The basic components of the body
Amino acids build and repair tissues, trigger chemical reactions, transport nutrients, synthesis of hormones and neurotransmitters, immune and detoxification functions, and more. Their fundamental role in human health makes them important in numerous clinical presentations.
Why perform an amino acid analysis?
Amino acid test reports are useful resources for professionals who want to obtain valuable information about the underlying causes of a variety of disorders related to amino acid metabolism.
The reported markers are organized into clinically useful groups:
- Essential/conditionally essential amino acids
- Non-essential amino acids
- Gastrointestinal markers
- Magnesium-dependent markers
- B6, B12 and folate-dependent markers
- Detox markers
- Neurological markers
Evaluation of amino acids in urine versus plasma
The type of sample used depends on the clinical problem.
Amino acids in urine: reflects recent diet and metabolism and is useful for consistent diets or evaluating the impact of recent dietary changes. Urine is more convenient than blood collection and ideal for children.
Plasma amino acids: Fasting is recommended before plasma amino acid analysis, as recent food intake will briefly affect amino acid levels. A fasting plasma sample reflects a person's amino acid pool and is not affected by recent fluctuations in diet. Plasma amino acids are preferred for people with compromised kidney function.
How could you benefit from this test?
Amino acid imbalances have been associated with:
- ADD/ADHD
- Autistic spectrum
- Disorders Cardiovascular disease
- Depression/Anxiety
- Diabetes
- Digestive disorders
- Epilepsy
- Fatigue
- Hypertension
- Infertility
- Insomnia
- Kidney disease and impairment
- Low dietary protein intake or malnutrition
- Maldigestion/malabsorption
- nutritional deficiencies
- Rheumatoid arthritis
Report
Amino acid test reports are useful resources for professionals who want to obtain valuable information about the underlying causes of a variety of disorders related to amino acid metabolism.
The reported markers are organized into clinically useful groups:
- Essential/conditionally essential amino acids
- Non-essential amino acids
- Gastrointestinal markers
- Magnesium-dependent markers
- B6, B12 and folate-dependent markers
- Detox markers
- Neurological markers
Analytes
Essential amino acid status is typically assessed by plasma analysis, while urinalysis provides information on amino acid waste and aberrant metabolism related to cofactor insufficiencies.
See below for an overview of markers by sample type:
- To the girl
- Beta-Alanine
- Alpha-Aminoadipate
- Alpha-Aminobutyrate
- Gamma-Aminobutyrate
- Beta-Aminobutyrate
- Ammonia
- Gosling
- Arginine
- Asparagine
- Aspartate
- Carnosine
- Citrulline
- Creatinine
- Cystathionine
- Cysteine
- Cystine
- Ethanolamine
- Wisteria
- Glutamate
- Glutamine
- Histidine
- Homocysteine
- Hydroxyproline
- Isoleucine
- Leucine
- Lysine
- Methionine Sulfoxide
- Methionine
- 1-Methylhistidine
- 3-Methylhistidine
- Ornithine
- Phenylalanine
- Phosphoethanolamine
- Phosphoserine
- Proline
- Sarcosine
- Serine
- Taurine
- Threonine
- Tryptophan
- Tyrosine
- Valine
- Urea
