Amino acid pattern in plasma before and after jejuno-ileal shunt operation for obesity

The amino acid pattern in plasma was studied in a reference group (n=26) and in three groups of massive obese subjects (n=9, 8, and 9 respectively) before and at intervals after jejuno-ileostomy. The obese subjects had preoperatively an amino acid pattern significantly different from that in the reference group. The concentrations of lysine, tyrosine, 1/2 cystine, and glutamic acids were higher, and aspargin, glutamine, serine, and glycine were lower than in the reference group. During the post-operative period the amino acid pattern changed significantly; thus serine, glycine, and taurine increased and valine, lysine, leucine, tryptophan, thyrosine, 1/2 cystine, and citrulline decreased. The amino acid pattern in the obese group with the longest post-operative observation time and a stable body weight differed significantly from that in the reference group only with regard to a low valine concentration and high concentration of taurine and glutamatic acid.