What phenylalanine does to the body is produce the neurotransmitters norepinephrine and dopamine which are essential for proper functioning of the nervous system and brain and also helps in the production of the pigment melanin and gives the color to the skin, eyes and hair.
Someone with PKU can live a normal life especially if they have gotten treatment and even people with intellectual disabilities lead normal lives although they may need some help with certain tasks.
Many people with PKU lead long and healthy lives and after diagnoses of PKU you will need regular blood tests to monitor the level of phenylalanine in the blood.
People cannot grow out of PKU and PKU has no cure and so is a lifelong condition although treatment that is started soon enough can prevent intellectual disabilities from developing and other health issues in people with PKU.
People who have PKU cannot eat pizza, birthday cake, regular bread, yogurt, cheese, ice cream, chocolate, hot dogs, hamburgers, or turkey on Thanksgiving! T
he sweetener aspartame, present in many sugar-free foods and diet soft drinks, must also be avoided, as aspartame contains a high amount of Phe.
People with PKU cannot eat foods high in protein or whole protein foods.
Phe is found in protein so people with PKU must avoid high protein foods and eat low protein foods instead.
People that have PKU can eat most vegetables and fruits as well as sugars, fats and low protein starches but must avoid foods such as dairy, eggs and meats.
People with PKU cannot eat peanut butter as peanut butter contains protein and people with PKU cannot eat foods with whole protein such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs, nuts, seeds, milk, yogurt, cheese or other dairy products.
Even regular bread, rice, pasta, cereals that contain protein are not permitted either.
If a PKU person eats protein it can lead to high levels of phenylalanine as the phenylalanine can build up in the body to harmful levels and lead to cell changes inside the brain which can cause severe brain damage.
Low protein and protein free foods are best for people that have PKU.
The race that PKU is most common in is people of Native American European ancestry.
You can in rare cases get PKU as an adult.
Although it is principally a childhood disorder, in rare cases, the first signs of PKU may develop in late adulthood resembling common neurological diseases.
If PKU goes untreated the untreated PKU can damage the persons brain and nervous system and can lead to learning disabilities.
Other things that can occur in a person with untreated PKU are behavioral issues like self harm and frequent temper tantrums.
However with early enough and proper treatment PKU does not usually cause any symptoms or issues.
PKU is also known as Phenylketonuria which is a disorder that is rare but inherited and causes an amino acid called phenylalanine to build up in the body.
The PKU condition is caused by a change in the phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH) gene that helps create the needed enzymes that are required to break down phenylalanine.
Children with PKU can't process an amino acid called phenylalanine.
Phenylalanine is in many common foods.
But it can build up in the bloodstream of children with PKU.
This can cause growth, mood, behavior, and thinking problems, as well as other problems ranging from mild to severe.
Foods that contain large amounts of phe must be eliminated from a low phe diet.
These foods are high protein foods, such as milk, dairy products, meat, fish, chicken, eggs, beans, and nuts.
These foods cause high blood phe levels for people with PKU.
Although it is principally a childhood disorder, in rare cases, the first signs of PKU may develop in late adulthood resembling common neurological diseases.