Risk Group |
Reasons |
Reference |
Pregnant women |
Methionine is metabolised to homocysteine and raised plasma homocysteine is associated with birth defects, pre-eclampsia, spontaneous abortion and placental abruption. |
15, 16 |
Schizophrenic patients |
Schizophrenic patients given 10–20 g methionine daily developed functional psychoses. |
17 |
Patients with pre-existing cancer |
Animal studies have shown that restriction of methionine intake blocks division and metastasis of tumour cells. |
18,19 |
Ischaemic heart disease (IHD), peripheral vascular disease (PVD), stroke |
Methionine is metabolised to homocysteine – raised homocysteine levels are associated with IHD, PVD and stroke. |
20-22 |
Patients with chronic liver disease |
The liver has an impaired ability to metabolise methionine. |
22 |
Table 1: Potential risks of methionine
Tables at a glance