Phenylalanine is an amino acid. There are three forms: L-, D-, and DL- phenylalanine. L-phenylalanine is found naturally in foods such as meat and eggs.
Amino acids are the building blocks of protein. L-phenylalanine is an essential amino acid. It is the only form of phenylalanine found in proteins. D-phenylalanine is not an essential amino acid, and its role in the body is not currently understood. DL-phenylalanine is made in a lab.
People use phenylalanine for a disorder that causes white patches to develop on the skin (vitiligo). It is also used for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), chronic pain, aging skin, depression, and many other purposes, but there is no good scientific evidence to support most of these uses.
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