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Histidine is an amino acid located within the proteins of all
living organisms. While the majority of histidine is found in
proteins, there is a much lesser amount that also exists in some
plants and fermented foods. Carnosine and anserine, both naturally
occurring dipeptides found in muscles, are both comprised of
histidine (L-histidine) and beta-alanine.
Histidine is
considered by many in the health industry to be one of only 10
essential amino acids for infants. However, it is not clear whether
or not histidine is an essential amino acid for adults. At the very
least, histidine is an important amino acid for all humans. While
L-histidine (a type of histidine) is produced naturally by the body,
under certain circumstances (including stress and disease), enough
may not be produced to meet physiological
requirements.
Benefits of
Histidine
L-histidine, a common form of histdine,
has been used in association with rheumatoid arthritis. It has been
suggested that those suffering from rheumatoid arthritis produce
lower than normal levels of histidine. In a study conducted on
rheumatoid arthritis sufferers, each participant was administered 6
grams of supplemental histidine daily. Study results indicated that
participants would benefit with as little as 1 gram daily. A similar
study where patients received 4.5 grams of supplemental histidine
daily found much smaller benefits, but still enough to merit
additional research.
Note: No clinical trials have provided
conclusive evidence as to the medicinal benefits of supplemental
histidine.
Dosage and
Administration
Most people do not need to supplement
histidine. Optimal levels for others remain unknown. Human research
has used between 1 gram and 8 grams per day.
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