Glucogenic/glycogenic and Ketogenic Amino Acids

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The classification of amino acids depends on the seven intermediates produced during their catabolism or whether the amino acids are synthesized in the body or not. Therefore, amino acids can either be ketogenic or glucogenic/glycogenic or both ketogenic and glycogenic or nonessential or essential. Essential amino acids are amino acids that body cannot synthesize. Therefore, they are obtained from the diet. On the other hand, nonessential amino acids are amino acids that are synthesized in the body. 

Glucogenic/glycogenic amino acids

These are amino acids whose catabolism produces pyruvate or any of the intermediate of the citric acid cycle. Furthermore, glycogenic amino acids can either be essential or nonessential amino acids. 

Glycogenic essential amino acid (s)

• Histidine
• Methionine
• Valine
• Threonine 

Glycogenic nonessential amino acid(s)

• Proline
• Serine
• Glycine
• Aspartate
• Asparagine
• Glutamine
• Glutamate
• Alanine
• Arginine
• Cysteine 

Ketogenic amino acid(s)

These are amino acids whose catabolism results in acetoacetate or any precursor (acetoacetyl CoA or acetyl CoA) of acetoacetate. They can be either essential or nonessential amino acids.

Ketogenic essential amino acids

Amino acids in this category include:

• Leucine
• Lysine

Ketogenic nonessential amino acid (s)

Among the first known amino acids, there is no ketogenic amino acid. 

Both glycogenic and ketogenic amino acid (s)

This group contains both essential and nonessential amino acid (s).

Essential amino acids in this group are: 

• Isoleucine
• Tryptophan
• Phenylalanine 

 Nonessential amino acids in this category encompass:

• Tyrosine