Non-essential amino acids are building blocks of proteins that the body can produce on its own. Their rate of synthesis depends only on macronutrient intake.
Non-essential amino acids include:
- Alanine
- Aspartic acid (= aspartate)
- Glutamic acid (= glutamate)
- Serine
If the body lacks an amino acid or an endogenous agent formed from it, such as a hormone, is no longer produced sufficiently, important bodily functions are no longer ensured optimally.
In other literature, the amino acids asparagine, glutamine, glycine and proline are also specified as non-essential.