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Table 3 Characteristics of human studies that reported the effects of glutamine on metabolic variables in diabetes mellitus

From: A comprehensive insight into the effect of glutamine supplementation on metabolic variables in diabetes mellitus: a systematic review

Author, place, year

Type of study

Subjects

Sample size

Age (years)

Daily dose

Duration

Main outcomes

Greenfield et al., UK, 2009 [33]

RCT

T2DM

24

30–40

75 g glucose in 300 ml of water and 30 g glutamine in 300 ml of water

3 separate occasions over a period of < 1 month

Significant increase

GLP-1, insulin production, glucagon, GIP levels

Samocha-Bonet et al., Australia, 2011 [14]

Crossovr study

T2DM

15

40–70

30 g L-glutamine (Gln-30), 15 g L-glutamine (Gln-15),100

mg sitagliptin (SIT) and 100 mg SIT plus Gln-15 (SIT + Gln-15)

1–2 weeks

Significant reduce

postprandial glucose response

Significant increase

postprandial insulin response, C-peptide, postprandial glucagon concentration total GLP-1

Lomivorotov et al., russia, 2012 [31]

RCT

T1DM

64

Intervention:

(60 ± 7)

0.4 g/kg/day of 20% solution of N(2)-L-alanyl-L-glutamine

4 weeks

No significant change

Insulin resistance, insulin sensitivity, β-cell function, fasting blood glucose, TG

Chang et al., Australia, 2013 [29]

RCT

T2DM

20

Healthy Men:

(29.5 ± 3.8)

T2DM Patients:

(68 ± 1.1)

7.5 or 15 g glutamine

or 350 mL of

0.9% saline

0–30 min

Significant increase

GLP-1, GIP, insulin and glucagon levels

Insignificant

Fasting blood glucose

Mansour et al., Iran, 2014 [28]

RCT

T2DM

66

18–65

30 g/d glutamine

6 weeks

Significant reduce

Trunk fat, Total fat, Total fat free mass, HbA1c, body fat mass, percent body fat, WC, appendicular fat

Fasting blood glucose

Significant increase

Trunk fat-free mass, Trunk fat mass, Appendicular fat free mass, Total fat mass, Appendicular fat, Plasma glutamine concentration, fat-free mass

Insignificant

Body weight, BMI, Fasting insulin, HOMA-IR, QUICKI, TG, Cholesterol, HDL-C, LDL-C, CRP

Samocha-Bonet et al., Australia, 2014 [26]

Crossover study

T2DM

13

40–70

glutamine (15 gbd) + sitagliptin (100 mg/d)

4 weeks

Significant reduce

postprandial glucose

Insignificant

HbA1c, Fasting plasma glucose

Significant Increase

GLP-1,

Takeuti et al., Brazil, 2014 [30]

RCT

T2DM

11

21–60

9 g palm oil and 30 g glutamine diluted in 200 ml of water

2 separate days

Significant reduce in palm oil group

BG and PYY “in 2 h after the stimulus”, GLP-1 “in 1 h after the stimulus”

Insignificant in palm oil group

BG and PYY “in 1 h after the stimulus”, GLP-1 “in 2 h after the stimulus”

Significant reduce in glutamine group

BG “in 2 h after the stimulus”

Insignificant in glutamine group

BG “in 1 h after the stimulus”, PYY & GLP-1 “in 1&2 h after the stimulus”

Samocha-Bonet et al., Australia, 2015 [27]

Randomized crossover study

T2DM

10

40–70

L-glutamine (25 g), protein (25 g) or water

1–2 weeks

Significant Reduce

postprandial glycaemia

Significant increase in protein group

first-phase insulin, total GLP-1, Second-phase insulin response was significantly augmented by protein

Significant increase in glutamine group

Total GLP-1

Meek, et al. UK, 2016 [34]

Crossover study

Healthy and T2DM

37

22–30

3–6 g

Ileal release glutamine

4 h

Insignificant change

GLP-1, insulin, glucose tolerance

Torres-Santiago, USA, 2017 [32]

Crossover study

T1DM

13

8 boys and 5 girls; mean age 15.9 ± 1.6 years

Drink containing 0.25 mg/kg glutamine

4 weeks

Significant reduce

Fasting Blood glucose

Insignificant change

Insulin sensitivity, plasma GLP-1, basFal plasma free insulin concentration

  1. GLP-1 Glucagon-like peptide-1, GIP Gastric inhibitory polypeptide, BG blood sugar, PYY peptide YY, FBS Fasting Blood Sugar, TG Triglyceride, TC Total Cholesterol, HDL high density lipoprotein, LDL low-density lipoprotein, WC waist circumference, BMI body mass index, HOMA-IR Homeostatic Model Assessment-Insulin Resistance Index, TG;Triglycerides, QUICKI Quantitative Insulin Sensitivity Check Index