Alanine
OTHER NAME(S): 2-aminopropionic Acid, Acide Alpha-aminopropionique, Acide Aminé Alanine, Acide Aminé Non Essentiel, Ala, Alanine Amino Acid, Alfa-alanina, Alpha-Alanine, Alpha-aminopropionic Acid, D-alanine, D-alpha-alanine, DL-alanine, L-alanine, L-alpha-alanine, L-alpha-aminopropionic Acid, Non-essential Amino Acid, 2-aminopropanoic acid, Alpha Alanine, Alanina
Overview
Alanine (typically as L-alpha-alanine or D-alpha-alanine) is a non-essential amino acid. Non-essential amino acids can be made by the body.
Amino acids like alanine are the building blocks of proteins. Because alanine can be made by the body, it doesn't need to be consumed in food. Alanine can affect blood sugar levels.
People use alanine for dehydration from diarrhea, enlarged prostate, schizophrenia, stress, and many other purposes, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses.
Don't confuse alanine with the similarly named beta-alanine. These are not the same.
Uses
We currently have no information for Alanine overview.
Side Effects
When taken by mouth: Alanine is commonly consumed in foods. Alanine is possibly safe when used as medicine for up to 3 months.
Precautions
When taken by mouth: Alanine is commonly consumed in foods. Alanine is possibly safe when used as medicine for up to 3 months.
Pregnancy and breast-feeding: Alanine is commonly consumed in foods. There isn't enough reliable information to know if alanine is safe to use in larger amounts as medicine when pregnant or breast-feeding. Stay on the safe side and stick to food amounts.
Children: Alanine is possibly safe when taken by mouth as part of a rehydration drink for up to 48 hours.
Diabetes: L-alpha-alanine can increase blood sugar levels in people with diabetes. This can be helpful if blood sugar levels are too low, but it can be harmful if blood sugar levels are normal or too high. Monitor your blood sugar carefully if you have diabetes and use alanine.
Interactions
We currently have no information for Alanine overview.
Dosing
There isn't enough reliable information to know what an appropriate dose of alanine might be. Keep in mind that natural products are not always necessarily safe and dosages can be important. Be sure to follow relevant directions on product labels and consult a healthcare professional before using.
References
- Wiethop BV, Cryer PE. Alanine and terbutaline in treatment of hypoglycemia in IDDM. Diabetes Care 1993;16:1131-6.
- Saleh TY, Cryer PE. Alanine and terbutaline in the prevention of nocturnal hypoglycemia in IDDM. Diabetes Care 1997;20:1231-6.
- Wiethop BV, Cryer PE. Glycemic actions of alanine and terbutaline in IDDM. Diabetes Care 1993;16:1124-30.
- Sazawal S, Bhatnagar S, Bhan MK, et al. Alanine-based oral rehydration solution: assessment of efficacy in acute noncholera diarrhea among children. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr 1991;12:461-8.
- Ribeiro Junior Hda C, Lifshitz F. Alanine-based oral rehydration therapy for infants with acute diarrhea. J Pediatr 1991;118(4 ( Pt 2)):S86-90.
- Battezzati A, Haisch M, Brillon DJ, Matthews DE. Splanchnic utilization of enteral alanine in humans. Metabolism 1999;48:915-21.
- Mundy HR, Williams JE, Cousins AJ, Lee PJ. The effect of L-alanine therapy in a patient with adult onset glycogen storage disease type II. J Inherit Metab Dis 2006;29:226-9.
- Tsai GE, Yang P, Chang YC, Chong MY. D-alanine added to antipsychotics for the treatment of schizophrenia. Biol Psychiatry 2006;59:230-4.
- Patra FC, Sack DA, Islam A, et al. Oral rehydration formula containing alanine and glucose for treatment of diarrhoea: a controlled trial. BMJ 1989;298:1353-6.
- Bodamer OA, Haas D, Hermans MM, et al. L-alanine supplementation in late infantile glycogen storage disease type II. Pediatr Neurol 2002;27:145-6.
- Bodamer OA, Halliday D, Leonard JV. The effects of L-alanine supplementation in late-onset glycogen storage disease type II. Neurology 2000;55:710-2.
- Evans ML, Hopkins D, Macdonald IA, Amiel SA. Alanine infusion during hypoglycaemia partly supports cognitive performance in healthy human subjects. Diabet Med 2004;21:440-6.
- Koeslag JH, Levinrad LI, Lochner JD, Sive AA. Post-exercise ketosis in post-prandial exercise: effect of glucose and alanine ingestion in humans. J Physiol 1985;358:395-403.
- Fisher GH, D'Aniello A, Vetere A, et al. Free D-aspartate and D-alanine in normal and Alzheimer brain. Brain Res Bull 1991;26:983-5.
- D'Aniello A, Vetere A, Fisher GH, et al. Presence of D-alanine in proteins of normal and Alzheimer human brain. Brain Res 1992;592:44-8.
- Capitão LP, Forsyth J, Thomaidou MA, Condon MD, Harmer CJ, Burnet PW. A single administration of 'microbial' D-alanine to healthy volunteers augments reaction to negative emotions: A comparison with D-serine. J Psychopharmacol 2020;34(5):557-566.
- Dandare SU, Ezeonwumelu IJ, Shinkafi TS, Magaji UF, Adio AA, Ahmad K. L-alanine supplementation improves blood glucose level and biochemical indices in alloxan-induced diabetic rats. J Food Biochem 2021;45(1):e13590.
- Soto-Mota A, Norwitz NG, Evans RD, Clarke K. Exogenous d-ß-hydroxybutyrate lowers blood glucose in part by decreasing the availability of L-alanine for gluconeogenesis. Endocrinol Diabetes Metab 2022;5(1):e00300.
- Umeda K, Shindo D, Somekawa S, et al. Effects of Five Amino Acids (Serine, Alanine, Glutamate, Aspartate, and Tyrosine) on Mental Health in Healthy Office Workers: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Exploratory Trial. Nutrients 2022;14(11):2357.
- Ezeonwumelu IJ, Mode AM, Magaji UF, et al. Coadministration of L-alanine and L-glutamine ameliorate blood glucose levels, biochemical indices and histological features in alloxan-induced diabetic rats. J Food Biochem 2022;46(12):e14420.