The Benefits Of Serine

Serine is a nonessential amino acid that is essential for the metabolism of fats as well as fatty acids.

Amino acids are the principal building blocks of proteins and enzymes. They are incorporated into proteins by transfer RNA according to the genetic code while messenger RNA is being decoded by ribosomes. During and after the final assembly of a protein, the amino acid content dictates the spatial and biochemical properties of the protein or enzyme.

Serine plays a major role in a variety of biosynthetic pathways including those involving pyrimadines, purines, creatine, and porphyrins. Serine is also found at the active site in an important class of enzymes termed "serine proteases" that include trypsin and chymotrypsin. These enzymes catalyze the hydrolysis of peptide bonds in polypeptides and proteins, a major function in the digestive process.

Serine is an important precursor of tryptophan and serotonin. Previous studies of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) demonstrated that serine (CFSUM2) was an important urinary metabolite discriminating between CFS from control subjects, and was negatively correlated with CFS neurological symptom index and total symptom index. Serine synthesis requires both alanine and glycine as precursors, and also as a result of microbial metabolism.

These studies showed that the low urinary excretion of serine in CFS patients reported in previous study was associated with a disturbed gastrointestinal microbial flora. Alteration in the aerobic microbial flora, particularly the Gram negative enteric organisms, may change the exogenous supply of serine and contribute to the increased symptoms expression of patients with CFS.

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a disorder which presents with the characteristic symptom of an extreme sense of fatigue that is exacerbated by low levels of activity. Studies to date have largely focused on the skeletal muscle in an attempt to find an explanation for the symptom of fatigue. The failure of these studies to demonstrate any consistent abnormalities of the musculature has led to the hypothesis that the fatigue of CFS may represent a perception of increase effort associated with muscular work rather than an inability to perform the required work.

Urinary serine levels were checked and found to be low in 7 patients whose illness fitted the CDC criteria for a diagnosis of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. A low serine level has previously been identified as a possible urinary marker (previously known as CFSUM2) for CFS. Serine was prescribed in a dose of 500mg twice daily to these people.

  • HL Butt, RH Dunstan, NR McGregor, TK Roberts, TL Harrison, JR Grainger. Low Urinary Serine Output is Associated with an Altered Faecal Microbial Flora in Chronic Fatigue/Pain Patients. 1998 Sydney ME/CFS Conference
  • Rosamund Vallings MB BS. THE USE OF SERINE IN THE MANAGEMENT OF CHRONIC FATIGUE SYNDROME 1998 Sydney ME/CFS Conference
  • McGregor N.R, et al: Preliminary determination of a molecuar basis to chronic fatigue syndrome. Biochemical and Molecular Medicine, 1996, 57, 73-80

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