L-Glutamine and GAD genes

[Peyt]

Hi,
I have been suffering from SIBO for many years and I am recently told that L-Glutamine is a good supplement to try. (either as bone broth or just the powder Glutamine)
But then I came across a video on youtube that talks about how people who have bad GAD genes will hurt themselves by trying Glutamine because it will not convert to GABA and instead will back up the system as Glutamate!

To make things more complicated, after looking at my 23andme test I realized there are several GAD genes(not just one or two)... so now I am wondering, is there any information that can help pinpoint which of the GAD genes are involved in converting Glutamine to GABA? if yes, which one? And do both genes have to be bad for that to happen or even if one if bad it will be a problem? Attached is my GAD from my report.

I would appreciate your input,
Peyt.

 

[alicec]

Glutamine is indeed a valuable supplement for the gut but some people are sensitive to it. This has nothing to do with effects on glutamate in the brain, nor with GAD SNPs. The claims on youtube are not backed by any evidence.

Here is a post explaining why it makes not sense to claim that glutamine supplements affect brain glutamate.

As for the GAD1 SNPs you list, there is no evidence that any GAD1 SNPs have any significant effects, apart from one very rare link to cerebral palsy. See the OMIM entry. There are some association studies with things like schizophrenia and ADHD but they are only associations - ie there is possible increased risk.

You would just need to try the glutamine and see if you tolerate it.

 

[Peyt]

Here is a post explaining why it makes not sense to claim that glutamine supplements affect brain glutamate.

Thanks so much for the post. So if Glutamate is converted to glutamine by incorporation of ammonia, and this helps reduce the toxic ammonia, wouldn't be a good idea to supplement with Glutamate instead ?
And my other thought is, the end product of Glutamate and Ammonia is Glutamine so there will be no need to supplement with Glutamine anymore, right?

 

[alicec]

While the conversion of glutamate to glutamine by incorporation of ammonia is an important element of the body's nitrogen balance mechanisms, it is glutamine that is specifically used by enterocytes in the gut for energy production.

There is such a demand for glutamine by these cells that dietary glutamine is not sufficient - it must be topped up with glutamine from the blood. See this post.

Normally glutamine is a non-essential amino acid but under some circumstances, such as serious illness, we can't keep up the supply and it becomes conditionally essential. The idea of glutamine supplements is to take the pressure off demand and hopefully boost energy production in enterocytes.

Glutamate supplementation might eventually increase glutamine levels and so possibly do the trick indirectly, but direct glutamine supplementation will provide the enterocytes with their needed energy source immediately.

 

[Gingergrrl]

But then I came across a video on youtube that talks about how people who have bad GAD genes will hurt themselves by trying Glutamine because it will not convert to GABA and instead will back up the system as Glutamate!

@Peyt, I am not sure about the GAD genes but I have the anti GAD65 autoantibody which attacks the enzyme that converts GABA to glutamate. Prior to treatments for autoimmunity, I had an insanely exaggerated startle reflex and a lot more muscle stiffness (as well as significant muscle weakness). I don't know if any of this pertains to your case but wanted to mention it just in case.

 

[Peyt]

@Peyt, I am not sure about the GAD genes but I have the anti GAD65 autoantibody which attacks the enzyme that converts GABA to glutamate. Prior to treatments for autoimmunity, I had an insanely exaggerated startle reflex and a lot more muscle stiffness (as well as significant muscle weakness). I don't know if any of this pertains to your case but wanted to mention it just in case.

Interesting,
What do you use to treat this?

 

[Gingergrrl]

Interesting, What do you use to treat this?

In my case, we were trying to find treatment to get to the root cause of everything for me which my doctors (and I) believe is autoimmunity. So my treatment was (and still is) IVIG and Rituximab. It was not specifically for the anti GAD65 autoantibody vs. all of the weird autoantibodies that we believed were at the core of my illness.