b-Alanine (Urine)

Optimal result: 0 – 22 micromol/g creatinine

Often this amino acid is elevated when the dietary peptides anserine and carnosine are elevated because they contain beta-alanine. Beta-alanine also is a breakdown product of the pyrimidine bases cytosine and uracil. Catabolism of damaged or diseased body tissue, tumors, and malignancy feature increased production and urinary disposal of beta-alanine. Some beta-alanine is produced by normal gut flora, which also makes pantothenic acid from it. Elevated levels of staphylococcus or streptococcus, use of antibiotics, and breakdown of yeast or fungi in the body can result in increased levels of urinary beta-alanine. Continuously elevated beta-alanine can be detrimental by impairing the renal conservation of taurine. The normal-appearing result for taurine is questionable because of the elevated beta-alanine. It is possible that blood or tissue levels of taurine are limited or deficient.

Beta-alanine is a non-essential amino acid.

What are amino acids?

The body can make Non-essential amino acids, so they don’t have to be provided by food. Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins.

Beta-alanine is a non-essential amino acid.

What are amino acids?

The body can make Non-essential amino acids, so they don’t have to be provided by food. Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins.

Where is Beta-alanine found?

β-Alanine is not found in any major proteins or enzymes. It is a component of the naturally occurring peptides carnosine and anserine, and pantothenic acid (vitamin B5), which is a component of coenzyme A.

Under normal conditions, β-alanine is metabolized into acetic acid. β-Alanine is the rate-limiting precursor of carnosine, which is to say carnosine levels are limited by the amount of available β-alanine, not histidine.

Beta-alanine also is a breakdown product of the pyrimidine bases cytosine and uracil.

b-Alanine (Urine)
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