AMINO ACIDS AND RELATED SUBSTANCES AGAINST CANCER: GLUTAMINE
AND GLUTATHIONE
Glutamine
Glutamine is an amino acid best known for its function in decreasing alcohol cravings. Glutamine is a versatile amino acid with a variety of functions in fighting cancer. It improves the function of the immune system by stimulating the growth of lymphocytes and phagocytes (the immune army’s warriors).
The role of glutamine in tumour cells has been studied extensively. A number of new studies suggest that glutamine may be a potent cancer therapy because it increases levels of the powerful antioxidant glutathione. A study in the Annals of Surgery showed that glutamine may increase the effectiveness of anti-tumour drugs by sensitizing cells to chemotherapy. The Journal of Parenteral Enteral Nutrition reported that glutamine decreases the rate of tumour growth by promoting activity of natural killer cells. (Natural killer cells are often low in people with cancer. These cells are able to kill certain types of cancer cells.)
Unlike other cells in our bodies, which require oxygen to live, tumour cells are anaerobic and use glutamine as their fuel. To get the food they need, tumours are equipped with glutamine traps, which literally wait for glutamine to float by so they can grab it. If tumour cells consistently sap our natural stores of glutamine, our body will run out and the tumours will demand more. This causes muscle wasting. An obvious solution is to supplement with glutamine to stop the wasting and stimulate the body’s natural killer cells. However, herein lays the controversy: glutamine may actually promote tumour growth, as tumours feed on glutamine among other nutrients. Despite glutamine’s potential role in alleviating the growth of tumour cells, the danger of the opposite result leaves scientists wary. Still, the beneficial possibilities warrant further research.
Glutamine is an essential amino acid to take while receiving chemotherapy. Glutamine minimizes the damage caused by chemotherapy by:
• enhancing the repair of intestines during chemotherapy;
• repairing the damage chemotherapy does to the immune system;
• preventing many of the side-effects of chemotherapy treatment;
• increasing the survival rate of cancer patients receiving chemotherapy;
• soothing and relieving the pain of and quickly healing sores in the mouth (oral mucositis). Patients in a hospital in Boston, USA, receive 5000mg of glutamine six times daily to relieve these painful side effects.
Glutathione
Glutathione is a tripeptide or protein produced in the liver from the amino acids, cysteine, glutamic acid and glycine. It is a powerful antioxidant and inhibits the formation of and protects against the damage from free radicals. Glutathione defends the body against damage from cigarette smoking, exposure to radiation, chemotherapy and toxins such as alcohol. It is able to detoxify heavy metals and drugs, and aids in the treatment of blood and liver diseases.
Glutathione guards against many forms of cancer and is similar in its protective functions to beta-carotene. Glutathione protects cells by neutralizing oxygen molecules before they harm cells.
Glutathione has the ability to protect the tissues of the arteries, brain, heart, immune system, kidney, lenses of the eyes, liver, lungs and skin against oxidative damage. Glutathione plays a role in protecting against cancer and the effects of ageing. Older cells contain 20 to 30 per cent less glutathione than younger cells.
Red blood cell integrity and structure is improved with the use of this handy amino acid. Glutathione detoxifies arsenic, aluminum, cadmium, lead and mercury and inhibits the excess production of cytokines. It facilitates the transport of essential nutrients to white blood cells and protects white blood cells from damage.
Glutathione deactivates dangerous free radicals, making them harmless to the body thereby helping to prevent the onset of cancer.
Good sources of glutathione include apples, grapefruit, spinach, tomatoes and carrots.
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