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Introduction of 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA)

5-Aminolevulinic acid，referred to as 5-ALA. It is a functional non-protein amino acid naturally existing in living organisms, and also a pure natural, non-toxic and environmentally friendly delta-amino acid. It is an essential precursor for the biosynthesis of tetrapyrrole compounds such as heme, chlorophyll, and vitamin B12. Plant photosynthesis and cellular energy metabolism have important effects. 5-ALA has a high degree of homology in humans, animals, plants, including microorganisms, and has the advantages of biodegradability, non-toxicity and no residue, and is widely used in medicine, pesticides, chemicals and other fields. In the field of agriculture, 5-ALA can promote the growth of crops, fruit trees, vegetables, etc., and can also promote the absorption efficiency of plants to soil nutrients, reduce the application of chemical fertilizers, increase yield and improve quality; in the field of feed, it can improve anemia, improve poultry The immunity of livestock and other animals; in medicine, 5-ALA can be used as a new generation of fluorescent tracers and photodynamic drugs for cancer diagnosis and treatment, and as an additive ingredient in cosmetics and health food. 

Application of 5-ALA in Animal Health Care

Dogs and cats, like humans, also experience a decline in metabolism with age and less efficient ATP production. Animals also gain weight with age, as do lipid components in the blood and body fat. Feeding food containing 5-ALA can activate animal mitochondria and significantly improve the pet's health.  Appropriate addition of 5-ALA to the feed can cause the dominant expression of the porphyrin ring synthesis gene, accelerate the porphyrin ring synthesis, and at the same time make the muscle protein synthesis gene dominantly expressed, accelerate the muscle protein synthesis, and increase the weight and lean meat of livestock and poultry. The yield and quality are improved.

Based on the above results, Japan has also developed 5-ALA products for pets to improve the physique of pets. Studies have found that 5-ALA can improve immunity, promote growth, improve reproductive performance, improve milk quality, hatching rate, spawning rate, and resist infectious diseases. It is suitable for aquaculture applications, such as: effective rescue of patients with acute hepatopancreatic necrosis. Diseased shrimp can also be used for other aquatic products and livestock breeding. Neo Pharma Japan carried out an experimental observation on the use of 5-ALA to prevent African swine fever at the end of 2020, in order to investigate the effect of 5-ALA in improving the immunity of livestock.