Non-essential amino acid

Non-essential amino acids are amino acids that **can be synthesized by the human body** and are therefore not required in the diet[1][2][3][4][5][11][12]. They include alanine, arginine, asparagine, aspartic acid, cysteine, glutamic acid, glutamine, glycine, proline, serine, and tyrosine[4][5][11][14]. Despite the name, non-essential amino acids are critical for many physiological processes, including protein synthesis, neurotransmitter production, immune function, detoxification, collagen and connective tissue formation, cell signaling, and antioxidant protection[2][4][10]. Some non-essential amino acids are "conditionally essential," becoming essential under certain conditions such as illness or stress[4][5]. **Non-essential amino acids** are not a single molecule or gene/protein/receptor/enzyme/target, but rather a *category* of molecules, so the label is not specific to a therapeutic target and is not appropriate as a canonical drug target[1][2][3][9].

Other names

Dispensable amino acidDispensable amino acidsNonessential amino acidNonessential amino acids