Glutamine: establishing clinical indications.

Glutamine, a non-essential amino acid, is abundant in the human body and in the food we eat; it is mainly produced in skeletal muscle and acts as a major inter-organ nitrogen and carbon transporter. Its importance to the metabolism is evident during stress, when it becomes a conditionally essential amino acid when endogenous supply fails to meet increased demands. During the past 2 years, an increased understanding has been gained into the role of glutamine in metabolism. A number of new clinical studies of glutamine supplementation have shown interesting outcomes that should be influencing clinical decision-making.