The Truth About Phenylalanine

Look on the label of most any diet soda these days and you are going to see a warning label that says: Phenylketuronics: Contains Phenylalanine. In a world where artificial chemicals are becoming more and more a part of our food, many of us are worried about the effect these chemicals have on our bodies. So do we have something to worry about from phenylalanine?

The answer here is yes and no. The key to understanding this warning is the word "Phenylketuronics." A phenylketuronic is a person who suffers from a condition known as Phenylketonuria, abbreviated as PKU. This condition affects roughly 1 in 15,000 Americans.

The danger of phenylalanine to phenylketuronics is that they are unable to metabolize phenylalanine properly. Because of their inability to metabolize phenylalanine, it builds up in the blood in the form of phenylperuvic acid. High levels of phenylperuvic acid in the blood can cause a number of problems including mental retardation, muscle aches and pains and even seizures. Because of this phenylketuronics must be very careful of their diets and avoid the ingestion of phenylalanine.

But what about the rest of us, those of us who do not suffer from Phenylketuronia? Do we have anything to fear from phenylalanine? The answer is no. Not only do we have nothing to fear from phenylalanine, we require phenylalanine in our diets. Phenylalanine is an essential amino acid, meaning that it is something our bodies require in order to function properly but cannot create itself. Phenylalanine is naturally present in most any food source high in protein such as meats, nuts, etc.

The role of phenylalanine in our bodies is primarily the production of another amino acid: tyrosine. Tyrosine is a vital part of our metabolism, plays a role in our hair and skin pigmentation and the proper functioning of the adrenal, thyroid and pituitary glands. Without phenylalanine our bodies cannot produce tyrosine, thus tyrosine is one of the amino acids which phenylketuronics must supplement outside of their diet.