[Guest]

Hi there! I am thinking of trying L-Glutamine - i asked about this a while ago and got mixed replies - i asked my doc about it and she was very dismissive as it is some 'herbal thing' but i have heard a lot of you report success with it. Please tell me if you have tried it - if it helped you? And did it mostly help c or d. And did you change your diet while taking it? How long did you take it for, did you notice any other effects good or bad? etc...anything really - I am willing to try anything! I have heard that some people take it for a few weeks along with a really bland diet and it kinda fixes them and they can now each even naughty things!!! I am aware that you shouldn't take it if you have kidney or liver problems - but i don't think i do - i mean - you'd know if you did - wouldn't you???let me know what you think?cheers[This message has been edited by enna2 (edited 08-09-2000).]

 

[Guest]

L-Glutamine ROCKS!!! I was on a restrictive diet, taking Caltrate 3 times a day and taking 2000mg of L-Glutamine per day. After about 2 weeks, I can now eat anything I want! I mean it - tomotoes, peanut butter cookies, cheese and crackers - and in large quantities (one day I had peanut butter cookies for lunch!!). The only thing that bothers me is Tim Hortons coffee (all the Canadians will know Tim Hortons) - I miss that, but I can drink coffee made at home (and OHHH, that is wonderful, after 3 months of having no coffee at all) and I can drink all the tea I want.Now, I wouldn't recommend cookies for lunch - but you know, sometimes you just have to push stuff to the limit! I have been able to stop the Caltrate and L-Glutamine completely. But I think I will start the L-Glutamine again on a daily basis - it just made me feel better - plus I am going to start a weight lifting program, and L-Glutamine is great for muscle recovery.I honestly hope it works as well for you as it did for me. But remember - a positive attitude is MORE than half the battle. Best of luck!

 

[kitty2]

Hi! I was also thinking about trying glutamine. I will probably get some next week and after I take it for a few weeks I will let everyone know the outcome.

 

[BARBARA]

Hi Everyone,I took it for 3 weeks along with the Caltrate and it did not do a thing for my D.Thanks,------------------BARBARA D TYPE

 

[Guest]

DOES IT HELP C OR D? PLESA TELL ME!!!!

 

[scottyswotty]

It is not an aid for C or D per se but an amino acid that the body is needed to repair the gut. It is non-essential in that the body can synthesise it from the essentials. In saying that the where there is a problem the body will like the extra L-glutamine in supplement form to work with. It is a good amino acid to take and has other benefits and people tend to call it the "essential non-essential amino acid"This is the best article I have come across. http://www.lef.org/magazine/mag99/sep99-report3.html It will help repair the gut but alone will not work as you must look at why the gut was in a state of disrepair.

 

[Guest]

Can anyone tell me how long you have to take pills like these before you see results. I took magnesium and aloe vera for a while and saw nothing. I also took chromium picolinate for some time but nothing. I might have taken that long enough. Nothing seems to work.ThanksMatt

 

[Guest]

Hi guys - thanks for the replies! I found this website which sells glutamine in the UK (only place i have found it!!!) and it says a bit about it too - including saying that it helps ibs!!! I like the look of the other benefits too! http://www.clickmango.com/wisdom/article664_1.shtml Bear - i am so happy it worked well for you! What were your symptoms before?scottyswotty - thanks for the article - very interesting!

 

[Guest]

any more stories? still in 2 minds as to whether to try?

 

[Guest]

enna2:Give it a shot. My scanning of the posts on this and other BBs says it helps about 70% of the people who try it. I haven't read any reports of it causing a problem or making symptoms worse.I buy the powder and mix 2.5g-worth in a glass of water and take it 30 minutes before each meal. If I have just exercised, I double the dose. (Side benefit: the glutamine will definitely reduce muscle soreness and recovery time after a hard work-out.)I found that it did nothing the first day, seemed to help a little the second day, and completely stopped the D the third day. It actually changed the D to C, so I started re-introducing fiber supplement to my diet to compensate (Per Diem). I also take 500mg of calcium (Oscal) with each meal. I find that, for me, the l-glutamine plus calcium work better together than either one separately. If I forget one or the other, my body reminds me soon afterward.The combination of l-glutamine, Oscal, and Per Diem just about does it for me. I can't have peanut butter cookies for lunch like Bear (I'm soooo jealous!), but my life is w-a-a-a-y closer to normal than it was. I have to stay on the program, though. If I forget to properly supplement even one meal, I start having problems again.Good luck, enna2!------------------Never give up! Never surrender!

 

[tezbear]

I started L-Glutamine capsules about a month ago. I think it has helped but I don't think I take enough. I only take about 1500 mg a day and I heard you're supposed to take so much more. L-Glutamine is an amino acid that everyone has enough of..unless you're a body builder, have a weakened immune system or stressed. Us IBSers could be losing the amino acid faster because we worry too much, etc., right? Anyway it is supposed to be good for diarrhea because it helps to repair and replenish the intestines. Supposedly it goes directly to the intestinal wall but if we don't have enough of it than we're losing out. I have found the capsules in local drug stores or health food stores. Anyone know how much you're supposed to take? Maybe I should up the dose so I don't have any loose stools. I currently also take probiotics and vitamin B complex. My fiber is oatmeal every other morning..don't want to over do it....

 

[Guest]

My daily dose averages 7.5-10 grams per day. The only economical way to take that much is to forget the capsules and buy the powder. It is available at GNC as "Super Glutamine Fuel".

 

[JeanG]

Hi Enna:To be fully informed you might want to check this list from the The Special Nutritionals Adverse Event Monitoring System (SN/AEMS). It gives info on adverse affects reported. It doesn't mean these things will happen to everyone, but it's something to keep an eye out for.L-Glutamine has been reported to have some effects. Check this out: http://vm.cfsan.fda.gov/cgi-bin/aems.cgi?Q...ine&STYPE=EXACT The main page to The Special Nutritionals Adverse Event Monitoring System (SN/AEMS) is at: http://vm.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/aems.html JeanG

 

[Guest]

The woman in the health food store interestingly told me that taking L-glutamine was worthless. she said i should take something with glutamine peptides in it. Matt

 

[Guest]

Ok i have been having a terrible day today - all the d and cramps came back in force - had to take half a ton of pepto bismol and entrocalm just to get out of the house!!! Ran out of calcium yesterday - but i am sure that missing one calcium pill wouldn't do this to me!!!Anyway - i went and bought some L-Glutamine - i am just about ready to try anything right now!!! The guy in the shop said that a lot of people find it really good to heal the digestive system - and that was before i even told him what i wanted it for! I have got the powder form - i think i will start on about 2000mg a day which apparently is just 1 teaspoon twice a day...I'll let you know if it helps!!!Jean - that site was horrible!! i had to stop reading!!! Vomiting and dihorrea several times and then reports of death!!!! my god! You'd never take anything after reading about it on that site!!!! Thanks anyway though - i know your intentions are good! If i find myself dead I'll know it was the L-Glutamine and will stop taking it right away!!!

lol!!! (touch wood!!!)

 

[Guest]

ok - i'm on day 3 of the Glutamine - and i haven't had any d yet - but that could be co-incidence!!! Still alive though - which is a bonus!!

lol!! (touch wood again!!)I find it really sweet on my teeth? Is that just me?? I need to brush my teeth after taking the powder in water...Also - i thought it was meant to make you feel more lively? I have never felt so pooped out!!!

Again - could be co-incidence due to lack of sleep friday night - cos i spent it all in the bathroom!!!

 

[Guest]

I've never found glutamine to be an energy boost, but it doesn't make me tired, either. Enna, maybe you're just tired because you're not getting the exercise you used to get running to the bathroom all the time

In all fairness, the adverse reactions list can be a bit misleading. It takes double-blind experimentation with control groups to establish any link between an ingested substance and a reaction. Those deaths could have had other causes, after all. L-glutamine is the most abundant amino acid in the body. If you don't get enough of it in your diet, your body will manufacture it for itself (if it can). So I wouldn't be too worried about taking it. I'm taking 7500 to 10000 mg per day, and it hasn't had any adverse effect on me...on me...on me...on me...------------------Never give up! Never surrender!

 

[Guest]

Hi enna,My doctor proscribed L glutamie but I have been scared to try it. From your replies I hear it really worked for them so tomorrow morning I going to get going on it. He also prescribed encoated peppermint tablets three times a day. Has anyone had success with this? Let me know how it works. Thanks'Gramdma Bit

 

[ceebee]

Enna -- I've been taking L-G for almost a month. I believe that I can tell a difference! I've tried the tablets, the capsules, and the powder, and the powder definitely works better. I have IBS-D, and take Lotronex, which helps the D, but I still have rumbles and grumbles in the gut that are uncomfortable and annoying. The L-G seems to have calmed the grumbles, although not totally cured them. I am also on a very limited diet, and haven't been able to add new foods yet. But even slow progress is positive, and I'm going to stick with the L-G for awhile. I've seen no adverse reactions, and took up to 9 grams a day for awhile, but cut back to 1 gram 3 times a day because the C became a problem! Good luck!

 

[Guest]

Grandma Biteppermint oil has a soothing effect on the digestive system. I have no direct experience, but I've read posts reporting positive results from peppermint pills and peppermint tea. Apparently, anything with peppermint oil works. My guess is that your doctor is prescribing coated peppermint tablets so the peppermint is delivered farther down your digestive system (instead of being absorbed in the stomach).