Why taking glutamine can make your sleep worse

[Beyond]

So following the many websites, studies and people saying that glutamine is the Holy Grail for leaky gut or IBD I jumped and bought a kilogram of glutamine. I was planning to take it for two months. Now I think it sucks. Why? Since taking it my insomnia is back. And I found this:

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0899900702007748

http://www.cortjohnson.org/blog/201...fs-puzzle-the-neuroinflammatory-series-pt-ii/

I should have thought twice. I knew glutamate could be elevated by glutamine supplementation but didn´t thought much of it. Now I realise this was causing my insomnia. I will give some of it to my brother and see what happens, if it affects him negatively too I will be dumping 40 dollars worth of glutamine. It is better than taking every morning a tablespoon of glutamate.

@Valentijn the second link says N-acetylcsysteine (NAC) acts as a glutamate antagonist through facilitating the production of GABA. That might be why it helps you sleep!

So, I feel stupid. And actually angry at myself for being so impulsive. I feel like I have been eating these days large doses of MSG snacks, which I always avoid like the plague. But I hope someone learns something from my experience.

 

[Dreambirdie]

Interesting. Thanks @Beyond for posting this.

I have been taking glutamine every night for more than a year, for leaky gut. I struggle with insomnia all the time ,and now I wonder if that could be contributing to my agitated nerves..?

Recently I began taking NAC each night and that seems to be helping me sleep a little better. Maybe it's time to chuck that glutamine completely.

 

[Beyond]

I took it first thing in the morning, around 15 grams. Have seen in forums commented that it causes insomnia in other people too. I might consider taking less in the future and see but for now a good week without glutamine is needed to dillucidate if that was causing the worse sleep. Sleep is number one in my book after pain, but I am "lucky" because my pain is not-so-frequent.

 

[danceintherain]

Can you just take the glutamine in the morning? I had been taking glutamine, a few years ago, for quite a while. I noticed a good improvement in my gut health. I took it once in the am, upon waking, and once in the evening, close to bedtime. I decided to start back up again since I have been having some problems again. I took it last night, and I barely slept at all. I am not sure if it was a fluke because my sleep is pretty bad anyway, but I don't usually lie awake and toss and turn the entire night. I also woke up in a ton of pain.

 

[MeSci]

I take it in the morning and early evening - 2 tsp a day in water. It doesn't seem to affect my sleep.

Probably one of those things that affects different people differently, like...most things!

 

[AaroninOregon]

I took it in high doses for a couple weeks...that was a HUGE mistake.

 

[Tunguska]

It doesn't help some of the gluatmine supps are made from poor sources (wheat and friends)

Unless it's a poor quality supp I wouldn't throw it out because things change and you might want it later. NAC was great but after a time it dumbed me out and adding more glutamine helped to offset it. I don't take either daily anymore but take both together when I do (viral sickness). * There are other specific uses for it too.

I wouldn't take glutamine if you eat a lot of protein either, already enough glutamate.

** Didn't see the date. Hate when that happens.

 

[MeSci]

I wouldn't take glutamine if you eat a lot of protein either, already enough glutamate.

Maybe that's why, as a vegan, I'm OK with it.

 

[meeKO]

Wow that article on Glutamate and the kindling and sensory overload stuff sounds exactly like what we've experienced.
My wife has been prescribed L-Glutamine for leaky gut for a long time and after a break has gone back on it and recently her hypersensitivity and sleep have worsened...

'Scuse my ignorance but are Glutamate antagonists (NAC) a help in all this?

 

[Beyond]

'Scuse my ignorance but are Glutamate antagonists (NAC) a help in all this?

Supposedly. Never felt anything from that, but the forum user Valentijin reports better sleep on Sustained Release NAC...

 

[LivingwithFibro]

I take 2400 mg of N-acetylcysteine split into two doses...I sleep like a baby, always 6-10 hours of uninterrupted sleep. Yummy

 

[Valentijn]

I take 1800mg of NAC during throughout the day, as 600mg doses. The one I take before bedtime seems to be very helpful in sleeping well, though I usually still wake up to pee.

 

[Beyond]

I take 2400 mg of N-acetylcysteine split into two doses...I sleep like a baby, always 6-10 hours of uninterrupted sleep. Yummy

Hmm I think I hate you...

 

[LivingwithFibro]

Hmm I think I hate you...

Hahaha! I love NAC so much, it's unreal....I don't ever react badly to it unless I take it with Vit C or take 4800 mg, then I'll have diarrhea... but 2400 mg is more than fine for me.

It's a pity some cannot tolerate it well. Even if I get up in the middle of the night, I can go back to sleep and that's not achievable without NAC.

 

[Beyond]

It's a pity some cannot tolerate it well. Even if I get up in the middle of the night, I can go back to sleep and that's not achievable without NAC.

So what brand are you using? It´s not like NAC is super expensive, and the fact it helps the gut is appealing.

 

[LivingwithFibro]

So what brand are you using? It´s not like NAC is super expensive, and the fact it helps the gut is appealing.

Twin Labs. I want to try Jarrow's next (I think that's what it's called).

I've been using it for several months without side effects. I'm interested in Liposomal GSH and I hear there's Liposomal NAC as well...

• Glutathione. It is well known that reduced glutathione (GSH) is the most potent intracellular antioxidant. When mice with atherosclerosis consumed liposomal GSH for two months, they had significantly attenuated atherosclerotic lesions. Liposomal GHS also protected animals against lung injury, and provided significant protection to neurons in a model of Parkinson’s disease in animals.

• N-Acetylcysteine (NAC). When given in liposomal form, it protects animals against lung shock injury, as well as acetaminophen-induced hepatic injury. The review authors write, “Irrespective of the route of administration, liposomal NAC was far superior to conventional NAC.” This includes intravenous administration.

From here

 

[MeSci]

• Glutathione. It is well known that reduced glutathione (GSH) is the most potent intracellular antioxidant. When mice with atherosclerosis consumed liposomal GSH for two months, they had significantly attenuated atherosclerotic lesions. Liposomal GHS also protected animals against lung injury, and provided significant protection to neurons in a model of Parkinson’s disease in animals.

• N-Acetylcysteine (NAC). When given in liposomal form, it protects animals against lung shock injury, as well as acetaminophen-induced hepatic injury. The review authors write, “Irrespective of the route of administration, liposomal NAC was far superior to conventional NAC.” This includes intravenous administration.

From here

Sorry if I sound like a stuck record (anyone remember those?) but non-human-animal studies are really not worth reading, as they are about as likely not to translate to results in humans as they are likely, in other words the chances are on average about 50:50 - as reliable as tossing a coin.

 

[Beyond]

Sorry if I sound like a stuck record (anyone remember those?) but non-human-animal studies are really not worth reading, as they are about as likely not to translate to results in human as they are likely, in other words the chances are on average about 50:50 - as reliable as tossing a coin.

I wonder when we will stop experimenting with animals. It is immoral and unlikely to reflect the human effects. Knowing the scientific community, it can take a century.

 

[LivingwithFibro]

My brother always takes his glutamine in the morning, last night he messaged me saying he couldn't sleep.

How does NAC help with leaky gut or any gut issues?

 

[Aerowallah]

For what it's worth I elevated my glutamate / GABA levels with excess taurine. 18 months of insomnia followed tempered, somewhat, by low glutamate diet. Also believe glutamate is active in the stress response of AF detoxers. Once elevated Glutamate seems to be slow to rebalance. Finally tried coffee enemas to improve liver clearance and insomnia shut off like a light switch.