essential amino acids


es·sen·tial a·mi·no ac·ids

α-amino acids nutritionally required by an organism that must be supplied in its diet (that is, cannot be synthesized by the organism) either as free amino acid or in proteins.

essential amino acids

A group of eight amino acids (isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan and valine) which are essential for normal growth and development of humans; absence of an essential amino acid results in a negative nitrogen balance. In premature infants, histidine, arginine and cystine are also essential.

es·sen·tial a·mi·no ac·ids

(ĕ-sen'shăl ă-mē'nō as'idz) The α-amino acids nutritionally required by an organism that must be supplied in its diet (i.e., cannot be synthesized by the organism), either as free amino acids or in proteins.

essential amino acids

Those AMINO ACIDS that cannot be synthesized in the body and must be included in the diet. They include histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan and valine.