Glutamine: a conditionally essential nutrient or another nutritional puzzle

Malnutrition and infection are common among patients receiving bone marrow transplant. A recent randomized, double-blind study was conducted to determine whether the addition of glutamine to standard total parenteral nutrition solutions would improve nitrogen retention and reduce hospital morbidity in a group of 45 bone marrow transplant patients. The results showed improved nitrogen balance and reduced incidence of clinical infection in the glutamine-supplemented patients.