Nutritional support with glutamine according to recommendations of the European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (ESPEN)

Abstract

In conditions of metabolic stress (trauma, burns, cancer, cachexia) glutamine as a source of energy is used more than in the physiological state and becomes a conditionally essential amino acid. Because of this, glutamine should be supplemented in these conditions. The European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (ESPEN) since 2005 has presented recommendations of glutamine's use in different diseases and clinical states. This article presents current recommendations of glutamine supplementation in both enteral and parenteral nutrition.