The cold season has barely begun and the first cold, flu or viral infection is already on its way.
In addition to basic things like,
- A diet rich in proteins and nutrients (vitamins/minerals)
- Regular exercise (outdoors) and sport (primarily strength training)
- Sufficient good sleep (7-9 hours per night)
- How to deal with stress (stress management)
- And a very good water/liquid balance,
Vitamin C is often cited first and foremost to strengthen the immune system.
However, glutamine is the important building block for an intact immune system before vitamin C and co. come into play.
If your body is not sufficiently supplied with glutamine, you are susceptible to new and recurring infections. Regardless of how much vitamin C, zinc etc. you consume. And no matter how much else you do for your immune system.
Why glutamine is a TOP immune system booster!
The amino acid L-glutamine is the most abundant amino acid in the human body. It was previously considered a non-essential amino acid, which means that the body can produce it itself. Studies now show that the term semi-essential is more accurate, as under certain circumstances such as an infection, fasting, poor diet, stress or intensive sporting activity, a glutamine deficiency can occur.
In such cases, your body is dependent on the additional intake of glutamine as it cannot produce enough of it itself.
A glutamine deficiency impairs your immune defense. If not enough of it is stored in your muscle cells, not enough new immune cells can be formed. Glutamine is essential for the formation of defense cells. As a result, the immune system can no longer perform its tasks.
Your gut needs glutamine for the formation of new cells in the intestinal mucosa to keep it and therefore your whole body healthy. The intestinal mucosa is the largest defense organ in the human body. It acts as a kind of barrier and protects you from viruses, bacteria and germs. If the intestinal mucosa is “permeable”, pathogens enter your body more easily and you get sick faster/more often.
It is assumed that our bodies need around 10 times as much glutamine during an acute infection.
Glutamine is mainly found in foods such as meat, fish, seafood, eggs, dairy products, walnuts, soy and cocoa powder.
In the case of an acute infection or as a preventative measure, it is recommended to supplement glutamine in powder form, as it is usually not covered by the diet. The amount can vary from 5g to 20g throughout the day.
In addition, taking vitamin C and zinc in combination naturally also makes sense.
I wish you every success in “boosting” your immune system with glutamine.