Serine
Serine
Serine facts
- Serine is a conditionally essential amino acid
- The amino acids cysteine and methionine help make serine
- Serine needs certain vitamins to be able to be created
- Serine functions as a building block of protein in the body
While serine is not an essential amino acid most of the time (essential amino acids are required in the diet as the body cannot manufacture them), there are certain special circumstances which makes it conditionally essential; this means serine becomes an essential amino acid under special conditions, especially when intake of the essential amino acids glycine and threonine are very low.
There needs to be sufficient amounts of specific vitamins (and not just glycine and threonine), in order for the body to be able to create enough serine. These vitamins are: folic acid, vitamin B3 (niacin) and vitamin B6 (pyridoxine).
Serine, just like all the other amino acids, is one of the building blocks of all proteins in the body, which not only include muscles, but also all the other proteins required for normal function of the body.
