HealthAugust 16, 2026
phenylalanine
FEN-ul-AL-uh-neen
Definition
An essential amino acid that serves as a building block for proteins and is one of the substances gut bacteria break down to produce various metabolic compounds.
Etymology
The word is derived from 'phenyl' (a chemical group based on benzene) and 'alanine' (an amino acid). It was named in the late 19th century based on its chemical structure, which combines the phenyl radical with the amino acid alanine.
In the news
In this article, phenylalanine is identified as one of the amino acids that gut microbes digest, creating byproducts that can be either beneficial or harmful depending on the presence of dietary fibre.
Scientists warn your gut bacteria could literally start ‘eating you’ if you don’t get enough fibre
Read the full article ↗UNILAD