L-Glutamine: what the L means and why it is printed
Amino acid names carry information. Here is how to read one, and what else belongs on a 250 g tub.
The prefix is part of the name
Amino acids come in mirror-image forms, and the L prefix identifies which form the ingredient is. It is part of the legal ingredient name rather than a brand flourish.
If a pack simply says glutamine, the ingredients list is still where the named form has to appear. Read the list rather than the front of the pouch.
Glutamine and glutamic acid are not the same entry
Similar-looking names describe different ingredients. L-glutamine is its own entry, and a product declaring glutamic acid or a glutamate salt has declared something else.
This is the main reason to compare amino acid products on the ingredients list and not on the product title.
What should be on a single-ingredient tub
A plain amino acid powder has a short label, and that is the point. Everything below is what you should be able to find on a finished pack.
- The ingredient name, including the L prefix
- The net weight of powder, here 250 g
- The stated portion the nutrition information refers to
- An allergen statement, including any may contain line
- Storage conditions and a best before date
Powder sold by weight
This is a 250 g tub, which is a weight and not a count of portions. Price per 100 g compares it with the other single-ingredient powders in the range straight away.
A sachet product cannot join that comparison without conversion, because a box of sachets is priced per unit rather than per gram.
What the label tells you
The full ingredients list, the amount per portion, allergens, dietary suitability, directions and storage are printed on the pack.
Read the label before you take any supplement, and check the product page for the format, pack size and price before you buy.
