Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak has affected almost all the nations of the world. The number of people affected by this disease is rising day-by-day. This viral infection predominantly attacks our respiratory system. Early symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, cold, cough, breathing difficulties and shortness of breath. In severe cases, it may lead to an acute respiratory syndrome, kidney failure and death.
As per epidemiologists, COVID-19 has been proved fatal among people with poor immune health. It attacks our lungs in three phases - viral replication, immune hyper-reactivity and pulmonary destruction. This is where our immune system steps in. In order to keep ourselves protected from this deadly virus, we should have a very strong immune system. A weak immune system means more damage.
We are blessed with many foods around us which helps us stay healthy. But there are some nutrients that specifically chip in to make our immune system strong. Glutamine is one such amino acid that is utilised abundantly by our body for the synthesis of immune cells. Glutamine is the most abundant amino acid in our body, primarily present in the liver and skeletal muscles. Two major components of our immune system are lymphocytes and macrophages. It has been observed that glutamine influences macrophage-mediated phagocytosis. It acts as a fuel for the synthesis of our immune cells.
A study published in 2016 observed that when glutamine was given to burn patients, the bactericidal function of neutrophils improved. During inflammation or infection, the requirement of glutamine by our immune cells are increased. This demand is increased not only by immune cells but also by the liver and other organs. And if not provided, insufficient levels of glutamine might lead to an imbalance. This further reduces the ability of immunological tissues to function optimally. Hence, glutamine deficit in the body might significantly contribute to the worsening of diseases or infections with life-threatening complications.
The European e-Journal of Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism has also mentioned glutamine as one of the nutrients which influences our immunity and has a favourable effect in boosting the same. By acting as a fuel for our immune cells like lymphocytes, fibroblasts and reticulocytes, glutamine aids in keeping us strong to fights against various bacterial and viral infections.
In order to have a power-packed immune system, we also need to keep our gut healthy. Glutamine is a very important nutrient required for the synthesis of a protective barrier formed between the small intestine and outer blood area. This benefits us by preventing the entry of harmful pathogens, toxins and foreign bodies into our gut, hence keeping diseases and infections at bay.
To sum up, glutamine plays a very crucial role in keeping our immune health strong. In order to give an additional push to our immune health, glutamine supplementation can be a profitable deal. One can choose Power Glutamine which provides 5 grams of pure glutamine per 5 grams serving without any addition of artificial colours, flavours and additives. Single sachet serving to package makes it easy to carry, store and use. The chances of contamination are also negligible. Try Power Glutamine to strengthen your body’s defence mechanism naturally.
REFERENCES
- MCKEEVER., AMY.(2020).CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE. Here’s what coronavirus does to the body https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2020/02/here-is-what-coronavirus-does-to-the-body/
- Calder, P.C., Yaqoob, P. Glutamine and the immune system. Amino Acids 17, 227–241 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01366922
- de Oliveira, D.C., da Silva Lima, F., Sartori, T. et al. Glutamine metabolism and its effects on immune response: molecular mechanism and gene expression. Nutrire 41, 14 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1186/s41110-016-0016-8
- P. C. CALDER.(1994). Glutamine and the immune system.Clinical Nutrition
- Cruzat, V., Macedo Rogero, M., Noel Keane, K., Curi, R., & Newsholme, P. (2018). Glutamine: Metabolism and Immune Function, Supplementation and Clinical Translation. Nutrients, 10(11), 1564.
- Yves M. Dupertuis, Comasia A. Raguso, Claude Pichard(2009).Basics in clinical nutrition: Nutrients which influence immunity – Clinical and experimental data.the European e-Journal of Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism.4.e7–e9