Facts
Why aspartic acid is good for you
L-aspartic acid (or aspartate) is a non-essential amino acid as it can be produced in the body. Aspartic acid is found in abundance in plant proteins, especially in sprouting seeds. L-aspartic acid plays a vital role in energy production.
Important aspartic acid facts
- Aspartic acid is of vital importance in the metabolism and construction of other amino acids and biochemicals in the citric acid cycle
- Aspartic acid is termed an excitory amino acid neurotransmitter as it plays a role in stimulating synapes in the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord)
- Aspartic acid is made from glutamic acid (or glutamate)
- Among the biochemicals that are synthesized from aspartic acid are arginine, lysine, methionine, threonine, isoleucine, and several nucleotides
Aspartic acid works best with
Health
Aspartic acid and health
- Liver health – aspartic acid benefits the liver by removing excess ammonia from the liver. Aspartic acid combines with other amino acids to form molecules that absorb toxins and remove them from the bloodstream
- Chronic fatigue syndrome – since aspartic acid increases stamina, it is good for fatigue (chronic fatigue syndrome may result from low levels of aspartic acid, because this can lead to lowered cellular energy)
Talk to a medical professional about aspartic acid supplements before taking them
Deficiency
Groups at risk of aspartic acid deficiency
Deficiency is very rare, but can occur in the following individuals:
- People on very low protein diets – people who are not eating enough protein foods may not get enough aspartic acid in their diet
People in these groups at risk of aspartic acid deficiency should talk to a medical professional about aspartic acid supplementation before trying them.
Symptoms of aspartic acid deficiency
Symptoms of aspartic acid are very rare, but may include fatigue and depression.
Food sources
Aspartic acid in food
| FOOD | AMOUNT | Aspartic Acid (mg) |
|---|---|---|
Lean Round Beef | 450g | 13150 |
Lean Leg of Veal | 450g | 10899 |
1/2 Turkey Breast – no skin | 306g | 8937 |
1/2 Chicken | 329g | 6274 |
Clams – mixed species | 20 small (190g) | 4682 |
Snapper, cooked | 1 fillet (170g) | 4576 |
Atlantic cod, cooked | 1 fillet (180g) | 4209 |
Northern pike, cooked | 1/2 fillet (155g) | 3919 |
Ling, cooked | 1 fillet (151g) | 3764 |
Yellow fish tuna , cooked | 100g | 3069 |
Alaskan king crab, cooked | 1 leg (172g) | 2680 |
Blue crab, cooked | 1 cup (118g) | 2643 |
Pacific cod, cooked | 1 fillet (90g) | 2115 |
Whiting, cooking | 1 fillet (72g) | 1731 |
Atlantic perch, cooked | 1 fillet (50g) | 1223 |
Bacon, pan-fried | 28g | 1010 |
Ricotta, park skim | 100g | 1007 |
Milk, 1% fat | 1 cup | 759 |
Daily intake
Aspartic acid recommended daily intake (RDI)
| RDA | No information available |
|---|---|
| TOLERABLE UPPER LIMIT | 1.5g – 2.0g per day |
| TOXIC LEVELS | No information available |
Toxicity
Overdosage, toxicity and cautions for aspartic acid
No information known.
Precautions
Precautions
Interactions
Interactions
References
References
- Osiecki H, Meeke F, Smith J, The Encyclopaedia of Clinical Nutrition – Volume 1: The Nervous System, BioConceps Publishing QLD 2004
Last reviewed and updated: 8 May 2024
