glutamic-acid

Glutamic acid

Amino acid

Glutamic acid or glutamate can be manufactured by the body. It is a precursor of proline, ornithine, arginine and polyamines. It functions as a stimulatory neurotransmitter and can also be converted by the body into the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA and the amino acid glutamine, which participates in the production of DNA. Glutamic acid is found in particularly high levels in the brain, for instance in the nerves of the hippocampus, its memory centre.

Researchers working with epileptic patients have found that most epileptics have decreased taurine, GABA and glycine, with increased aspartic acid and glutamic acid. An explanation for this imbalance may be that glutamic acid is not being properly converted to GABA in these patients. The vitamin B6-dependent enzyme glutamate decarboxylase makes GABA from glutamic acid. Vitamin B6 deficiency is known to be associated with seizures and convulsions.

‘Chinese restaurant syndrome’, the symptoms of which include headache, nausea, weakness, flushing and sweating after eating Chinese food, may be due to a high content of monosodium glutamate – a sodium salt of glutamic acid – in the food. Those who suffer from this syndrome may also have reduced levels of glutamate decarboxylate. It has been proposed that this syndrome can be prevented with vitamin B6 supplementation.

Related posts:

1. glycine
2. gaba
3. Training
4. Alanine
5. #Amino acids