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9 Best Glutamine Supplements for Gut Health and Muscle Recovery (2024)

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Today, I’m writing about glutamine. And I’m pretty pumped about it. As the most abundant amino acid in your body, glutamine is a big deal.

You need glutamine for muscle protein synthesis, recovery, and fueling the immune system, gut, and brain. In particular, it’s getting attention for its gut healing and digestive benefits.

Glutamine could help with the Great Digestive System Reset

Here, I’ll list the best glutamine supplements on the market. Plus, I’ll break down the research and answer your FAQs.

What Are the Best Glutamine Supplements in 2024?

At RFS, we thoroughly research the ingredients and supplements we recommend. Our team vets these recommendations – you’re not getting random recs from an AI robot.

Now, onto the best glutamine supplements right now.

Best L-Glutamine Powder: Kaged Glutamine Powder

Best L-Glutamine Capsules: NOW Sport L-Glutamine Capsules

Best L-Glutamine for Gut Health: Naked Glutamine Powder

Best L-Glutamine for Weight Loss: Transparent Labs BCAAs Glutamine

Best Whey Protein with Glutamine: Re-Kaged

Best Bulk L-Glutamine Supplement: PureBulk L-Glutamine

*Note: We have affiliate links throughout this article, which means we receive a commission if you buy from any of our links. This supports our mission to bring complicated health and fitness info in an entertaining package. And it keeps us from putting up annoying things like banner ads. Those suck.

1) Kaged Glutamine Powder (Best Glutamine Powder)

Kaged Glutamine

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Pros

  • 5 grams of pure l-glutamine
  • Naturally fermented
  • Easy-to-mix powder
  • Third-party tested
  • 100% plant-based, unflavored, non-GMO, and free from fillers and additives

Cons

  • None

Kaged edges out the competition to become #1 on our list. They have a pure, bioavailable glutamine powder that’s 100% plant-based, unflavored, non-GMO, and free from fillers and additives. It’s also one of the most affordable products on the market.

Each scoop of their powder delivers 5 grams of pure l-glutamine – a free form of glutamine that your body recognizes. Plus, it’s naturally fermented for optimal absorption. And, as a vegan-friendly powder, you can be sure you’re not ingesting untested animal by-products (eww!).

The powder dissolves easily in liquids, making it ideal for adding to water, smoothies, protein shakes, and pre-or post-workout recovery drinks.

Kaged is certified by Informed-Sport, the global gold standard for banned-substance testing. This makes the products safe for athletes at all levels.

A 500-gram container contains 100 servings for a great price. Its quality lives up to the Kaged standard.

Finally, Kaged offers discounts for military personnel, medical workers, teachers, students, and first responders. Now, that’s something special. 

For all these reasons, Kaged Glutamine Powder is our #1 choice.

2) Naked Glutamine (Best for Gut Health)

best glutamine supplement

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Pros

  • 5 grams of l-glutamine per scoop
  • Naturally fermented l-glutamine
  • Plant-based
  • Third-party tested
  • 200 servings per container

Cons

  • None

Naked Nutrition Glutamine Powder is number #2 on our list of the best glutamine supplements thanks to its quality and simplicity. This high-quality supplement contains only one ingredient: naturally fermented l-glutamine from plant sources.

The focus on a single, pure ingredient ensures you receive a clean product without any nasty ingredients.

The powder is dairy-free, GMO-free, soy-free, and vegan. You can mix a scoop into 8oz of water, a protein shake, or low-acid fruit juice or smoothie, ideally after a workout, in the morning, or before bed.

Naked Glutamine is manufactured in the USA, and undergoes independent third-party testing for heavy metals, ensuring it meets stringent purity criteria.

It comes in a 1 kg package, giving you 200 5 gram servings per container.

3) Transparent Labs BCAA Glutamine Powder (Best for Weight Loss)

Transparent Labs BCAA Glutamine

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Pros

  • 5 grams of l-glutamine per scoop
  • 8 grams of BCAAs in an optimal ratio of 2:1:1
  • 1500 mg of vitamin C
  • 1000 mg of coconut water powder
  • Comes in 5 delicious flavors

Cons

  • Not ideal if you want a pure l-glutamine supplement
  • More expensive

Transparent Labs has a plant-based glutamine powder with fermented vegan branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), coconut water powder, and vitamin C. BCAAs are three amino acids – leucine, isoleucine, and valine – that promote muscle protein synthesis and exercise recovery.

Each serving of powder delivers:

  • 8000 mg of BCAAs in an optimal ratio of 2:1:1
  • 5000 mg of l-glutamine
  • 1000 mg of coconut water powder
  • 1500 mg of vitamin C

It comes in the yummiest flavors. You can choose between sour green apple, tropical punch, strawberry lemonade, blue raspberry, and orange. Plus, it’s free from fillers, artificial sweeteners, and colorants.

It’s slightly pricier at $39.99 for a container of 30 servings. However, you’re getting other nutrients to support muscle growth and recovery.

4) Re-Kaged (Best Whey Protein with Glutamine)

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Pros

  • 28 grams of ultra-filtered whey protein isolate
  • 3 grams of fermented glutamine
  • Contains creatine HCl and betaine anhydrous (TMG)
  • Contains a patented digestive enzyme, ProHydrolase®
  • Comes in 3 delicious flavors

Cons

  • Not ideal if you want a pure l-glutamine supplement
  • Only 20 servings

KAGED strikes again with another cool product containing glutamine and lots of other good things. 

RE-KAGED is more than just a protein powder; it’s a complete post-workout recovery drink.

The premium formula includes their PRO G3 RECOVERY FUEL: 28 grams of ultra-filtered whey protein isolate per serving, providing a complete profile of essential amino acids, including 3 grams of fermented L-glutamine.

It also contains 1.5 grams of creatine HCl, the gold standard for muscle growth and recovery, and 1.5 grams of betaine anhydrous (TMG), which supports tons of metabolic functions. (We’ve written articles about both these ingredients here and here).

Plus, the powder contains a patented digestive enzyme, ProHydrolase®. This helps with optimal nutrient absorption and reduces gastrointestinal discomfort associated with protein powders. 

It’s available in three delicious flavors: Iced lemon cake, orange cream, and strawberry lemonade. If you’re anything like me, you’ll dig the strawberry lemonade.

RE-KAGED is free from banned substances, ensuring it meets the needs of athletes and fitness enthusiasts who are mindful of what they consume.

On the downside, each container only provides 20 servings, so you have to stock up regularly.

5) Pure Bulk L-Glutamine (Best Bulk Option)

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Pros

  • Pure l-glutamine
  • Affordable bulk option
  • Available in capsules and powder
  • Third-party tested for identity, purity, and potency

Cons

  • None

If you’re looking to buy l-glutamine in bulk at a great price, Pure Bulk has just the ticket.

Their pure glutamine is just that: pure, premium-quality l-glutamine without fillers, gluten, yeast, or any dodgy ingredients.

It’s available in loose powder, vegetable capsules, and gel capsules – ideal if you like options or mixing up your supplement regimen. The powder comes in different sizes, from 50 grams to 1.5 kg. It has great mixability to add to shakes or water (although you may want to cover the taste with more than water). 

Otherwise, they have bottles of 120 or 300 capsules. A serving size is roughly 1.5 grams — less than other brands but a good option if you’re starting out or want a lower dose.

Pure Bulk products are third-party tested for identity, purity, and potency (if you don’t believe me, you can request a copy of the test results).

6) Onnit Glutamine Powder

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Onnit Glutamine Powder is simple and effective. It’s unflavored l-glutamine with no fillers and unnecessary ingredients.

A container provides 60 5-gram servings.

It’s an unflavored powder, so you’ll probably want to mix it into a shake or smoothie. But the taste is pretty neutral.

Plus, you can get 15% off if you subscribe to receive a regular glutamine delivery. I know it sounds like a sales pitch, but the subscription really is convenient – and you can specify how often you want your refill delivered.

Onnit products are Informed-Sport tested for banned substances, making them 100% competition-safe.

7) NOW Sports L-Glutamine Capsules (Best Glutamine Capsules)

NOW Sports Glutamine

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NOW Sport L-Glutamine Capsules deliver 1000 mg of cGMP-quality assured l-glutamine per serving.

It’s vegetarian, kosher, and non-GMO. And you can choose between bottles of 120 or 240 capsules.

Now Sports is certified by Informed-Sport to contain no banned substances. Competing athletes have peace of mind when taking this glutamine supplement.

That said, if you want a higher daily dose, you’re better off choosing one of the glutamine powders on the list.

8) MuscleTech Platinum Glutamine

Muscle Tech Glutamine

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MuscleTech is a premium supplement brand supplying best-in-class sports nutrition to elite athletes and part-time exercise enthusiasts.

Each serving of their Platinum Glutamine delivers 5 grams of 100% pure l-glutamine powder free from banned substances. The unflavored powder is HPLC-tested for purity; each serving is free from fillers, additives, bacteria, and toxins.

MuscleTech manufactures science-backed supplements according to strict cGMP standards.

9) Optimum Nutrition Glutamine Capsules

Optimum Nutrition Glutamine Caps

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Optimum Nutrition Glutamine Capsules are ideal if you want to start with a lower dose. Each easy-to-swallow capsule contains 500 mg of pure l-glutamine.

A bottle has 240 capsules. Unfortunately, the capsules contain gelatin and aren’t suitable for vegans.

Optimum Nutrition has Informed-Sport registered manufacturing sites. Regular on-site inspections and swabbing ensure they follow the high standards for quality. That said, the testing standards aren’t as strict as others on this list.

How We Ranked the Best Glutamine Supplements

We ranked these supplements, but we want you to decide on the best product for your needs.

Here are some factors we considered while researching the products.

Strict Testing Standards

The FDA doesn’t regulate the dietary supplement industry. There are a ton of crappy supplements out there.

For this reason, we recommend brands that adhere to cGMP regulations. We also prioritize companies that use third-party testing for banned substances.

Buying from our list ensures you get the purest and safest glutamine supplement.

Ingredients and Purity

We chose supplements with L-glutamine, a well-absorbed form of glutamine found in dietary sources. The products listed are also non-GMO and free from additives.

Form

We included l-glutamine powder and capsules, so you can pick what works for you.

Capsules are convenient. But glutamine powder is more cost-effective and allows you to adjust the dose.

Dosage

Most products listed deliver between 3-5 grams of l-glutamine per serving.

However, we also included lower-dose capsules if you want to build up the dose slowly.

Cost

The best glutamine supplement doesn’t have to break the bank.

We weighed the cost against the number of servings per container, the dose, and the quality of each product.

What is Glutamine?

Glutamine is one of the 20 amino acid building blocks in your body.

Many cells rely on glutamine for energy, especially those in your skeletal muscles, small intestine, kidneys, liver, and immune system.

Glutamine is known as a conditionally essential amino acid. Your body usually makes enough glutamine from other amino acids. However, if you’re under stress from illness, injury, or intense exercise, making glutamine becomes trickier. That’s the conditional part.

In this case, eating more protein-rich foods and supplementing can help.

Does Glutamine Improve Gut Health?

In recent years, glutamine powder has grabbed the spotlight as a gut-healing supplement. Holistic and alternative doctors recommend it for anyone with digestive problems, IBS, inflammatory bowel disease, food sensitivities, and everything in between.

 

As it turns out, there is some truth behind these claims.

Glutamine is the major fuel source for the cells lining your small intestine. It repairs and maintains the gut lining, helping to prevent intestinal permeability or “leaky gut.” This is where tight junctions in the gut wall become permeable, allowing undesirable particles to enter the bloodstream.

This 2019 study found that 5 grams of glutamine daily improved intestinal permeability and IBS symptoms after a gut infection. Another small trial found glutamine may prevent leaky gut in long-distance runners. However, the participants used relatively high doses.

Maintaining the protective gut barrier is essential for millions of tiny finger-like villi to absorb nutrients in the small intestine.

However, while glutamine may support a healthy gut lining, no evidence suggests it improves digestive conditions.

Other Health Benefits of Glutamine Supplements

Glutamine supports more than just gut health. Here are some of the potential health benefits of L-glutamine supplementation.

May Support Muscle Strength and Recovery

Putting your body under stress due to a demanding training regime depletes your cellular and blood glutamine levels. So, it stands to reason that replenishing your glutamine stores may fight fatigue and reduce muscle tissue loss.

This study found taking glutamine improved muscle recovery and reduced soreness after eccentric exercises. This makes sense because, during intense exercise, glutamine helps process byproducts like ammonia more efficiently.

Glutamine may be especially useful for older people (who have greater amino acid needs). A study on women aged 60-80 found glutamine improved knee muscle strength and power during exercise.

Full disclosure: other studies show young people who already eat a protein-rich diet probably won’t see noticeable performance benefits. Further, claims about glutamine aiding in weight loss directly are a big stretch.

That said, athletes and those dealing with stress may want to add glutamine to their supplement stack to preserve those hard-earned gains.

May Support Immune Health

Glutamine may help immune-compromised individuals and high-intensity athletes.

Just as glutamine fuels your gut lining, it also fuels immune cells like lymphocytes, macrophages, and neutrophils. These guys give your immune system the firepower to fight off infection-causing pathogens.

Research shows glutamine may reduce the risk of infection in burn patients and improve recovery time after abdominal surgery. Overall, this means shorter hospital stays, which is a win-win.

In addition, it may reduce immune suppression due to overtraining. This study found taking glutamine after endurance exercise significantly reduced the risk of a cold.

But, if you’re generally healthy, glutamine supplements won’t make your immune system bulletproof.

FAQs

Do Glutamine Supplements Improve Blood Sugar?

This study found that 30 grams/day of glutamine powder for six weeks significantly improved fasting blood glucose levels in type-2 diabetics. It also improved glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) – a marker of long-term blood sugar control.

However, this was just one small study, and the dose was significantly higher than is recommended.

Does Glutamine Help Weight Loss?

The same study that found glutamine improved blood sugar levels in diabetics also found it reduced body fat and waist circumference. Again, it was a high dose of glutamine, which isn’t common when taking regular supplements.

Overall, glutamine isn’t known for weight loss when taken at the recommended doses. That said, it may support your general well-being, leading to a healthier metabolism.

Can Glutamine Supplements Heal a Leaky Gut?

While “leaky gut syndrome” is a controversial diagnosis (and some doctors might say it’s not one at all), there is evidence that stress and other factors impair the protective lining in the gut. This is known as intestinal permeability.

Glutamine is often touted for maintaining the integrity and function of the intestinal lining. While the cells in your gut lining are rapidly replaced, taking glutamine may help to repair the gut barrier more quickly.

Does Glutamine Help People with Digestive Disorders?

Glutamine IS NOT a treatment for any medical conditions. However, it may be supportive for those with various digestive disorders like Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) or Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) by protecting the intestinal lining.

That said, the science for this is sparse, but there are plenty of positive anecdotal stories.

How Quickly Does Glutamine Impact Gut Health?

The time frame for noticing improvements in gut health from glutamine supplementation can vary based on the individual’s condition, the severity of the issue, and the glutamine dosage.

Some people might notice improvements within a few days, while others might not notice changes at all.

Can I Get Glutamine from Food?

Yes. Most people get enough glutamine from a varied diet rich in high-quality protein – like eggs, beef, chicken, fish, dairy products, tofu, and legumes.

However, vegans, vegetarians, people with digestive disorders, cancer patients, surgery patients, and endurance athletes may need support from supplements.

What Form of Glutamine Is Best?

There are a few forms of glutamine, which can be confusing. L-glutamine is the most bioavailable form produced by the human body – it’s also in most supplements.

Is Glutamine Better in Pill or Powder?

Whether you pick glutamine powder or capsules depends on your preference.

That said, glutamine powder has a slight edge over pills as it dissolves in liquids and may be easier to absorb. Plus, the powder is better if you want a higher dose.

On the other hand, glutamine capsules are convenient to take on the go (and you won’t taste them).

Can Vegetarians or Vegans Take Glutamine Supplements?

While glutamine is found naturally in animal proteins, glutamine supplements are typically vegan-friendly and produced through a fermentation process involving plant-based ingredients.

But check the product label to confirm the source of the glutamine.

How Much Glutamine Should You Take Daily?

There is no official recommended dosage for glutamine. However, most experts suggest 5 grams taken 1-2 times daily with food.

Those engaging in prolonged exercise and intense training (like bodybuilders and endurance athletes) may need up to 10 grams twice daily before or after an intense workout.

Is Glutamine Gluten-free?

Yes – they may sound similar, but gluten and glutamine are different. Glutamine is 100% gluten-free.

That said, some products that use additional ingredients may contain gluten, so always check the label.

Which Supplements Can I Take with Glutamine?

Glutamine works well in combination with other fitness supplements.

You can stack it with creatine monohydrate, L-citrulline, and BCAAs. You can also add it to your protein powder, pre-workout, post-workout, or hydration supplement.

Do Glutamine Supplements Have Side Effects?

Glutamine is an amino acid naturally produced in the body. As a supplement, it is considered safe for most people. Taking up to 20-30 grams per day has shown no ill effects.

However, there is a risk of mild side effects in some people – like bloating, heartburn, stomach pain, or nausea. In addition, cancer patients using l-glutamine to reduce chemotherapy side effects should discuss it with their doctor first.

Always speak to your doctor before taking any new supplement.

About the Author

Katherine is a South African-born nutritionist, freelance wellness writer, and rooibos tea enthusiast (iykyk). When she's not researching new "biohacking" trends and writing for her clients, you'll find Katherine swimming at a local Cape Town beach or practicing breathwork at any opportunity.

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