protein

Methionine
Methionine

is found in meat, fish, and dairy products, and

it plays an important role in many cell functions.
Possibly Effective for:

Acetaminophen (Tylenol) poisoning. Research shows that

receiving methionine by mouth or intravenously (by IV)
seems to be effective for treating acetaminophen poisoning.
Treatment should begin as quickly as possible, but must start
within 10 hours of acetaminophen overdose.
BY MOUTH:
For

acetaminophen (Tylenol) poisoning: 2.5 grams of methionine

every 4 hours for 4 doses to prevent liver damage and death.
Methionine must be given within 10 hours of taking the
acetaminophen. This should be done by a healthcare professional

Lysine
Lysine

is an amino acid (building block of protein). People use it

to make medicine.
Possibly Effective for:

Cold sores (herpes simplex labialis). Research suggests that lysine

seems to reduce cold sores when taken by mouth and also when
applied as a cream to the skin. However, some research suggests
that it does not reduce the severity or recurrence of cold sores.

BY

MOUTH:

For cold sores (herpes simplex labialis): 1000 mg daily for 12

months and 1000 mg three times daily for 6 months.

APPLIED

TO THE SKIN: For treating cold sores (herpes

simplex labialis): a specific combination of lysine plus zinc
oxide and 14 other ingredients (Super Lysine Plus +) applied
every 2 hours for 11 days has been used.

Tryptophan
L-tryptophan is called an essential amino acid
because the body cant make it. It must be acquired
from food.
Possibly Effective for:

Treating premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD).

Taking 6 grams of L-tryptophan per day seems to
decrease mood swings, tension, and irritability in
women with PMDD.
Smoking cessation (helping people quit smoking).
Taking L-tryptophan seems to improve the
effectiveness of conventional treatment for smoking
cessation.

Tyrosine
Tyrosine is one of the amino acids, which are the
building blocks of protein. The body makes tyrosine
from another amino acid called phenylalanine.
Tyrosine can also be found in dairy products, meats,
fish, eggs, nuts, beans, oats, and wheat.
Tyrosine is used in protein supplements to treat an
inherited disorder called phenylketonuria (PKU).
People who have this problem cant process
phenylalanine properly, so as a result they cant
make tyrosine. To meet their bodies needs,
supplemental tyrosine is given.

Effective for:

Phenylketonuria (PKU). People with PKU are not able to process the amino acid
phenylalanine, which is used by the body to make tyrosine. Because of this, people
with PKU can have low levels of tyrosine in the body. People with PKU are advised to
consume 6 grams of tyrosine per 100 grams of protein to improve tyrosine levels in
the body.

Possibly Effective for:

Mental performance. Some early research suggests that taking tyrosine 2 hours
before testing does not improve mood or speed of reaction to visual or noise stimuli
in healthy people. However, several studies show that tyrosine improves mental
performance under stressful conditions, such as military training, cold-induced
stress, or noise-induces stress.
Memory. several studies show that tyrosine improves memory under stressful
conditions, such as cold-stress or multitasking.
Improving alertness following the loss of sleep. Taking 150 mg/kg of tyrosine seems
to help people who have lost a nights sleep stay alert for about 3 hours longer than
they otherwise would. Also, early research suggests that tyrosine improves memory
and reasoning in people who are sleep-deprived.

BY MOUTH:
For improving alertness after being without sleep
for a long time: 150 mg/kg/day of tyrosine.
For PKU: The current recommendation for people
with PKU is the incorporation of 6 grams of
tyrosine per 100 grams of protein. However,
additional separate supplementation with free
tyrosine is not recommended because it can
produce wide variations in the amount of tyrosine
in the blood and could cause unwanted side
effects.

Glutamine

Glutamine is used to counter some of the side effects of

medical treatments.

For example, it is used for side effects of cancerchemotherapy

including diarrhea, pain and swelling inside the mouth
(mucositis), nerve pain (neuropathy), and muscle and joint
pains caused by the cancer drug Taxol.
Glutamine is also used to protect the immune system and
digestive system in people undergoing radiochemotherapy for
cancer of the esophagus.
glutamine is used for improving recovery after
bone marrow transplant or bowel surgery, increasing wellbeing in people who have suffered traumatic injuries, and
preventing infections in critically ill people.

Possibly Effective for:

Bone marrow transplant. Giving glutamine intravenously (by IV) along with intravenous nutrition
after a bone marrow transplant seems to reduce the risk of infection and improve recovery compared
to intravenous nutrition alone. However, not all people who receive bone marrow transplants seem
to benefit from glutamine.
Burns. Administering glutamine through a feeding tube or intravenously (by IV) seems to reduce
infections, shorten hospital stays, and improve wound healing in people with burns.
Critical illness (trauma). There is some evidence that glutamine keeps bacteria from moving out of
the intestine and infecting other parts of the body after major injuries. However, not all evidence is
consistent. It is not clear if glutamine reduces the risk of death in critically ill people. Some studies
suggest that it might reduce the risk of death, while others do not.
Treating weight loss and intestinal problems in people with HIV/AIDs disease. Taking glutamine by
mouth seems to help HIV/AIDS patients absorb food better and gain weight. Doses of 40 grams per
day seem to produce the best effect.
Soreness and swelling inside the mouth, caused by chemotherapy treatments. Some evidence
suggests that glutamine reduces soreness and swelling inside the mouth caused by chemotherapy.
However, glutamine does not seem to have this effect for all chemotherapy patients. It is not clear
which patients are likely to benefit. Some researchers suspect that chemotherapy patients who do
not have enough glutamine to start with are most likely to be helped.
Surgery. Giving glutamine intravenously (by IV) along with intravenous nutrition seems to improve
immune function and reduce complications related to infections after major surgery.

Dosing

BY MOUTH

For reducing mouth soreness due to

chemotherapy: glutamine suspension 4
grams, swish and swallow every four hours
around the clock starting with the first dose
of chemotherapy and continued until hospital
discharge or resolution of symptoms.
For HIV wasting: 8-40 grams per day has
been used. However, 40 grams daily may
work best.