Aminosyreprofil

Aminosyreprofil, or amino acid profile, refers to the complete set and the relative amounts of amino acids present in a protein, food product, or biological sample. It describes both the qualitative presence and the quantitative abundance of individual amino acids, providing a snapshot of nutritional content or metabolic status.

In nutrition and food science, amino acid profiles are used to assess protein quality and completeness. Proteins from different sources vary in their content of essential amino acids, which the body cannot synthesize. Complete proteins contain all essential amino acids in adequate amounts, while incomplete proteins are deficient in one or more. Protein-quality assessment methods such as the protein digestibility-corrected amino acid score (PDCAAS) or the digestible indispensable amino acid score (DIAAS) rely on amino acid profiles relative to human requirements.

In clinical and research settings, amino acid profiles can be measured in plasma, urine, or tissues to evaluate health status, metabolic function, or disease. Abnormal profiles can indicate malnutrition, inborn errors of metabolism, liver or kidney disease, and other conditions. Profiling is commonly performed with chromatographic techniques, often coupled with mass spectrometry, following targeted or untargeted analysis and appropriate sample preparation.

Several factors influence amino acid profiles, including age, sex, health status, fasting state, and dietary intake. Food processing and cooking can also alter amino acid availability and stability. Understanding amino acid profiles supports dietary planning, diagnosis and monitoring of metabolic conditions, and research into nutrition and metabolism. See also protein quality, amino acid scoring, PDCAAS, and DIAAS.