Aminoaciduria is an abnormal amount of amino acids in the urine. Amino acids are the building blocks for proteins in the body.

This article discusses the test used to look for increased amounts of amino acids in the urine.

See also:

• Amino acids blood test
• Inborn errors of metabolism

Amino acids - urine; Urine amino acids

A clean-catch urine sample is needed. This is often done at your doctor's office or health clinic.

No special preparations are necessary. Make sure your doctor knows about all the medicines you or your child are taking or have recently used. If this test is being done on an infant who is breast-feeding, make sure the health care provider knows what medicines the nursing mother is taking.

The test involves only normal urination.

This test is done to measure amino acid levels in the urine. There are many different types of amino acids. It is common for some of each kind to be found in the urine, but increased levels of individual amino acids can be a sign of an inborn error of metabolism.

Images

Urine sample

Aminoaciduria urine test

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Aminoaciduria Results

Review Date: 05/12/2011
Reviewed By: Frank A. Greco, M.D., Ph.D., Director, Biophysical Laboratory, The Lahey Clinic, Burlington, MA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)