Indicator Explainer
Methionine
One of nine essential amino acids in humans (provided by food), Methionine is required for growth and tissue repair. A sulphur-containing amino acid, methionine improves the tone and pliability of skin, hair, and strengthens nails. Involved in many detoxifying processes, sulphur provided by methionine protects cells from pollutants, slows cell aging, and is essential for absorption and bio-availability of selenium and zinc. Methionine chelates heavy metals, such as lead and mercury, aiding their excretion. It also acts as a lipotropic agent and prevents excess fat buildup in the liver. (NCI04)
This page explains what the indicator is and how results are interpreted in general terms. Reference ranges depend on the laboratory, the method, and your own situation — no single “normal value” applies to everyone. This page is health information, not a diagnosis. For symptoms, treatment, or urgent concerns, contact a healthcare professional.
When it is tested
Source: National Cancer Institute, NCI Thesaurus 26.09d, C29600. NCI definition, reproduced without modification under CC BY 4.0. Source identity and definition checked automatically on 2026-10-20. No individual clinical interpretation or human reviewer is asserted.
Reading results
Reference intervals and interpretation depend on the laboratory, specimen, method and clinical context. This source definition is educational information; it does not establish a diagnosis, product approval or suitability for an individual.
Also Known As
References
- NCI Thesaurus 26.09d — Methionine (C29600)
- Source: National Cancer Institute, NCI Thesaurus 26.09d, C29600. NCI definition, reproduced without modification under CC BY 4.0.
- Dietary supplementation with methionine and/or turmeric oil enhances carcass cuts, economics, meat quality, and antioxidant status in broilers: insights into DNA methyltransferase transcripts. — Trop Anim Health Prod, 2026-10-20 (PMID 42902036; literature)
- Short-term methionine starvation reshapes diurnal hepatic m6A RNA methylation. — J Biol Chem, 2026-10-14 (PMID 42874925; literature)
- The Lysine Methyltransferase SETDB1 Alleviates Methionine- and Choline-Deficient Diet-Induced Steatohepatitis by Suppressing Ferroptosis. — J Biol Chem, 2026-10-23 (PMID 42918499; literature)
- Mitigating methionine oxidation in mass spectrometry-based immunopeptidomics. — J Proteomics, 2026-10-22 (PMID 42913785; literature)
- Biocatalytic synthesis of S-adenosyl-l-methionine analogues for allosteric activation of cystathionine-β-synthase. — FEBS J, 2026-10-21 (PMID 42904577; literature)