Gut issues and Glutamine

[Mr. PC]

Hi,
_______________preamble
I haven't posted for ages; not sure why. I was on the strict diet for some time, and then things were easy, and I didn't even feel a need for the site. After traveling it became hard to maintain, and I'm still not in a great position to choose my food (I'm now a live-in teacher for a family). I still believe in the theories behind the wai practices, but I never really had much problem with acne (well, I have had it on and off on my neck and back, but it wasn't really my reason for looking into diet info such as the Wai diet). My current diet is basically whatever is given to me, while trying to avoid dairy and wheat as much as possible, and trying to get as much fruit as I can. I often consider buying a new juicer or eating the raw egg yolks, but I don't want my host family to think I'm too strange.

So I'm writing here now because I have some new issues, and would like an unbiased scientific opinion on some questions.

I have some skin problems, which I am almost certain is Seborrhea Dermatitis (I also have dandruff, and had "cradle cap" as a baby). I think this may also be a cause of the acne I have (sometimes) on my back. There's a topical anti-fungal I've been taking, which works, but not wonderfully. I've noticed that Zinc Pyrithione (head and shoulders) works well, as well as Tea Tree oil and Zinc Oxide (which works amazingly, but is always mixed with other crap I don't really want on my face. I would like to order some pure micronized Zinc Oxide and maybe mix it with water and try putting that on my face overnight; or maybe with raw honey).

what matters
I've read that many skin problems, and specifically Seborrhea Dermatitis, Eczema, and Psoriasis, are caused my gut issues, and have read some online journals of people who've found probiotics to help. I'm thinking of taking a pro-biotic pill, as well as Zinc, Magnesium,
and L-Glutamine. I'm fairly certain about everything except for the Glutamine (I'm sure people here will try to steer me away from the other supplements as well, but I prefer not to debate those, as I really believe them to be personally helpful, and would like to focus on Glutamine).

I'm finding a lot of sources on the net saying Glutamine is a fantastic cure all; as well as a couple of articles saying it's the devil and will ruin your mind (a neuro excitor that burns out brain cells). Both will cite valid studies; the latter sources will claim that the former are based on animal and hospital tests, but not relevant to athletes (who also take Glutamine for separate reasons). I'm just not finding anything conclusive about it working for gut issues, or at what doses it's potentially toxic.

[RRM]

I also have dandruff

I used to have dandruff.
Try washing your hair every single day, accompanied with putting some fatty substance in your hair (like vaseline), for modelling your hair and combatting dryness. Works like a charm.

I'm just not finding anything conclusive about it (Glutamine) working for gut issues, or at what doses it's potentially toxic.

Gut issues are very much related to diet, as you know.
If i were you, i would try to find a way to go all strict again. Your health is more important than anything else.

Glutamine is the most abundant amino acid in our blood. We get it from our diet, and make it ourselves (mostly in the muscles).
Excess glutamine yields excess ammonium.
In critically ill people, supplemental glutamine reduces infection risk, by reducing increased intestinal permeability. That is because when permeability is increased, more pathogens will enter the blood through the gut.
So, oral glutamine is effective for reducing increased intestinal permeability.
The question is: do you have that? (increased intestinal permeability)
Supplementary Glutamine is not an effective medication for stomach or intestinal problems in general, as a study regarding infants has shown.Brown JV et al
It is specifically for reducing increased intestinal permeability.

What is your gut issue, more specifically?

[Mr. PC]

Thanks for your answers RRM! They're always so level-headed.

Well, I'm really just imagining I may have a gut issue because so the Seborrhea / dry eyes / white tongue / nerve problems (which I know is from piano, but think maybe somehow linked to gut) and being underweight / finding it nearly impossible to gain weight (while eating a LOT of food). When I was in Russia, one person suggested I had a parasite, because I ate so much food.

Do you think if I were to experiment with L-Glutamine, it would cause harm, or simply be a waste of money?

I really would like to go back to at least drinking the juice and eating eggyolks... I find now I'm always having fruit cravings, and that many conventional meals consist of pure crap (pasta is the worst). I'm in a 'take-what-you're-given' phase, as someone is cooking for me, and I don't have time to prepare my own food. I agree that health is important, and I should be more concerned about that than what others think.

[RRM]

Do you think if I were to experiment with L-Glutamine, it would cause harm, or simply be a waste of money?

Not a waste of money, because the results will tell you whether your gut issues are likely due to increased intestinal permeability, or not.
Oral glutamine has been shown to decrease increased intestinal permeability.
The potential harm is restricted to elevated ammonium exposure, and as your experiment will be temporary, i do not think it can be particularly harmful.
So yes,i do think that such an experiment might shed some light on your intestinal issues.
Other issues might be related, as increased intestinal permeability may lead to a host of elevated exposure to potential pathogens.

During physical stress, glutamine in the blood is reduced, resulting in increased intestinal permeability (by approximately 20% 1 hour after marathon running Castell LM)
Hence glutamine supplementation has been studied in athletes, and has been shown to decrease illness incidence.Castell L Castell LM et al
In rats, doses of 1 gram free glutamine per kg bodyweight were administered.Cruzat VF et al
Athletes exercised using heavy training loads took 10 g glutamine orally once a day.Song QH et al
Male physical education students orally ingested glutamine at the dose of 0.25 g/kg body mass in 250 ml of water. The combination of maltodextrin (50 g per 250 ml water) plus glutamine was more effective (taken prior to exercise) Khorshidi-Hosseini et al, because active cells require more energy; the extra glucose increases the availability of glutamine.

[Mr. PC]

Oh wow, I looked for these kinds of studies for so long, but only found research on cancer patients, and many articles state the research doesn't apply to athletes, because the stress is not comparable. You're definitely the master of research (or there's just something wrong with me. Again, I spent hours looking for this).

Will Solgar be ok? http://www.amazon.co.uk/Solgar-L-Glutam ... B000Z907QS It's really all that's available in Turkey. I guess I shouldn't take the Glutamine when hungry? Maybe with dried fruit?

[Mr. PC]

Ok, this is what I got.

http://www.gnc.com/GNC-Pro-Performance- ... Id=2133643

Somehow, I felt a little awkward being this skinny guy buying something marketed toward strong guys...

It's unflavored, and apparently has nothing but Glutamine; though in Turkey it costs about triple the price listed here.

Here's an easy explanation for anyone who has similar issues (assuming this is my issue).
http://draxe.com/4-steps-to-heal-leaky- ... e-disease/

[Mr. PC]

Sorry to be making 3 threads in a row. I think this link could be relevant.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3971359/

Although maybe it's only effective on shantytown children because they're so nutrient deficient to begin with. I guess many supplements could decrease intestinal permeability in that case.

[RRM]

Oh wow, I looked for these kinds of studies for so long

I have done a lot of search for specific studies for many years, and a lot of practise yields skill.

Will Solgar be ok?

Sure. Making that stuff is no rocket science.

I guess I shouldn't take the Glutamine when hungry? Maybe with dried fruit?

No, not when hungry.
First drink lots of juice during an hour or so.
Then pause for 10 minutes and then take the glutamine.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3971359/
Although maybe it's only effective on shantytown children because they're so nutrient deficient to begin with. I guess many supplements could decrease intestinal permeability in that case.

Exactly.

[rogii]

Try raw carrots and activated charcoal (coconut), works for me and I have similar issues. Really helps bind up anything crappy in gut if not eating "perfect".