Overview
Amino acids are either "essential", which must be supplied by food, or "nonessential", which are made in the body.
Review Date 2/4/2022
Updated by: Meagan Bridges, RD, University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, VA. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.