Uneyama Hisayuki
Umami Wellness Research Group, Frontier Research Laboratories, Institute for Innovation, Ajinomoto Co., Inc., Kawasaki, Japan.
Yakugaku Zasshi. 2011;131(12):1699-709. doi: 10.1248/yakushi.131.1699.
Recent evidence indicates that free amino acids are nutrients as well as acting as chemical transmitters within the gastrointestinal tract. Gut glutamate research is the most advanced among 20 amino acids. Free glutamate carries the umami taste sensation on the tongue and a visceral sensation in the gut, especially the stomach. In the field of taste physiology, the physiological meaning of the glutamate-derived chemical sense, the umami taste, has been proposed to be a marker of protein intake. Experimental evidence in gut glutamate physiology strongly supports this hypothesis. Free glutamate is sensed by the abdominal vagus and regulates gastrointestinal functions such as secretion and emptying to accelerate protein digestion. Clinical application of glutamate has also just begun to treat gastrointestinal disorders such as dyspepsia, ulcer, dry mouth and functional dyspepsia. In this review, we introduce recent advances in gut glutamate research and consider the possible contribution of glutamate to health.
最近的证据表明，游离氨基酸不仅是营养物质，还在胃肠道内充当化学递质。在20种氨基酸中，肠道谷氨酸的研究最为深入。游离谷氨酸在舌头上传递鲜味，在肠道尤其是胃中传递内脏感觉。在味觉生理学领域，谷氨酸衍生的化学感觉——鲜味的生理意义被认为是蛋白质摄入的一个标志。肠道谷氨酸生理学的实验证据有力地支持了这一假设。游离谷氨酸由腹部迷走神经感知，并调节胃肠道功能，如分泌和排空，以加速蛋白质消化。谷氨酸在治疗消化不良、溃疡、口干和功能性消化不良等胃肠道疾病方面的临床应用也刚刚起步。在这篇综述中，我们介绍了肠道谷氨酸研究的最新进展，并探讨了谷氨酸对健康可能产生的影响。
