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If you have anxiety or low mood, the amino acid glutamine could help. It’s also great for muscle aches and pains after exercise – no wonder it’s one of our Trendy Nutrients A – Z series ‘ Glutamine is the most abundant amino acid (a building block for proteins) in the body,’ says Healthista’s nutritional director Rick Hay. ‘It’s popular in the sports world because it helps with muscle recovery. ‘During muscle recovery, one of glutamine’s main roles is moving nitrogen atoms in the body. In order to build muscle, you need to maintain a positive nitrogen balance. After an intense workout, moving nitrogen to your damaged muscles leads to tissue repair. Glutamine can also help with aches, pains and cramping. ‘In addition, glutamine can reduce anxiety as it helps lift mood through the neurotransmitters in the brain. Since it lowers anxiety, glutamine can help improve sleep. ‘There’s also a strong link between glutamine and better gut health, since there’s a lot of r...