Methionine is an essential amino acid—one of the building blocks of proteins and peptides that your body cannot manufacture from other chemicals. The body uses methionine to manufacture creatine and uses the sulfur in methionine for normal metabolism and growth.
Depending on your body weight, you need between 800 and 1,000 mg of methionine daily for normal health. Deficiency is unlikely because enough methionine is generally available from the diet.
Meat, fish, dairy products, and other high-protein foods are good sources of methionine.
A proper therapeutic dosage of methionine has not been determined. One study relating to urinary tract infections used a dosage of 500 mg 3 times daily. A study enrolling people with HIV used a dose of 800 mg three times daily.
Methionine is thought to be generally safe. However, the maximum safe dosages for young children, pregnant or nursing women, or those with serious liver or kidney disease have not been established.
Interactions You Should Know About
If you are taking:
- Reviewer: EBSCO CAM Review Board
- Review Date: 12/2015 -
- Update Date: 12/15/2015 -