[Debbie L.]

The glutamine dose is by Gms if I remember correctly and it's a LOT. 10 GMs?

I took capsules and there were so many to swallow (500mg each) that it was arduous. Sorry I can't find the reference, there were several studies in prostate cancer. But that was nearly 11 years ago. I didn't have much neuropathy on my 4 rounds of taxol, but who knows if l-glutamine made a difference.

For an n of 2, my chemo/clinical trial buddy took the same dose and had terrible neuropathy during her 4 doses of Taxol. Bad enough that she (and her onc) considered stopping by the 2nd dose. It persisted after treatment ended, with significant numbness and bouts of burning and pain.

There are scientists looking at the differences in usage of glutamine between some cancer cells and normal cells, at the cellular level. I don't how or even IF this would tie into to supplementing with it. But it does remind us that nothing is without the potential to both help and harm. I'm not sure, knowing what I know today, that I'd take those mega doses again. Not because we know it's harmful, but because we don't really know it's not. Nor is there much evidence on the helping side -- neither that it helps, nor that it doesn't. Doing a search nowadays brings up more links to its possible protective effects against mucositis, including possible protection of the gut during abdominal radiation.

If anyone finds some good studies, please share.

Debbie L.