Test Overview of Urine Amino Acid Panel

Measurement of amino acids and derivatives in the urine can help evaluate nutritional status, the presence of inborn errors of metabolism, urea cycle defects, digestive and GI status, detoxification status, and neurological indicators.

Test Indications of Urine Amino Acid Panel

  • Supplementary test for evaluating Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD), Asperger's Syndrome, Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADD, ADHD), learning disability, depression, anxiety, seizure disorders, sleep and mood disorders.
  • Supplementary test for evaluating environmental heavy metal toxicity.
  • Evaluation of urea-cycle defects (inborn errors of metabolism).
  • Evaluation of nutritional defects including maldigestion, malabsorption, imbalanced protein intake.
  • Evaluation of renal tubular defects leading to loss of amino acids.
  • Headaches.
  • Chronic fatigue and Fibromyalgia.
  • Chronic illness and cancer.

Sample Collection for Urine Amino Acid Panel

  1. Your doctor will provide you with the sample collection kit that includes sample container, gel-pack, and shipping materials.
  2. Avoid amino acid supplements and unusually large protein meals for 24 hours before collecting urine.
  3. Place gel-pack in the freezer the night before sample collection.
  4. Collect at least 15 mL of FIRST MORNING URINE, before eating or drinking (or use special pediatric collection bag overnight if patient is not potty trained).
  5. Refrigerate sample (do not freeze) until ready to send to lab.
  6. The sample must be sent via overnight FedEx directly to the lab on a Monday through Thursday using the prepaid mailer provided.
  7. Detailed instructions are in the sample collection kit.

Your doctor or lab may have different instructions that supersede the above.

CPT CODES for Urine Amino Acid Panel

CPT-CodeDescriptionComments
82139Amino Acids, 6 or more 
82140Ammonia 

Labs Performing Urine Amino Acid Panel Test

Name of LabLab CodeEstimated CostProcessing TimeComments

Costs cited are subject to change and may be reduced by insurance or cash discounts and increased by sample collection fees.

Theory of Urine Amino Acid Panel

Depressed levels of all or many amino acids in the urine suggests low protein intake, digestion (low HCl or proteases), or absorption, or dysbiosis.

Elevated levels of all or many amino acids in the urine suggests high protein intake, renal tubular defect (genetic defect or toxicity).

Alanine

  • Nonessential
  • Elevated level suggests urea cycle defect.

L-alpha-amino-N-butyric Acid

  • B vitamin marker

Alpha-Aminoadipic Acid

  • GI marker
  • B vitamin marker

Ammonia

  • GI marker
  • Neurological marker
  • Elevated level suggests urea cycle defect.

Anserine

  • GI marker

Arginine

  • Essential or conditionally indispensable
  • Elevated level suggests urea cycle defect.

Asparagine

  • Nonessential
  • Urea cycle metabolite

Aspartic Acid

  • Nonessential
  • Detoxification marker
  • Urea cycle metabolite

Beta-Alanine

  • GI marker
  • B vitamin marker
  • Neurological marker

L-beta-aminoisobutyric Acid

  • GI marker
  • B vitamin marker

Carnosine

  • GI marker

Citrulline

  • Magnesium marker
  • Elevated level suggests urea cycle defect.

Creatinine

  • Used to normalize calculations of concentration.

Cystathionine

  • B vitamin marker
  • Neurological marker

Cysteine

  • Essential or conditionally indispensable
  • B vitamin marker
  • Detoxification marker

Cystine

  • Nonessential

Ethanolamine

  • GI marker
  • Magnesium marker

Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid

  • GI marker

Glutamic Acid

  • Nonessential
  • Excitatory neurotransmitter - associated with chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, seizures, attention deficit, and brain cancer.
  • Found in monosodium glutamate (MSG) and aspartame (NutraSweet, Equal).

Glutamine

  • Nonessential
  • Detoxification marker
  • Neurological marker
  • Elevated level suggests urea cycle defect.

Glycine

  • Nonessential
  • Detoxification marker

Histidine

  • Essential or conditionally indispensable

Homocysteine

  • B vitamin marker

L-hydroxyproline

  • GI marker

Isoleucine

  • Essential or conditionally indispensable

Leucine

  • Essential or conditionally indispensable

Lysine

  • Essential or conditionally indispensable

Methionine

  • Essential or conditionally indispensable
  • Detoxification marker

Methionine Sulfoxide

  • Magnesium marker

1-methylhistidine

  • B vitamin marker

3-Methylhistidine

  • B vitamin marker

Ornithine

  • Elevated level suggests urea cycle defect.

Phenylalanine

  • Essential or conditionally indispensable
  • Neurological marker

Phosphoethanolamine

  • Magnesium marker

Phosphoserine

  • Magnesium marker

Proline

  • Nonessential

Sarcosine

  • B vitamin marker

Serine

  • Nonessential
  • Magnesium marker
  • B vitamin marker

Taurine

  • Essential or conditionally indispensable
  • GI marker
  • Magnesium marker
  • Detoxification marker
  • Neurological marker

Threonine

  • Essential or conditionally indispensable
  • GI marker

Tryptophan

  • Essential or conditionally indispensable
  • GI marker
  • Neurological marker

Tyrosine

    Nonessential
  • Neurological marker

Urea

  • Depressed level suggests urea cycle defect.

Valine

  • Essential or conditionally indispensable

References regarding Urine Amino Acid Panel

  • [GP2008] Great Plains Laboratory, William Shaw, Lori Knowles, Kurt Woeller. Physician Practitioner Training (Autism) Lecture Notes and Documentation. Tempe, AZ (8/23/2008 - 8/24/2008). Full text: Full text: https://www.greatplainslaboratory.com https://www.greatplainslaboratory.com

    • Unless specifically noted above, references used in the construction of this web page include the following:

    [FMU] Lecture notes from Functional Medicine University.

    [SCNM] Lecture notes from Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine.

    [UT] Lecture notes from the University of Tennessee graduate programs in Chemistry, Microbiology, and Biochemistry.