Tag: Alanine metabolism

Over 10% of the metabolic energy in animals can come from the oxidative breakdown of amino acids. Several amino acids are degraded to pyruvate, a crucial intermediate that connects amino acid metabolism with glycolysis and the citric acid cycle. This process is vital for energy production and gluconeogenesis, particularly in the liver during periods of fasting or low-carbohydrate intake.

According to one protein analysis, L-alanine is the second most common amino acid in protein structures, accounting for 7.8% of the primary structure in a sample of 1,150 proteins. While a significant portion of our alanine comes from the food we eat, the body is also highly efficient at producing this amino acid internally.