Amino Acids 20 Profile - Plasma

The Amino Acids Plasma 20 Profile

The Amino Acids 20 Profile can illuminate problems in amino acid status by determining essential amino acid imbalances. Evaluation of essential amino acid derivatives identifies the status of essential, branched chain, and other non-essential amino acids. Also, several functional categories, such as neuroendocrine, vascular and detoxification, and functional vitamin and mineral deficiencies are reported.

Plasma Amino Acids

Fasting plasma levels represent a homeostatic balance between supply and utilization of amino acids making this specimen option ideal for repeated assessments to monitor progress of treatment. Collecting a fasting plasma specimen from a patient removes recent dietary intake effects . The following factors can reflect changes over time in plasma:

• Chronic dietary intake
• Digestive efficiency
• Hepatic uptake
• Skeletal muscle's ability to maintain transamination

Why is amino acid testing important?

Amino acids, known as the "building blocks" of proteins, are found in every tissue of the body. They play a major role in nearly every chemical process that affects both physical and mental function including the formation of ligaments, tendons, bones, as well as antibodies and regulation of enzymes and blood transport proteins. Twenty different amino acids are used to synthesize proteins.

The human body can synthesize all of the amino acids necessary to build proteins except for ten called the "essential amino acids". These ten must be included in the diet or supplemented to be in adequate supplies. Failure to obtain enough of even one of these essential amino acids has serious health implications and can result in degradation of the body's proteins. Muscle and other protein structures may be dismantled to obtain the amino acid that is needed.

Amino acids have more diverse functions than any other nutrient group, including:

A formula for a customized amino acid blend, based on your patient's specific test results, is provided with every plasma amino acid test. These customized amino acid formulations provide appropriate amounts of essential and conditionally essential amino acids, delivered in a balanced ratio to offset the risk of imbalance sometimes seen with the use of single amino acid supplements. This blend can be made by many compounding pharmacies.

Conditions Associated with Amino Acid Changes in Plasma:

Test name(s)

0011 - Amino Acids 20 - Plasma
0311 - Amino Acids 20 - Plasma NY

Description

Fasting plasma levels of amino acids represent homeostatic balance between supply and utilization of these critical building blocks. Problems in amino acid metabolism are revealed by the amino acids and metabolites that are reported in categories according to function. Amino acid analysis helps with determination of amino acid imbalances, evaluation of functional vitamin and mineral deficiencies, and diagnosis of metabolic disorders. A formula for a custom amino acid blend is provided with every plasma amino acid test result. This blend can be made by any compounding pharmacy.

Method

HPLC

Turnaround time

7-14 days, 10 days average

Analytes

Arginine
Asparagine
Aspartic Acid
Citrulline
Glutamic Acid
Glutamine
Glycine
Histidine
Isoleucine
Leucine
Lysine
Methionine
Ornithine
Phenylalanine
Serine
Taurine
Threonine
Tryptophan
Tyrosine
Valine

Ratios
Phenylalanine/Tyrosine
Glutamic Acid/Glutamine
Tryptophan/LNAA (Large Neutral Amino Acids)

Specimen Collection Instructions

• Amino-Acids-and-Fatty-Acids-KI.pdf

Sample Reports Example of how test results will be reported, including reference ranges and graphs indicating high and low percentiles of each analyte.

• Amino-Acids-20-Plasma-SR.pdf

Interpretive Guides Information on individual analytes and possible patterns that may be indicated on your test results. Further supplement recommendations, diet modifications, and other treatment options may also be included to help guide your treatment.

• Amino-Acids-IG.pdf

Patient Briefs

• Amino-Acids-PB.pdf

If you do not have the free Adobe Acrobat Reader, download it here.

Articles

• Importance of Sulfur Amino Acids - Are we getting enough sulfur in our diets? This brief article covers the functions of sulfur amino acids, adverse effects of insufficiencies, and common food sources of these essential amino acids.
• Amino Acids - A good way to organize amino acids is to consider them by function. The following article is a list of functional groups of amino acids and their metabolic roles in the body.
• Amino Acid Profiling: Clinical Guidelines for Determination of Preferred Specimen Choice - A large majority of reports documenting clinically useful information from evaluation of essential amino acids have evaluated plasma levels.
• Treatment of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome with Specific Amino Acid Supplementation - The following represents an open trial of the efficacy of amino acid supplementation which may stimulate further interest in the use of amino acids as therapeutic agents in CFS.

Books

• Laboratory Evaluations for Integrative and Functional Medicine - Your evidence-based resource for the biochemical basis of chronic illness. A must-have desk reference for laboratory testing associated with nutritional and metabolic medicine.

Case Studies

• The TRIAD Profile in Depression and Migraine Headache: A Case Study - Standard medical treatments for major depressive disorder and migraine headache are only partially effective. Clinical improvement requires correction of underlying metabolic difficulties. This case illustrates the power of multiple markers to focus on key metabolic issues.
• Early Anorexia – High Amino Acids - 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.
• Toxic Metals in Myalgia/Anxiety - Two cases of toxic heavy metal accumulation.
• Biotin & Detoxification Needs in Cognitively Delayed Adult - Biotin deficiency may be linked to hyperlipidemia and up-regulated fatty acid desaturation in this mildly psychotic man.
• Ice-in-veins 5HTP Aberrations - Specific points of metabolic aberrations appear in a man using high doses of 5-hydroxytryptophan for sleep.
• Extreme Arabinitol - Extreme elevation of D-arabinitol presents an potential explanation of otherwise unexplained and unusual chronic symptoms.
• High Amino Developmental Delay - A combination of environmental, nutritional, and genetic metabolic weaknesses were found as potential causative factors in the failure of neurological development for this 2 year-old girl. Vitamin B6 insufficiency, arsenic exposure, and intestinal dysbiosis are key features in the initial laboratory workup.
• Classic Amino Fatigue - Three plasma amino acid profiles spanning a year after starting essential amino acid supplementation show how test results are used to customize individual needs and achieve improvement in fatigue and depression.

Presentations

• Why Test for Amino Acids? - The Amino Acid Plasma 20 test is reviewed by Dr. Redmond. Each category is explained and the reasons for highs and lows are discussed.
• Amino Acids in the Body - The short video clip is from part of an interview with Dr. Bralley discussing the importance of amino acids in the body.
• IFM: The New Paradigm of Medicine - This PowerPoint presentation was developed by the Institute for Functional Medicine. It provides a concise explanation of the new paradigm of medicine that focuses on underlying causes of disease and treatment from that level rather treating symptoms alone, the approach often taken by modern medicine.

References

• Amino Acids - Plasma References