Question 1

if pku patients continue to consume protein does the brain damage continue?

Accepted Answer

Growing nerves can B: The most sensitive period for nerve/brain injury from excess phenylalanine(phe) is during brain growth & elaboration of nerve connections.Unaffected mothers clean the blood & prevent the fetus from prenatal injury, but phe containing feeds after birth can start the  damage.The brain doesn't complete its connections until the late 20's. Failure to control phe after childhood produces subtile pbs.

Question 2

does hemolysis cause a false high bilirubin ?
what can cause a false low pku result

Accepted Answer

Yes: Hemolysis causes high bilirubin but it is not false. It is the breakdown of the red blood cells.  A false negative can come about if a baby is tested before eating enough protein. This means the baby has phenylketonuria, but simply has not consumed enough protein for the level of phenylalanine to be high.

Question 3

what foods should you avoid if you are diagnosed with pku?

Accepted Answer

Restriction of ...: Phenylalanine.  Proper treatment requires close monitoring of blood levels of phenylalanine and expert nutritional input. Metabolic disease clinic  provides the details.

Question 4

what are some good foods for someone with a restricted diet due to pku?

Accepted Answer

Vegetables are OK: Phenylketonuria is treated with a low phenylalanine diet, which means most proteins are verbotten. But people with pku need expert guidance from a metabolic dietician and biochemical geneticist to do it right. Too much protein restriction can be just as bad. You need to have your phenylalanine blood levels checked regularly. If you are a woman of childbearing age, you have to be even more careful.

Question 5

how many people have pku in the world?

Accepted Answer

Phenylketonuria-PKU: "Classical PKU affects between 1 in 10,000 and 1 in 20,000 depending on the country of origin. The incidence varies widely in different human populations from 1 in 4,500 births among the population of Ireland[3] to fewer than one in 100,000 births among the population of Finland."   from website National PKU Alliance https://npkua.org/Education/About-PKU

Question 6

how hard is it to test if you have pku?

Accepted Answer

Easy: Every newbnorn is tested for this in a state lab in the U.S.. If this was not reported at birth the person does not have pku.

Question 7

what is the definition or description of: pku?

Accepted Answer

Genetic disorder: It is a congenital deficiency of an enzyme which digests a protein in milk causing a build-up of a substance that causes brain damage in infants.
This disorder is tested for in all newborns and a special formula can prevent brain damage.

Question 8

could patients with pku have children?

Accepted Answer

Yes: In fact, this is quite a big deal. If you are going to be a mother, you will need to manage your pku diet very carefully while you are pregnant, or the unborn child who actually does not have pku will still end up with permanent brain damage.

Question 9

what are the signs and symptoms of pku?

Accepted Answer

Varying signs: PKU detection test is mandatory newborn screening in the developed world, including all 50 states in the US. The early s/s of PKU include seizures, microcephaly ( small head) other developmental delays, eczema etc. tests should always be repeated within 2 wks to confirm diagnosis. Earlier intervention by phenyl alanine free diet can reverse most signs.

Question 10

why must there be phenylalanine in the pku diet?

Accepted Answer

Essential amino acid: We can not make our own phenylalanine so there must be some in our diet. In general, the idea is to consume only the amount of phenylalanine that's necessary for normal growth and body processes, but no more.

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Doctor answers about:

Low protein foods for pku

A member asked:

If pku patients continue to consume protein does the brain damage continue?

A member asked:

Does hemolysis cause a false high bilirubin ? what can cause a false low pku result

A member asked:

What foods should you avoid if you are diagnosed with pku?

A member asked:

What are some good foods for someone with a restricted diet due to pku?

A member asked:

How many people have pku in the world?

A member asked:

How hard is it to test if you have pku?

A member asked:

What is the definition or description of: pku?

A member asked:

Could patients with pku have children?

A member asked:

What are the signs and symptoms of pku?

A member asked:

Why must there be phenylalanine in the pku diet?

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