Methionine Unit Converter

Methionine is an essential amino acid, meaning the body cannot produce it and it must come from food. It is one of two sulfur-containing amino acids (the other being cysteine) and plays a central role in methylation, antioxidant defense, and protein synthesis.

Normal plasma methionine levels typically range from 13 to 45 µmol/L. In the body, methionine is converted to S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe), the primary methyl donor for hundreds of biochemical reactions.

Methionine is also a precursor to cysteine, taurine, and glutathione, making it essential for antioxidant protection and detoxification.

Methionine is obtained entirely from the diet. Rich sources include eggs, meat, fish, dairy, Brazil nuts, sesame seeds, and cereal grains. Homocysteine can also be recycled back to methionine using vitamins B12 and folate as cofactors.