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Updated: May 26, 2026

Assessment of Glutamine as a Fuel Source for Alveolar Macrophages Exposed to Chronic Ethanol Using an Extracellular Flux Bioanalyzer

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Have we enough glutamine and how does it work? A clinician's view.

P B Soeters¹, I Grecu

¹Department of Surgery, Maastricht, The Netherlands. pb.soeters@maastrichtuniversity.nl

Annals of Nutrition & Metabolism

|January 4, 2012

Summary

Glutamine supplementation may benefit critically ill patients by supporting immune function and wound healing, especially during inflammation. Research indicates physiological levels of glutamine are crucial for host defense mechanisms.

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Area of Science:

Biochemistry
Clinical Nutrition
Immunology

Background:

A discrepancy exists between the scientific evidence and clinical belief regarding glutamine deficiency in disease states.
Glutamine plays vital roles in immune cells, wound healing, and as a precursor for essential metabolites.

Purpose of the Study:

To evaluate the scientific basis for glutamine supplementation in severely ill patients.
To determine if glutamine shortage occurs in disease and if supplementation is beneficial.

Main Methods:

Review of existing literature on glutamine metabolism in disease states.
Analysis of isotope studies and tissue glutamine release/uptake data.
Evaluation of clinical studies on glutamine supplementation in trauma, burn, and inflammatory conditions.

Main Results:

Glutamine concentrations decrease in inflammatory states, but are not reliable indicators of shortage.
Increased glutamine release from peripheral to central tissues during inflammation suggests a need for supplementation.
Clinical benefits of parenteral glutamine supplementation are more evident in severe inflammation, trauma, and burn patients.

Conclusions:

Parenteral glutamine supplementation, at physiological levels, can be beneficial for patients with severe inflammation, trauma, or burns.
The increased demand for glutamine by host defense organs during critical illness supports supplementation strategies.