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Phenylketonuria Research Paper

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Trent Camerlinck Mrs. Meier Anatomy March 7, 2016 Phenylketonuria Phenylketonuria is a condition is when phenylalanine is in your body and you can’t break down an amino acid "PKU (Phenylketonuria) in your baby | March of Dimes." Also, other people say it is an inborn disorder of metabolism, which characterized by a deficiency or lack of a vital enzyme phenylalanine hydroxylase (Genetics of Phenylketonuria). All proteins and some artificial sweeteners contain Phenylalanine in it (Phenylketonuria." Healthline). Your body uses an enzyme called phenylalanine hydroxylase to convert phenylalanine into tyrosine, a non-essential amino acid (Phenylketonuria." Healthline). Without tyrosine, your body would have nothing to create neurotransmitters, such as norepinephrine, epinephrine, and dopamine (Phenylketonuria." Healthline). Build up of health problems and blood problems that are caused by amino acids not producing enough protein in your body and without treating it can get worst "PKU …show more content…

It helps lower the phenylalanine levels, used in combination with the special meal diet I told you above. It helps the most when the children only have mild cases of Phenylketonuria. If the Phenylketonuria meal plan followed closely and carefully after birth, the long-term effect is going to be good. When you are diagnosis and treatment are delayed many things can happen one might be brain damage, which can cause delayed development, behavioral and emotional problems and neurological problems, such as tremors and seizures. Did you know there is nothing you can do to prevent Phenylketonuria? There is an enzyme assay that you can get done if you are a person who is having children, and wants to see if you are a carrier of the defective genes. It can also tell you if your kids can get the defective genes that cause

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