L-Glutamine and Cancer

Protein L-Glutamine and Cancer

Step 1 - Limit L-Glutamine added to protein powders. 

There are 3 major food groups our body must have: protein, carbohydrates, and fats. Proteins provide amino acids including L-glutamine that are used for many functions in our body including brain chemicals, energy production, and organ repair. L-glutamine plays an important role in energy, cancer cell growth and progression. Limiting L-glutamine sources can often help slow cancer cell growth.

L-glutamine is one of the amino acids that our body can make from other amino acids. Since this is the case the first step in decreasing L-glutamine use by cancer cells is limiting protein powders that have L-glutamine listed as an ingredient. So, if you’re using protein powders check your labels and change sources if needed.

Step 2 Intermittent Fasting

🍽️Intermittent Fasting
L-Glutamine

L-glutamine is an amino acid derived from proteins in our diet. We must have proteins and l-glutamine to be healthy. Cancer cells often use l-glutamine at a higher rate than normal cells. We are learning we can decrease l-glutamine in our body with intermittent fasting to help starve cancer cells while the rest of our cells thrive.

L-glutamine metabolism can serve as a significant energy source and building block for cancer tumor growth. Women with higher blood levels of glucose and glutamine have a higher risk of #breastcancer. Men with higher blood levels of l-glutamine have a 30% higher risk of developing prostate cancer. These two studies are just a sampling of what we are learning.

Intermittent fasting helps limit both glucose and glutamine use by cancer cells.

Researchers found intermittent type fasting, water only for 24 hours twice a week, limits l-glutamine availability to #lungcancer cells. In this study, the lower L-glutamine levels provided a better response to chemotherapy treatments. Intermittent fasting to lower glutamine and glucose is part of the Press-pulse management of cancer.

Click/tap here to download a free copy of my Timed Eating for Cancer Guide.

Step 3 EGCG and Green Tea Impact on L-glutamine

Green Tea – When you drink it is SO important.
Cancer cells and tumors tend to become addicted to the amino acid L-glutamine that comes from protein. Our body and normal cells must have proteins and l-glutamine for many functions including gut lining repair, energy, and immune function. Normal cells survive better than the faster-growing cancer cells when we limit L-glutamine intake or use. Our body and cancer cells can make glutamine from other amino acids in proteins. All plant and animal protein sources have L-glutamine or the amino acid precursors to L-glutamine. So, the goal is to limit glutamine intake and decrease its conversion or production by our body from other proteins to help starve cancer cells. 

EGCG from green tea is an impressive anticancer ingredient backed by numerous research studies for many years. More recently researchers found EGCG can decrease the ability of cancer cells to make L-glutamine from other protein amino acids. Decreasing l-glutamine intake and production by the body helps starve cancer cells.

I like to drink strong green tea, or matcha, or take green tea extract capsules just before eating food with protein. This should decrease the body’s ability to make l-glutamine for a couple of hours and help starve cancer cells.

This is one reason I’m modifying my downloadable Cancer Food Pyramid Tactic to increase green tea to twice a day. 

EGCG, an ingredient in green tea, helps limit the conversion and use of L-glutamine. Brewed green tea is not a reliable source of EGCG according to Consumer Labs. While still drinking high-quality loose-leaf green tea and matcha green tea sourced from Japan I also take supplements with EGCG. 

L-Glutamine and Cancer Application

Before meals, I drink a strong cup of Japanese loose-leaf green tea or a cup of strong Japanese matcha, take Onco-Adjunct Pathway #4: 2 capsules, or take Designs for Health EGCG 1 capsule.

Check out supplements at https://flourishnutraceuticals.com/product-category/cancer-support/

Reference Sources Include

Jin, J., Byun, JK., Choi, YK. et al. Targeting glutamine metabolism as a therapeutic strategy for cancer. Exp Mol Med 55, 706–715 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s12276-023-00971-9

Guidi N, Longo VD. Periodic fasting starves cisplatin-resistant cancers to death. EMBO J. 2018;37(14):e99815. doi:10.15252/embj.201899815

Zhu G, Guan F, Li S, et al. Glutaminase potentiates the glycolysis in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma by interacting with PDK1. Mol Carcinog. Published online February 14, 2024. doi:10.1002/mc.23696

Lécuyer L, Victor Bala A, Deschasaux M, et al. NMR metabolomic signatures reveal predictive plasma metabolites associated with long-term risk of developing breast cancer. Int J Epidemiol. 2018;47(2):484-494. doi:10.1093/ije/dyx271

Lécuyer L, Victor Bala A, Demidem A, et al. NMR metabolomic profiles associated with long-term risk of prostate cancer. Metabolomics. 2021;17(3):32. Published 2021 Mar 11. doi:10.1007/s11306-021-01780-9

Seyfried et al. Nutrition & Metabolism (2017) 14:19 DOI 10.1186/s12986-017-0178-2

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Supplements are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.