Table 1.
Essential amino acids, their chemical structures, and important metabolites.
| Amino acid | Abbreviation | Chemical structure/category | Important metabolites |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lysine | Lys | Basic amino acid | Carnitine |
| Histidine | His | Basic amino acid | Histamine |
| Methionine | Met | Sulfur-containing amino acid | S-adenosylmethionine |
| Phenylalanine | Phe | Aromatic amino acid | Tyrosine |
| Tyrosine | Tyr | Aromatic amino acid | Dopamine, noradrenaline, adrenaline |
| Tryptophan | Trp | Aromatic amino acid | Serotonin, melatonin |
| Threonine | Thr | Hydroxy amino acid | Nucleotides |
| Isoleucine | Ile | Branched-chain amino acid | Acetyl-Co-A |
| Leucine | Leu | Branched-chain amino acid | Acetyl-Co-A |
| Valine | Val | Branched-chain amino acid | Acetyl-Co-A |