Phenylade is a dietary supplement for low-protein diets. It’s designed to ensure those suffering from a specific condition get the protein they need without the risks they face when consuming regular protein. Before getting into the details of Phenylade, you first need to understand the condition it’s designed to treat, and that condition is called Phenylketonuria, or PKU.
PKU
Phenylketonuria, or PKU, is a rare inherited disorder, although it has also been considered a birth defect. It affects a specific gene that normally produces an enzyme used to break down food. This condition limits the body’s ability to digest certain amino acids. The amino acid phenylalanine builds up in the bodies of patients with PKU until it reaches dangerous levels. Although amino acids are essential to survival, they can be deadly if they are allowed to build to toxic levels. Phenylalanine causes a broad range of symptoms. Because phenylalanine breaks down into the building blocks for melanin, those suffering from PKU often have very pale skin and blue eyes. PKU can also lead to rashes, weak bones, and an abnormally small head. Some symptoms are behavioral. These include slow intellectual development, hyperactivity, social disorders, and psychiatric disorders. In some of the worst cases, PKU has neurological problems, including seizures, which can be deadly. Adults can be diagnosed with PKU later in life, but today children are tested for the condition shortly after birth.
Those who suffer from PKU still have the same dietary needs as those without PKU, but their condition makes it impossible to get the nutrition they need from regular protein. Not only do those with PKU face holes in their nutrition, but consuming too much regular protein is dangerous, and potentially deadly. Because of this, doctors prescribe special dietary supplements to fill the gaps in PKU patients’ low protein diets.
Phenylade
Phenylade is one of the best and most often prescribed dietary supplements for patients with PKU. The powdered drink mix provides nutrition PKU patients cannot derive from regular protein. It also allows PKU patients to go on low protein diets to avoid the dangers of phenylalanine. It solves two problems at once. Since Phenylade is such a widely recognized brand, there is a lot of community feedback to improve the lifestyles of PKU patients. Recipes to make the basic Phenylade formula tastier and add variety to a low protein diet have popped up over the Internet. Phenylade is also one of the easiest supplements to find as it is carried by nearly every medical food chain and shop.
Living with PKU is a daily struggle, and the idea of such a restrictive diet can make patients wonder if it’s worth the repetition. This is especially true of children who may have to watch siblings digging into regular protein that the patient cannot consume. Fortunately, Pheylade is not only a trusted dietary supplement, but also a versatile one. It’s easy to disguise the daily shake as a treat. PKU is a terrible condition, but the low protein diet that comes with it doesn’t have to be bland. Talk to your doctor about Phenylade and stay healthy out there.