Do Humans Need Selenocysteine? The Role of the 21st Amino Acid in Health
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4 min read
In a revealing finding for biochemists, selenocysteine is not a typical amino acid but is essential for humans, as shown by studies in mice where its absence leads to embryonic lethality. While our bodies don’t absorb this amino acid directly, they possess a complex genetic and enzymatic pathway to synthesize it using dietary selenium.