamine is a conditionally essential amino acid, meaning that at times, your body depletes all of it’s natural stores and you must obtain it from food or supplements. Several studies have demonstrated that L-Glutamine, can help reduce intestinal permeability through rebuilding your intestinal wall. How? Let’s dive in and find out.

In This Article You're Going To Learn

• What Is Leaky Gut?
• What Causes Leaky Gut?
• What Is L-Glutamine
• How Does L-Glutamine Help Heal Leaky Gut?
• How Much L-Glutamine Should You Take For Leaky Gut?
• What's The Best L-Glutamine Supplement?

What Is Leaky Gut?

The digestive system is a complex environment and plays an important role in protecting your body from harmful substances. The lining of your gut is made of millions upon millions of cells called epithelial cells. Epithelial cells are essentially the regulators, that monitor and let nutrients pass through the gut lining, while filtering toxins and bacteria. Small gaps in the intestinal wall called, ‘tight junctions’ allow water and nutrients to pass through, while impeding the passage of harmful substances [R]. When the tight junctions become loose, the gut therefore becomes more permeable, allowing bacteria and toxins to pass through into the bloodstream. This intestinal permeability, also known as leaky gut, can trigger a host of digestive issues, inflammation, and reactions from the immune system [R]. Symptoms of leaky gut include things like

• Diarrhea
• Constipation
• Abdominal pain
• Gas and bloating
• Headaches
• Brain fog
• Memory loss
• Fatigue
• Skin rashes
• Joint aches and pains

What Causes Leaky Gut? 

Leaky Gut is still quite the anomaly. New research however suggests the lining of your gut, is a dynamic structure. Dr. Alessio Fasano, director of the Mucosal Immunology and Biology Research Center at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston spent three decades researching the gut and it’s role in human health. He discovered that a gut protein called, “zonulin” regulates the tight junctions in the intestinal wall, opening and closing junctions as it sees fit. Even with the discovery, researchers still have a lot of work to do. According to Fasano, genes and diet are the biggest culprit to leaky gut syndrome. Those born with a weaker immune system, and who have a high inflammatory diet, low in fiber, and high in unrefined carbohydrates, sugar, and saturated fat can alter gut lining architecture.  Factors that may play a role in leaky gut syndrome include

• Excessive Sugar Intake [R,R]
• Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDS) - Long use of NSAIDS such as ibuprofen can cause increased gut permeability [R]
• Excessive Alcohol Intake [R]
• Stress [R]
• Nutrient Deficiencies [R]

What Is L-Glutamine?

L-Glutamine is the most abundant and naturally occurring conditionally essential amino acid in the human body. It makes up approximately 60% of the amino acid pool in your muscle tissue. Nearly 90% of glutamine is produced in the skeletal muscles and it is one of the very few amino acids that can cross the blood-brain barrier, giving it the ability to freely enter the brain. It is vital in the process of nitrogen transport between tissues, in acid-base regulation, gluconeogenesis, and as a precursor of nucleotide bases and the antioxidant glutathione [R].

Most of the research investigating the properties of L-Glutamine, have studied it’s effects on athletic performance, specifically in regards to exercise induced muscle soreness, muscle mass breakdown, and the facilitation of protein synthesis [R]. However recent evidence suggests, L-Glutamine could in fact be a potential treatment option for leaky gut, and other immune related health conditions and inflammatory bowel disease.

RELATED ARTICLE What 14 Studies Say About L-Glutamine As A Treatment Option For IBD

How Does L-Glutamine Help Heal Leaky Gut?

L-Glutamine is to your gut wall, what protein powder is to your muscles. L-Glutamine is in fact the primary fuel source, utilized by the epithelial cells in your gut lining. In simpler words, they love it. 

The most important characteristic is its key function in the maintenance of the barrier function of the intestine. 

L-Glutamine assists in rebuilding and repairing the intestinal tract and lining of your gut by maintaining your body’s nitrogen balance. L-Glutamine decides when and where to place nitrogen atoms to be most efficient and effective in repairing your body.

Since L-Glutamine plays a key role in feeding the small mucosa of the gut lining and maintaining gut lining integrity, L-Glutamine supplementation could in fact help restore gut permeability and help heal leaky gut syndrome. Not to mention help patients with other disease states and inflammatory bowel diseases such as Chron’s, Ulcerative Colitis and IBS since these conditions are characterized by a high prevalence of intestinal hyperpermeability [R,R].

For those with gluten sensitivities, Celiacs disease is also associated with leaky gut. In fact, one study found that gluten significantly increases intestinal permeability in celiac patients immediately after consumption [R]

How Much L-Glutamine Should You Take For Leaky Gut? 

Well that depends. Most studies suggest that L-Glutamine is most effective when taken on an empty stomach without food. The recommended dose of L-Glutamine to help treat intestinal permeability anywhere from 15-20g per day.  

What Is The Best L-Glutamine Supplement For Leaky Gut?

When you’re looking for the best L-Glutamine supplement to help your leaky gut, the first thing is to make sure it’s in powder form, not a capsule. Since the recommended dose is around 20g per day, taking 30 capsules a day could get a bit overwhelming and expensive. Not to mention, it’s easier for your body to digest and utilize right away.

• Unflavored – Look for an L-Glutamine supplement that is unflavored and odorless.
• No Fillers – You want a supplement that is pure 100% micronized L-Glutamine to help ensure proper uptake and use. Make sure you look at the ‘other ingredients’. Most sports supplements contain other amino acids and ingredients you don’t need.
• Higher Dose – Most L-glutamine will have low doses per serving, around 2-3.5 grams. Make sure you get a supplement that has 5g per serving so you get a better value per serving and a higher dose.
• Pharmaceutical Grade - Making sure the quality of the supplement you're buying is important, especially since you're trying to avoid additives that could potentially harm your gut health. 

If you're looking for a L-Glutamine supplement to help heal your leaky gut that meets all of these standards, I recommend checking out Swolverine's L-Glutamine. With 100 unflavored micronized pharmaceutical grade servings, at 5g per serving, it's the best supplement to help heal your leaky gut. 

L-Glutamine & Leaky Gut: Takeaway 

The bottom line, is that L-glutamine can really help your leaky gut syndrome. Since L-Glutamine is the preferred fuel source of the epithelial cells in your gut lining, L-Glutamine can help restore and revitalize your gut health, by rebuilding your intestinal wall and ease your leaky gut symptoms. If your leaky gut has got you down, then start supplementing today. 

Do You Have Leaky Gut? L-Glutamine Could Be Exactly What You Need. Click the image below to buy yours today!

SWOLVERINE is an endurance athlete and active lifestyle brand. Made for the elite athlete, and the strong-willed our products were designed to fuel your athletic performance. We perform when you perform. 

We believe that everyone can optimize not only their athletic performance but their human potential. The way we believe we can optimize performance is through transparency, clinically effective doses, and clinically proven ingredients with evidence-based outcomes. We provide the nutrients you need to power your active lifestyle.

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