Plasma amino acids

Alternative names:

amino acids - plasma

Normal values:

• alanine
  • children: 200 to 450
  • adults: 230 to 510

• alpha-aminoadipic acid
  • children: not measured
  • adults: not measured

• alpha-amino-N-butyric acid
  • children: 8 to 37
  • adults: 15 to 41

• arginine
  • children: 44 to 120
  • adults: 13 to 64

• asparagine
  • children: 15 to 40
  • adults: 45 to 130

• aspartic acid
  • children: 0 to 26
  • adults: 0 to 6

• beta-alanine
  • children: 0 to 49
  • adults: 0 to 29

• beta-aminoiso-butyric acid
  • children: not measured
  • adults: not measured

• carnosine
  • children: not measured
  • adults: not measured

• citrulline
  • children: 16 to 32
  • adults: 16 to 55

• cystine
  • children: 19 to 47
  • adults: 30 to 65

• glutamic acid
  • children: 32 to 140
  • adults: 18 to 98

• glutamine
  • children: 420 to 730
  • adults: 390 to 650

• glycine
  • children: 110 to 240
  • adults: 170 to 330

• histidine
  • children: 68 to 120
  • adults: 26 to 120

• hydroxyproline
  • children: 0 to 5
  • adults: not measured

• isoleucine
  • children: 37 to 140
  • adults: 42 to 100

• leucine
  • children: 70 to 170
  • adults: 66 to 170

• lysine
  • children: 120 to 290
  • adults: 150 to 220

• methionine
  • children: 13 to 30
  • adults: 16 to 30

• 1-methylhistidine
  • children: not measured
  • adults: not measured

• 3-methylhistidine
  • children: 0 to 52
  • adults: 0 to 64

• ornithine
  • children: 44 to 90
  • adults: 27 to 80

• phenylalanine
  • children: 26 to 86
  • adults: 41 to 68

• phosphoserine
  • children: 0 to 12
  • adults: 0 to 12

• phosphoethanolamine
  • children: 0 to 12
  • adults: 0 to 55

• proline
  • children: 130 to 290
  • adults: 110 to 360

• serine
  • children: 93 to 150
  • adults: 56 to 140

• taurine
  • children: 11 to 120
  • adults: 45 to 130

• threonine
  • children: 67 to 150
  • adults: 92 to 240

• tyrosine
  • children: 26 to 110
  • adults: 45 to 74

• valine
  • children: 160 to 350
  • adults: 150 to 310

Note: all measurements in micro mole per liter (micro mol/L)

What abnormal results mean:

If chromatography shows increased levels of an amino acid, there is a defect of the enzyme that converts the amino acid and prevents it from accumulating.

If the total amino acid level is elevated, several diseases or conditions should be considered:

• chronic renal failure
• acute renal failure
• eclampsia
• fructose intolerance
• Reye's syndrome
• ketoacidosis (from diabetes)

If the total amino level is decreased, the following conditions should be considered:

• fever
• malnutrition
• rheumatoid arthritis
• Hartnup disease
• Huntington's chorea
• phlebotomus fever
• nephrotic syndrome
• adrenal cortical hyperfunction