That was the question my daughter Olivia asked me after she took L-Glutamine for two days and her sugar cravings stopped. I explained that I didn’t give her drugs… geez. L-Glutamine is not a drug, but is the most widely circulating amino acid in the body. I realized that she wasn’t listening to anything else I said, as all she cared about was that she was no longer stuffing sugar- in its many available forms- in her mouth.
This is one sentence
One of my favorite things is to read a scientific study and find a way to explain it to people who don’t read them all the time. Does this sentence give you chills, or is it just geeky me?
“Individuals possessing a paucity of serotonergic and/ordopaminergic receptors and a increased rate of synaptic DA catabolism due to a high catabolic genotype of the COMT gene are predisposed to self-medicating with any substance or behavior that will activate DA release, including alcohol, opiates, psychostimulants, nicotine, gambling, sex, and even excessive internet gaming, among others.”
In other words, not enough (paucity) serotonin (serotonergic) or ordopaminergic (having to do with dopamine) will make you crave things you shouldn’t—sugar, alcohol and everything else they named. Genetics is a factor, as it is in almost everything. L-Glutamine suppresses insulin to stop further decline of blood sugar levels and stimulates glycogen (a stored form of glucose, your body’s main fuel source) to be released which helps increase blood sugar to normal levels. Blood sugar stabilization decreases sugar cravings-makes sense, right?
L-Glutamine has been noted to help with other health issues besides sugar cravings:
• Helps to promote healing of impaired gut mucosa (your gut lining-think bowel function)
• Improves brain function
• Helps maintain acid/alkaline balance
• Helps with protein metabolism
L-Glutamine is generally taken with the pyridoxal-5-phospahte, the active form of vitamin B6, which regulates the absorption, metabolism and conversion of amino acids. Take L-glutamine before and between meals. If it’s an emergency, say you’re about to eat the whole cake, open the pills and pour right on your tongue for faster absorption. Whew…that was close. Remember that adequate protein intake is an important factor when developing a sugar reduction plan.
This is just the tip of the amino acid therapy iceberg. There are some contraindications with certain amino acids. Please see your health practitioner for advice.