Early Anorexia – High Amino Acids
Summary
This case demonstrates that high levels of amino acids are not always a sign of good nutrition. How the body utilizes amino acids is also important.
This content was created by the Metametrix Institute
History
This is a case of a nine-year-old female patient who had consumed a vegan diet since birth. This patient has a very slight build and has been in the 5th percentile on growth charts throughout childhood. She presented with signs of early anorexia.
Age
9
Gender
Female
Description of Results
The Amino Acid 20 plasma test was performed. All essential amino acids were in the 4th and 5th quintile except valine, which was in the third. Glycine, taurine and asparagine were all elevated and the glutamine to glutamic acid ratio was high.
Recommendations
It appeared that this patient had poor utilization of amino acids. Fasting amino acid concentrations in plasma represent the net dynamic result of release into blood from muscle activity and tissue turnover opposed by uptake for utilization in protein synthesis and various special biosynthetic pathways. When utilization fails to balance release, fasting levels rise. Elevated plasma amino acid levels also may signal failure of various mechanisms that normally signal cells to increase utilization.
The recommendation was to begin micronutrients (trace elements and B-complex vitamins) that may stimulate enzymes for utilization. Clinical signs were monitored, and retesting was recommended in 90 – 120 days at which time it would be suspected that the amino acid levels would fall. If levels were still elevated, then investigations of genetic origins of signaling mechanisms may be done. These mechanisms include t-RNA synthetases, GCN2 kinase and mTOR kinase (Kilberg, Pan et al. 2005).
Kilberg, M. S., Y. X. Pan, et al. (2005). "NUTRITIONAL CONTROL OF GENE EXPRESSION: How Mammalian Cells Respond to Amino Acid Limitation." Annual Review of Nutrition" 25(1): 59-85.
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