Scrolling my TikTok recently, I’ve been coming across a lot of fitness influencers talking passionately about how the supplement L-glutamine has helped them reduce bloating, improve gut health and lose weight, but the claims sound a bit… dubious.
What actually is it, and is it just a fad?
What is L-glutamine?
L-glutamine is one of the 20 naturally occurring amino acids in our body and it can help you build and repair new muscle.
Our bodies are only able to create it in small amounts, though, so some fitness fanatics have taken to supplementing.
Can it actually help you lose weight?
There’s a gazillion harmful weight loss products out there already, so is l-glutamine just another in a long line?
TikTok creator and qualified nutritionist, Taylor Grasso, says it’s not going to magically help you shed extra pounds: “There’s absolutely no supplement that’s going to give you washboard abs and slim your waist in a week. If anyone says otherwise they’re trying to sell you something.”
However, she does say it has some good health benefits. L-glutamine is what’s known as a ‘non-essential’ amino acid, so we don’t typically have to consume it from our diet – our body creates it itself.
She explains that in periods when we’re exerting ourselves a lot, have gone through an illness, a traumatic event or are super stressed, it can be good to supplement with l-glutamine to replenish what our body has used.
It can help with sugar cravings
Getting in control of your snack habits can be hard, especially if you rely on sugar to give you a bump of energy. I know I’m raiding the biscuit tin when it hits 3pm, anyway!
But it’s thought that supplementing with l-glutamine could help reduce sugar cravings, due to it being a protein.
According to a study, eating more protein can significantly reduce our cravings for sugary foods, and in turn, potentially help you lose weight (if that’s your goal).
TikTok fitness influencer Cameron Owen shared more about this in his video, saying: “If you feel like you struggle with sugar cravings, l-glutamine can be a pretty potent supplement to add to your diet.”
He explains that, as protein is the most satiating thing you can eat, taking L-glutamine can help boost satiety signals to your brain and control blood sugar.
It can help with fitness recovery
We all know that achy post-gym feeling that has you crying in pain whenever you move for days after.
Well, research shows that l-glutamine can decrease muscle soreness and improve recovery after intense exercise.
And if you’re a runner, l-glutamine supplementation is good news for you, too; one study shows that glutamine can help reduce fatigue during two hours of running.
It can help protect your gut
One of the most interesting ways that l-glutamine can help support your health is by boosting gut health.
Research has found that glutamine can help with microbiome balance, gut functioning and lower levels of gut inflammation.
So, in conclusion…
L-glutamine definitely has a host of health benefits, but does it help you magically lose weight? Ummmm… no. If you’re looking for something to help a funny tummy, or help you cut down on eating so much sugar, then you could be on to a winner!