For anyone following my saga of late, you'll know that I've been suffering from myriad weird symptoms. Some folks are sure it's hypothyroidism, others are sure it's adrenal burnout, others think it's Vitamin D deficiency, food allergies, menopause, the stars being out of alignment . . . you see my dilemma.

One close friend said he thought it might be Candida. So I did some research. I did the spit-in-the-glass test, which confirmed I have at least a mild to moderate case.

Then I did more research, first in the Eades' Protein Power Lifeplan book and then in Dr. Atkins Vita Nutrient Solution book. Candida, yeast, leaky gut. All related.

The Eades recommended doing three days of nothing but 4 whey protein shakes (unsweetened), each supplemented by 10 grams of powdered glutamine. The shakes added up to 720 calories, but with 136 grams of protein, which is more than adequate for me.

By the end of the first day, I was feeling "better." I even slept a bit better that night. The next day (yesterday) I felt even better, and slept the entire night (ok, I woke up a couple times, but not in pain and not for long). This morning I felt AMAZING!

I was in the car driving down main street and the song "Footloose" came on. Now, I love that song anway, but I had to keep myself from jumping out of the car and DANCING down main street!

So, was it the protein shakes or was it the glutamine? I've done protein-only before, though not just the whey shakes. I think it was the glutamine.

I'm so thrilled with this, I wanted to post some of what Dr. Atkins says about glutamine in his book:

“Glutamine, the most abundant protein constituent in the body, may also be the most important …



“To recover successfully from any of a variety of illnesses and injuries, the body needs certain proteins. No matter which are needed, all can be made with the help of L-glutamine. It possesses an extra nitrogen atom, which it readily offers for the synthesis of other amino acids. In this way it works as a kind of molecular Robin Hood that directs the distribution of our amino acid rishes….



“No other nutrient is as important for gastrointestinal health . . .



“The immune system’s primary source of energy is glutamine. While always high, the need for fuel skyrockets whenever we’re subjected to stress, trauma, or injury. Many forms of cancer, for instance, deplete the body of glutamine, one reason that people with the disease lose lean tissue and muscle mass…..



“Viral infections also deprive the immune system of glutamine. When our reserve is low, a standard measurement of immune activity, the number of T cells declines, while our toxic particle-attacking white blood cells, called macrophages, lose strength. But when L-glutamine is given in dosages of 20 – 40 grams daily, the immune system responds, as demonstrated by the extra infection safeguard it provided in studies of patients with bone marrow transplants.



“Glutamine can inhibit fatty buildups inside the liver and aid treatment of cirrhosis.

The book goes on to talk about the benefits of glutamine in fighting addictions (alcohol and sugar, most notably), obesity, mental instability, and as an aid in exercise recovery.



I’m sold!

Congrats on finding something to make you feel better!

There are a lot of things that conventional medical wisdom says there is nothing you can do about. "Middle aged" was considered normal and nothing you can do about it. But we are finding that is not true and there is a lot you can do.

http://www.vitacost.com/store/produ...ss=1&.x=18&.y=6

http://www.worldhealth.net/p/anti-a...ch,Candida.html

I was thinking the experts also recommended Garlic at night and probiotics in the morning for candida.

I ordered Glutamine Powder after seeing a PBS special on the Perricone diet, which recommends glutamine. I can't wait til it gets here. How much do you take, or did you get pill form?

Never mind, sorry. I notice you mention how much you take. Silly me!

No, not silly! I was wondering the same thing myself! Let me rephrase that. I was wondering how much I should be taking on an ONGOING basis. I've been taking 40 grams per day, which is what the Eades recommended with the shakes.

Atkins suggests 5 to 20 grams per day. I think I'll probably do 30 grams yet for at least several days, and then stick with 20 grams for a while.

What's the Perricone diet anyway? Do they give any recommendations for amounts of glutamine?

what type of whey protein drink do you use if I may ask,, I used to take them but haven't in a while and I am on the atkins diet and I am not sure what kind I am able to take on this diet....where can I buy the Glutamine Powder in Ontario Canada??
It sounds like it is a good product. My daughter has fybermyalgia and can't sleep would this help her??

I don't know where you all have been getting your glutamine, but you can get the powder form by the kilo and iherb.com for a very reasonable price. Just thought you'd like to know. That's where I got mine when I did MY cleanse. First time in my life I had NO spring hayfever.

Is that why you take the glutamine?? For a cleanse and what does that mean??? Sorry I haven't heard of it before

what is the "spit in the glass test"?

does the glutamine have any taste? is it expensive?

nice sum up of Glutamine at Wikpedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glutamine

Anagel, I take glutamine for yeast overgrowth and leaky gut syndrome. Atkins discusses yeast overgrowth in his book, and leaky gut is discussed at length in the Protein Power Lifeplan book. I see you're on the Atkins plan, so you can at least check out his book.

Sevie, here's a link to the "spit in the glass" test: http://www.candidasupport.org/candi...l#SALIVA%20TEST

The glutamine has no taste, especially when you put it in a shake. Mine was about $30 for the container, but it has 100 teaspoons, each the equivalent of 5 grams. I was taking 40 grams a day, but now I've cut it down to 30. I'll probably maintain at around 20 a day.

Thanks for the link. I'll check it out.

Angel, you can get glutamine at any sports nutrition place, or even a health food store like Nutrition House in the malls.

I highly recommend getting the powder, not the pills. Pills are usually just 500 mg each, and gram for gram the price works out to be four times as expensive as the powder.

Glad your feeling better Bawdy !
My whey powder has glutamine and a bunch of other amino acids in it.
I take whey with my ground flaxseeds for a snack.

Bawdy, are you still feeling better? Since I've stopped eating gluten I've had the most terrible constipation. The gluten was giving me diarrhea, so I never had constipation! Maybe it was disguising some other problem going on with me.

On the third day of the protein shakes with glutamine, I had a die off and felt kind of lousy in the afternoon. Thursday was iffy, and yesterday sucked. I had the mother of all migraines.

Today I'm feeling better. I'm still retaining fluid, but I believe it's starting to go down, albeit slowly. I feel more "awake," if that makes sense.

So yes, I believe I am feeling better. Thanks for asking!

Kristine why would a person use glutamine??