What does this rating mean?
Glutamine is an amino acid. It is produced by the body and stored mostly in the muscles. Glutamine is found in protein-rich foods like meat, fish, eggs, dairy products and beans.
Glutamine is used by the body to make a chemical messenger in the brain (glutamate). Some people with depression have lower levels of glutamate in the brain. It has been suggested that increasing consumption of glutamine may improve mood.
There is not enough scientific evidence to determine if glutamine is helpful in the treatment of depression. There are no studies examining whether it is any more effective than dummy pills (placebos) in treating depression.
Concerns about the safety of long term use of glutamine have been raised. More research is needed to better understand the side effects of glutamine, especially for longer term use.
Dietary supplements, including glutamine, may have negative interactions with prescribed medications or other supplements, and could have side-effects. They should always be taken under the supervision of a health care professional.
Glutamine is found in protein-rich foods like meat, fish, eggs, dairy products and beans. Glutamine is also available as a dietary supplement from health food shops and online.
Glutamine cannot be recommended for depression given the lack of scientific evidence about its effectiveness. There are also concerns about its safety when used in the long term.
Last reviewed and updated: 14 August 2023
These treatments are very useful. They are strongly supported as effective by scientific evidence.
These treatments are useful. They are supported by scientific evidence as effective, but the evidence is not as strong.
These treatments are promising and may be useful. They have some evidence to support them, but more evidence is needed to be sure they work.
