Threonine is important for your dental health as it helps form enamel
Threonine - Supplements, Benefits, Uses & Dosage
Updated Jul. 03rd, 2023
The amino acids that the body cannot produce, and need to be taken in through the diet, are called essential. Threonine has several roles in the body. It works with methionine and aspartic acid to help the liver process fats (lipotropic) by making them soluble. Thus threonine prevents fatty buildup in the liver.
It makes up the primary agents in connective tissue, collagen and elastin. Collagen and elastin keep our skin, joints, hair and nails strong and vital. Dental health is also dependent on threonine because it helps to form tooth enamel. Threonine is a part of the immune proteins called antibodies. Several types of these molecules are released by white blood cells to flag cells and tissue so that the appropriate immune response can occur. For example, the destruction of a cell infected with a virus or a cell growing uncontrollably (cancer).
Threonine Supplements
Threonine can be supplemented to help with the following health concerns: low immune function, depression, muscle weakness, fatty liver, dental cavities, poor tooth development, arthritis and skin damage.
Threonine is usually supplemented as L-threonine. L-threonine is found in capsules. It is best absorbed when it is taken between meals. If you take an individual amino acid supplement for longer than one month, add an amino acid complex to the protocol to prevent the deficiency of other amino acids.
Vegetarians are more likely to be deficient in threonine than meat eaters. Low threonine levels cause irritability.
Wow! I have been hearing about threonine in the health space but I didn't realize the full myriad of important functions that it has, including that it makes up the primary agents in connective tissue, collagen and elastin: my brother suffers from Ehler's Danlos so I am WELL AWARE how important collagen and elastin are for the body. And wow, the fact that it helps form tooth enamel, helps the liver to process fats and create antibodies is so cool as well. I appreciate that you provide some dietary sources, but thinking about threonine in the diet makes me wonder, are there good vegetarian sources? I would vegetarian protein sources would be good here, correct?
Anyway, thank you for this great article and I'll be reading more on threonine for sure!
Hello Rachel,
We're glad you enjoyed reading our article on threonine and that you learned something new in the world of natural health. Some plant based foods that contain this nutrient include lentils, black turtle bean and sesame seeds. However, for therapeutic benefits, food sources don't often provide high enough doses that concentrated supplements can. If you'd like to learn more about supplements that support the liver, check out this article, https://www.nationalnutrition.ca/articles/health-concerns/liver-health-and-detoxification/
Have a healthy day