Anserine Unit Converter

Anserine (β-alanyl-1-methylhistidine) is a naturally occurring dipeptide, meaning it is made up of two amino acids: beta-alanine and 1-methylhistidine. It is a methylated form of carnosine, another well-known dipeptide found in muscle tissue.

Anserine is found in high concentrations in the skeletal muscle of poultry and fish. In human blood, its levels primarily reflect recent dietary intake of these foods. Humans produce only small amounts of anserine on their own.

When plasma anserine is persistently elevated beyond what diet would explain, it may indicate impaired breakdown of the dipeptide, as occurs in carnosinase deficiency. The test is part of a comprehensive amino acid panel.

Anserine in human plasma comes primarily from dietary sources, especially poultry (turkey and chicken have the highest concentrations) and fish such as tuna and salmon. The body can also produce small amounts in the kidney by methylating carnosine, but this endogenous pathway contributes far less than dietary intake.