When on the topic of addiction and my past history with alcohol and sobriety, people often ask me, how did you manage the alcohol cravings?

To set the stage first, there never is a one quick fix all solution, and alot of your sobriety journey will come with time. Of course, this is never the answer people want to hear, and if you really need a short-term solution to quell those alcohol cravings, I recommend Glutamine.

Glutamine is a bit of an underdog, but can really be a game-changer in regards to diffusing alcohol cravings, and having this tool in the toolkit can drastically reduce our risk of relapse.

Re-iterating again though, this is in no way, shape, or form the secret to long-term sobriety, and only a tool to diminish cravings and keep us from derailing off the train tracks of a sober life.

What is Glutamine?

Glutamine is a conditionally essential amino acid, meaning we produce it naturally, but in times of higher demand, we may require more through food or supplementation to meet our body’s demand.

Higher demand may relate to increased stress, physical injury or in a more relevant sense, excessive consumption of alcohol. Glutamine serves many purposes, with some primary roles in helping towards maintaining gut barrier function and integrity, and providing an energy source for intestinal and immune cells.

One important role that glutamine plays in this is its ability to kill off unwanted viruses and bacteria in the gut, some of which play a large key in controlling cravings (Kim & Kim, 2017).

The Role of Glutamine in Curbing Alcohol Cravings

Alcohol Depletes the Natural Reserve of Glutamine

When we consume alcohol, our body can use up its natural reserves of glutamine.

Once we stop drinking, our body can sometimes go into overdrive to replenish these levels, which can often result in an increase in alcohol cravings.

Supplementing with Glutamine can help balance these levels and reduce the intensity and frequency of alcohol cravings. This mechanism can also be triggered by something else, which involves our gut bacteria (see below!).

Alcohol Cravings and Gut Bacteria

As mentioned earlier, Glutamine can eliminate harmful bacteria that trigger common alcohol cravings.

Glutamine has the power to regulate the balance of good and bad bacteria in our gut. Specifically, it can modulate the ratio of firmicutes-to-bacterodetes. To put it simply, Firmicutes are bacteria that thrive on sugar.

Firmicutes are responsible for causing sugar cravings, which are often satisfied by drinking alcohol since most alcoholic beverages contain a boatload of sugar.

Alcohol actually stops our liver from releasing glycogen (our body’s natural sugar stores) into the blood. This causes a drop in blood sugar (Sharmin et al., 2013), and over a small period of time, can leave our firmicutes to send signals of cravings to our brain.

I suppose what I’m trying to say here is, when we experience intense alcohol cravings, they could actually be sugar cravings, and glutamine can help diffuse them.

Where Can I Buy Good Glutamine?

Glutamine is a very affordable supplement, and many brands on the market offer Glutamine. You could probably do a quick Google or AI search and find one, and while I could list out a mountain of brands, the few that come to mind include:

1. Glutamine by Rule 1
2. Glutamine by Legit

I could spout off an endless list here, so I’ve landed on two that are good quality, affordable, and just some i’ve had experience using.

Dosage and Administration of Glutamine

The best way to dose with Glutamine is a simple 5g per day, this should help keep cravings at bay and also do wonders for your gut and immune system.

Some studies do recommend you work up to 0.25g/kg body weight per day, this can be an optional tactic if you find the 5g dose isn’t helping.

Always keep in mind, though, you should be incorporating other long-term solutions, which I post in another blog extensively. These are things like staying connected, building a community and just staying physically active and eating well. Being a Nutritionist and Naturopath, covering these holistic foundations is crucial, and something I can support you with if needed.

Glutamine should be regarded as a tool and not just a one-time-fix-all solution for your sobriety. You should always also be looking at foundational health habits to support sobriety!

Frequently Asked Questions with Glutamine

I see Glutamine and L-Glutamine used. What’s the difference?

Glutamine is an amino acid, a building block of protein, important for our body. L-Glutamine is just a specific form of glutamine that our body uses. When people talk about glutamine in food or supplements, they’re usually referring to L-Glutamine. The “L” part just specifies its shape, but in everyday language, L-Glutamine and glutamine mean pretty much the same thing for our health.

Can Glutamine replace professional treatment?

No, Glutamine should only ever be used as part of a broader recovery plan, and that includes professional guidance.

Is Glutamine safe to consume?

Glutamine is generally well-tolerated with little to no known side effects. It’s recommended to consult with a healthcare professional, though, when starting any new supplement.

How long does it take for Glutamine to reduce cravings?

The time can vary for individuals, but some may notice a reduction in cravings within a few days of supplementation, and some may notice it much faster.

Remember, overcoming alcohol cravings is a step towards a healthier, more fulfilling life, and Glutamine is only a part of the process.

The Takeaway

Glutamine is a conditionally essential amino acid used by the body as a building block for proteins, and may also assist with the diminishment of alcohol cravings.

Through its ability to kill off bacteria in our gut, known as firmicutes, we can use a simple, fairly beneficial amino acid to support our sobriety and look after our body in the process.

Looking for another viable option for managing withdrawal symptoms associated with substance abuse? N-Acetylcysteine can also help!

When we use these “quick hack” tactics to push us further into sobriety, we can live an addiction-free life, without limits.

References

Kim, M., & Kim, H. (2017). The roles of glutamine in the intestine and its implication in intestinal diseases. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 18(5), 1051. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms18051051

Sharmin, F., Wakelin, S., Huygens, F., & Hargreaves, M. (2013). Firmicutes dominate the bacterial taxa within sugar-cane processing plants. Scientific Reports, 3(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/srep03107