Effects of glutamine supplementation on inflammatory bowel disease: A systematic review of clinical trials.
Level 1 - systematic review of randomized trials
Systematic review of randomized clinical trials
PubMed 33745622 · doi:10.1016/j.clnesp.2020.12.023
What was done
Systematic review following PRISMA guidelines evaluating randomized clinical trials on the effects of glutamine supplementation in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis). PubMed and SciVerse Scopus were searched, and risk of bias was assessed with the Cochrane collaboration tool.
What was found
Seven studies were included. Glutamine was administered orally (21-30 g or 0.5 g/kg), enterally (7.87-8.3 g/100 g formula), or parenterally (0.3 g/kg). No quantitative pooled estimates were provided in the abstract. No changes were observed in anthropometry or biochemical parameters. One study reported reduced intestinal permeability and morphometry, two studies observed slight effects on inflammation and oxidative stress, and two studies reported an effect on disease activity. Overall, glutamine supplementation showed no effect on disease course, symptoms, permeability, or inflammatory markers.
Why it matters
Despite biological rationale for mucosal healing, randomized trial evidence does not support clinical benefits of glutamine supplementation in inflammatory bowel disease across standard administration routes.
Limits
The review is limited to seven trials with heterogeneous dosing and delivery methods. The abstract provides no participant sample sizes, quantitative effect sizes, or detailed risk-of-bias results.
Cited by
- partial Dietary glutamine helps heal and repair the intestinal lining.