Meat, Egg and Dairy Nutrient Essential for Brain Development

Asparagine, found in foods such as meat, eggs and dairy products, was until now considered non-essential because it is produced naturally by the body. However, researchers at the University of Montreal found that the amino acid is essential for normal brain development. “The cells of the body can do without it because they use asparagine provided through diet. Asparagine, however, is not well transported to the brain via the blood-brain barrier,” said senior co-author of the study Dr. Jacques Michaud, who found that brain cells depend on the local synthesis of asparagine to function properly. Moreover, the team discovered that those who the lack the enzyme, asparagine synthetase, responsible for synthesizing asparagine, suffer from a genetic abnormality that results in a rare disease, the symptoms of which can range from intellectual disability to cerebral atrophy. The study is the first to associate a specific genetic variant with a deficiency of this enzyme. Click here to read the full article.