Is Glutamine a Conditionally Essential Amino Acid?
The nonessential amino acid
glutamine has
recently been the focus of extensive scientific interest because of its importance in cell
and tissue cultures and its physiological role in animals and humans.
Glutamine
appears to be a unique amino acid, serving as a preferred respiratory fuel for rapidly
proliferating cells, such as enterocytes and lymphocytes; a regulator of acid-base balance
through the production of urinary ammonia; a carrier of nitrogen between tissues; and an
important precursor of nucleic acids, nucleotides, amino sugars and proteins.
Abundant evidence suggests that glutamine may become a ‘conditionally essential’ amino acid in the critically ill. During stress the body’s requirements for glutamine in specialized enteral or parenteral feeding may enhance nutritional management and augment recovery of the seriously ill while minimizing hospital stay.
Lacey JM and Wilmore DW, "Is glutamine a conditionally
essential amino acid?"
Nutr. Rev. (1990) vol.48 no.8: pg. 297-309.