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Dietary supplement

L-Glutamine Powder Ingredients & Drug Interactions

by NOW Sports

Powder Category: Amino Acid/protein
Most serious interaction: Moderate
The interaction bottom line Most serious interaction: Moderate

L-Glutamine Powder is a dietary supplement by NOW Sports with 1 active ingredient. Its ingredients are commonly taken for muscle recovery and sports performance, gut health and 'leaky gut', recovery from severe illness or injury.Based on those ingredients, 50 medications have a known interaction with it, the most serious rated moderate. The ingredients most likely to interact are L-Glutamine. Use the checker below to test your specific medication, or read the full HelloPharmacist Interaction Report.

HelloPharmacist Scorecard of L-Glutamine Powder by NOW Sports

Our pharmacy team’s full take, with four database checks built into the cards below — a summary of what is known, not a grade of the product itself.

From our pharmacy team — supplement deep dive

What’s inside

Full disclosure
Ingredient Transparency · database check
Full

Every active ingredient lists its own amount on the label.

Why this rating?
  • The label discloses an exact amount for 1 of its 1 active ingredient.
  • No proprietary blends here — you can verify the dose of every single component.

This product contains one active ingredient: L-glutamine, an amino acid your body makes and uses for immune function, gut health, and muscle metabolism. There are no other active ingredients.

The supplement is provided as a powder with no inactive ingredients listed.

Does it work?

Moderate evidence
Evidence for Intended Use · database check
By FDA rules, dietary supplements can’t claim to treat, cure, or prevent disease — so labels speak in careful marketing language. We discern each product’s intended use from its name, label claims, and label statements, then grade the clinical evidence for that use. How these ratings are computed
Moderate

Some clinical evidence supports this product's ingredients for its stated purpose, but it isn't conclusive.

Why this rating?
  • The label markets this product for: immune support and nitrogen transport.
  • We looked for evidence on: Postoperative infection, Postoperative recovery, Critical illness (trauma), Hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT), HIV/AIDS-related wasting, Malnutrition — and 4 related terms.
  • The strongest evidence on file: Glutamine is rated "Possibly Effective" for HIV/AIDS-related wasting (Natural Medicines).
  • Also on file: Glutamine is rated "Possibly Effective" for Critical illness (trauma), Postoperative recovery.
  • Also on file: Glutamine is rated "Possibly Ineffective" for Burns.

L-glutamine is rated Effective for sickle cell disease. For HIV/AIDS-related wasting, postoperative recovery, and critical illness from trauma, the evidence is Possibly Effective — meaning there's reason to think it may help, but the research isn't conclusive yet.

If you're considering it for one of these conditions, talk with your doctor about whether the current evidence supports a trial in your situation.

The evidence, ingredient by ingredient Glutamine

How safe is it?

Well-documented data
Safety Information · database check
Well characterized

Adverse-effect, pregnancy, and general safety data are on file for most of these ingredients.

Why this rating?
  • We hold adverse-effect (side-effect) data for 1 of the 1 matched ingredient.
  • Pregnancy & breastfeeding safety ratings cover 1 of 1.
  • General safety write-ups exist for 1 of 1.
  • Remember: this measures how much safety information exists. Thin data is not the same as being safe.

L-glutamine is generally well tolerated in healthy adults when taken by mouth. The most common side effects are digestive: belching, bloating, constipation, diarrhea, flatulence, and nausea — and these tend to occur at higher doses (10–30 grams daily).

A few people have reported headache, dizziness, or muscle and joint pain. Rare cases of mania or hypomania have been reported in people with bipolar disorder taking up to 4 grams daily.

Pregnancy and lactation safety data rates this supplement as Likely Safe. However, if you have kidney or liver disease, use it only under your doctor's supervision.

And if you're breastfeeding and want to take supplement doses, check with a clinician first — there isn't enough safety information yet.

Side effects, ingredient by ingredient Glutamine

Meds to double-check

Moderate interaction found
Known Interaction Concern · database check
Moderate identified

The most serious documented interaction for these ingredients is Moderate. Check your medications for a personalized result.

Why this rating?
  • 1 of the 1 matched ingredient can interact with medications — Glutamine.
  • The most serious interaction on file is rated Moderate.
  • Some involve high-stakes drug classes: seizure medications.
  • For scale: 50 individual medications appear in the full list. A big number alone doesn't make a product dangerous — what matters is whether YOUR medication is on it, so run yours through the interaction checker on this page.

Anticonvulsant medications (seizure drugs) are the main category to double-check. Glutamine is theoretically converted to a brain chemical that could oppose how these drugs work, though this hasn't been reported in real patients yet.

Run your exact seizure medication through the interaction checker on this page, and discuss it with your own doctor or pharmacist before you start.

Check your own medication Run your meds through the checker above

The bottom line

Scorecard at a glanceFully disclosed formula with some supporting evidence for its stated purpose. Moderate medication interactions have been identified, and safety information is well characterized.

L-glutamine may be worth considering if you have sickle cell disease or are recovering from surgery or critical illness, though the evidence for the latter two is still developing. If you take anticonvulsant medications, check with your doctor or pharmacist before starting, since the supplement might theoretically interfere with how they work.

It's generally gentle on the stomach at lower doses, but can cause digestive upset at higher amounts.

Educational only — not medical advice; always confirm with your pharmacist. Our editorial policy · How we use AI

Assessment coverage: 1 of 1 active ingredient matched to our full ingredient reviews (monographs). Based on the product label dated Feb 25, 2021.

This Scorecard evaluates available label information, ingredient evidence, and known medication-safety considerations. It does not independently verify product identity, purity, potency, contamination, or manufacturing quality. How these ratings are computed

At a glance

General information

Key facts about L-Glutamine Powder, straight from the product label.

Brand NOW Sports
Net contents 6 Oz(s); 170 Gram(s)
Market status On market
Date entered into DSLD Feb 25, 2021
DSLD ID 244533
Product type Amino Acid/protein
Supplement form Powder
Dietary claims / uses Nutrient, All Other, Structure/Function
Intended target group(s) Vegan, Vegetarian, Adult (18 - 50 Years), Kosher, Gluten Free, Dairy Free
From the label
Everything in this section is reproduced from the manufacturer’s own product label — it’s the label speaking, not HelloPharmacist. We show it so you can see exactly what the maker states; we don’t verify or endorse those statements.

Supplement Facts

The label details for L-Glutamine Powder by NOW Sports, sourced from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database.

Supplement Facts

Daily Value (DV) Target Group(s):
Adults and children 4 or more years of age
Minimum serving Sizes:
5 Gram(s)
Maximum serving Sizes:
5 Gram(s)
Servings per container
34
IngredientAmount% DV
L-Glutamine5 Gram(s)--

Other ingredients: None

Tap any ingredient to jump to its full detail below.

Label statements
These statements are the manufacturer’s wording, reproduced from the product label — the label is saying it, not HelloPharmacist. We don’t verify or endorse them.
Formulation

Pure powder Nitrogen transporter Immune support

Vegan

Non-GMO

Natural color variation may occur in this product.

Not manufactured with wheat, gluten, soy, milk, egg, fish, shellfish or tree nut ingredients.

FDA Statement of Identity

A Dietary Supplement

Seals/Symbols

Informed-Sport.com Trusted by sport Informed-Choice.org Trusted by sport Triangle K (Kosher)

Formula

Triangle K (Kosher)

Glutamine is considered to be a conditionally essential amino acid, which means that under certain circumstances, the body may require more glutamine than it can produce. In the body, glutamine functions as a major nitrogen transporter and is critical for the maintenance of healthy nitrogen balance. Glutamine also acts as the primary fuel for the rapidly growing cells of the immune system and GI tract.

NOW L-Glutamine Powder is a pure, free-form, non-essential amino acid and is the highest grade available.

Amino acids

Suggested/Recommended/Usage/Directions

Suggested use: Mix 1 rounded teaspoon in juice, preferably between meals, 1 to 2 times daily as needed.

FDA Disclaimer Statement

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

Precautions

Caution: For adults only.

Consult physician if pregnant/nursing, taking medication, or have a medical condition (including liver disease or bipolar disorder).

Keep out of reach of children.

Do not eat freshness packet enclosed.

Not manufactured with wheat, gluten, soy, milk, egg, fish, shellfish or tree nut ingredients. Produced in a GMP facility that processes other ingredients containing these allergens.

General Statements

This product is sold by weight not volume.

Storage

Store in a cool, dry, dark place after opening.

See for yourself

L-Glutamine Powder by NOW Sports label

The label scan from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database. Tap to enlarge.

What’s inside

The Ingredients in L-Glutamine Powder by NOW Sports

This is the 1 active ingredient this product is made of. Select it to open its full monograph.

Serving size5 Gram(s) Dosage formPowder Servings per container34 Amounts shown are per serving.

L-Glutamine

Interacts with
50 drugs
5 Gram(s) per serving

Glutamine is the most abundant amino acid in the body and is usually made in your muscles. A prescription form is FDA-approved to help reduce sickle c...

L-Glutamine monograph & interactions

Other (inactive) ingredients: None. These complete the product’s ingredient list but are not active constituents.

Interaction report

L-Glutamine Powder by NOW Sports Drug Interactions

Want to check YOUR meds against L-Glutamine Powder?

Ask about interactions with your drugs in plain English — “Can I take it with lisinopril?” — and we find you the answer in seconds, ingredient by ingredient.

Go to the checker
50Drugs
50 Moderate

Ingredients driving the most interactions

Each ingredient & the kinds of drugs it affects

For each ingredient in L-Glutamine Powder with known interactions, here are the types of medications it can affect. Open any type for the detail — or search your exact drug in the checker above.

L-Glutamine1 drug type · 50 drugs

Anticonvulsants

Theoretically, glutamine might antagonize the effects of anticonvulsant medications.
Glutamine is metabolized to the excitatory neurotransmitter glutamate. Glutamate might have antagonistic effects with anticonvulsant drugs. However, this interaction has not yet been reported in humans.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D
The maker

Brand information

Manufacturer and brand details for L-Glutamine Powder, from the product label.

NOW Sports

See all NOW Sports products
Name
NOW FOODS
Street Address
395 S. Glen Ellyn Rd.
City
Bloomingdale
State
IL
ZipCode
60108
Web Address
nowsportsproducts.com
Pharmacist Counseling Corner

L-Glutamine Powder by NOW Sports: Common Questions

Does L-Glutamine Powder by NOW Sports interact with any medications?
Yes. Based on its ingredients, L-Glutamine Powder has a known interaction with 50 medications. Use the checker to see how it interacts with a specific drug.
How can one product interact with so many drugs?
L-Glutamine Powder contains a single active ingredient, and that one ingredient can interact with many different medications on its own. We check it against each medication and show the mechanism responsible.
Where does this information come from?
The product label data comes from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database (DSLD); the interaction data is built on the Natural Medicines database and reviewed by HelloPharmacist pharmacists.
What are the most common side effects of L-glutamine powder?
Digestive complaints are most common: belching, bloating, constipation, diarrhea, flatulence, and nausea — especially when you take higher doses. A few people also report headache or dizziness. If you're a healthy adult and start at a lower dose, most people tolerate it well.
Is L-glutamine safe during pregnancy and while breastfeeding?
The safety data rates it as Likely Safe in pregnancy. If you're breastfeeding and considering supplement doses, talk with your doctor or pharmacist first — there isn't enough information yet to know either way.
What conditions does L-glutamine actually work for?
It's rated Effective for sickle cell disease. For HIV/AIDS-related wasting, postoperative recovery, and critical illness from trauma, the evidence is Possibly Effective — meaning it may help, but the research isn't definitive. Your doctor can advise whether it's worth trying for your situation.
Can I take L-glutamine if I have kidney or liver disease?
If you have either condition, you'll need your doctor's supervision before taking it. Don't start on your own — check with them first.
Does this product contain any fillers or added ingredients?
No inactive ingredients are listed for this product — it's glutamine powder without fillers, binders, or other additives.
I've heard glutamine can affect mood. Is that a real concern?
Very rarely. Two cases of mania or hypomania have been reported in people with bipolar disorder taking up to 4 grams daily. It's uncommon, but if you have bipolar disorder or a history of mood changes, mention this supplement to your doctor or psychiatrist.

Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy

Not sure if L-Glutamine Powder is safe with your meds?

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Label information is sourced from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database and reflects the product version on file; always read your actual product label. This page is for education only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Confirm with your pharmacist or doctor before combining supplements and medications.

L-Glutamine Powder label
Go deeper

The Full Monographs Behind L-Glutamine Powder’s Ingredients

Every ingredient we hold a full HelloPharmacist monograph for — uses, evidence, safety, and the complete interaction list.

Sources

Sources & How We Checked

L-Glutamine Powder's label data comes from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database; the ingredient interaction data is from the Natural Medicines database, reviewed by our pharmacists.

Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists. See our data sources and editorial standards for how this information is built and checked.

The 11 references behind this product’s interaction data

Every citation that drives the interaction findings for this product’s ingredients, from the evidence-graded Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) database. Open an ingredient to browse its citations — links open the study on PubMed or the publisher’s site.

Glutamine 11 references
  1. Miller AL. Therapeutic considerations of L-glutamine: a review of the literature. Altern Med Rev 1999;4:239-48..
  2. Bozzetti F, Biganzoli L, Gavazzi C, et al. Glutamine supplementation in cancer patients receiving chemotherapy: a double-blind randomized study. Nutrition 1997;13:748-51.. PubMed
  3. Mebane AH. L-Glutamine and mania. Am J Psychiatry 984;141:1302-3.
  4. Meldrum BS. Glutamate as a neurotransmitter in the brain: review of physiology and pathology. J Nutr 2000;130:1007S-15S.. PubMed
  5. Garlick PJ. Assessment of the safety of glutamine and other amino acids. J Nutr 2001;131:2556S-61S.. PubMed
  6. Chapman AG. Glutamate and epilepsy. J Nutr 2000;130:1043S-5S.. PubMed
  7. Ziegler TR. Glutamine supplementation in cancer patients receiving bone marrow transplantation and high dose chemotherapy. J Nutr 2001;131:2578S-84S.. PubMed
  8. Laviano A, Molfino A, Lacaria MT, Canelli A, De Leo S, Preziosa I, Rossi Fanelli F. Glutamine supplementation favors weight loss in nondieting obese female patients. A pilot study. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2014 Nov;68(11):1264-6. PubMed
  9. Endari (l-glutamine) [package insert]. Torrance, CA: Emmaus Medical,Inc; 2017.
  10. Niihara Y, Miller ST, Kanter J, et al. A Phase 3 Trial of l-Glutamine in Sickle Cell Disease. N Engl J Med 2018;379(3):226-35. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa1715971.
  11. Ogden HB, Child RB, Fallowfield JL, et al. Gastrointestinal Tolerance of Low, Medium and High Dose Acute Oral l-Glutamine Supplementation in Healthy Adults: A Pilot Study. Nutrients. 2020;12(10):2953. PubMed

See these in context on the Glutamine monograph →

Parts of this content are provided by the Therapeutic Research Center, LLC.

DISCLAIMER: Currently this does not check for drug-drug interactions. This is not an all-inclusive comprehensive list of potential interactions and is for informational purposes only. Not all interactions are known or well-reported in the scientific literature, and new interactions are continually being reported. Input is needed from a qualified healthcare provider including a pharmacist before starting any therapy. Application of clinical judgment is necessary.

© 2021 Therapeutic Research Center, LLC

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