Certain metabolic errors a person may be born with result in the alteration of the normal metabolism of one or more amino acids. Increased amino acid concentrations in blood plasma may also reflect inherited metabolic abnormalities. Blood plasma is the most informative way to check for most amino acid problems. Amino acid quantities in urine are also used to evaluate errors of metabolism. In most, but not all, cases where an amino acid is elevated in blood, it will also be elevated in urine.

 

In general, urinary amino acid levels are much more variable than plasma levels. Blood plasma is the best way for an initial screen. This blood test checks the blood plasma for the following amino acids: Alanine; -alanine; amino- -guanidino-propionic acid; -amino-N-butyric acid; -aminoadipic acid; -aminobutyric acid; -aminoisobutyric acid; anserine; arginine; asparagine; aspartic acid; carnosine; citrulline; cystathionine; cystine; glutamic acid; glutamine; glycine; histidine; homocystine; hydroxylysine; hydroxyproline; isoleucine; leucine; lysine; methionine; 1-methylhistidine; 3-methylhistidine; ornithine; phenylalanine; phosphoethanolamine; phosphoserine; proline; sarcosine; serine; taurine; threonine; tyrosine; tryptophan; valine; and it comes with an interpretation.

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