PHENYLALANINE MARKET ANALYSIS

Phenylalanine is essential alpha amino acid, which functions to maintain adequate levels of monoamine neurotransmitters in the brain, thereby maintaining balanced moods. Deficiency of phenylalanine causes mental confusion, depression, reduced alertness, memory impairment, and loss of appetite. Phenylalanine is majorly present in three forms: D-Phenylalanine, DL-Phenylalanine, and L-Phenylalanine. L-phenylalanine is natural amino acid found in the proteins, while D-Phenylalanine is synthesized form of phenylalanine, produced in laboratory. DL-phenylalanine is synthetic product made of 50% D-phenylalanine and 50% of L-phenylalanine.

L-phenylalanine is an essential amino acid, which is also an only form of phenylalanine found in proteins. Major dietary sources of L-phenylalanine include meat, fish, eggs, cheese, and milk. L-phenylalanine and DL-phenylalanine are commonly used to treat depression, Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), chronic pain, and a skin disease called vitiligo.

The primary function of phenylalanine is to produce tyrosine, which further gets converted into three key neurotransmitters: L-dopa, norepinephrine, and epinephrine. As some antidepressants function by increasing levels of norepinephrine, various forms of phenylalanine have been observed as a possible treatment for depression. Furthermore, D-phenylalanine has been found to be effective in the treatment of chronic pain. It blocks enkephalinase, an enzyme which increases pain levels in the body.

Phenylalanine Market Drivers

Increasing prevalence of anxiety and depression are responsible for massive consumptions of anti-depressants, in turn promoting global phenylalanine market growth. For instance, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) data findings, in 2017, over 300 million people of all ages are suffering from depression worldwide, wherein around 800,000 people die due to suicide due to anxiety disorders and depression as prime cause. Moreover, according to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), in 2016, an estimated 10.3 million U.S. adults (4.3% of all U.S. adults) aged 18 or older had at least one major depressive episode with severe impairment. Furthermore, according to the same source, the prevalence of major depressive cases was higher among adult females (8.5%) as compared to males (4.8%). Furthermore, the prevalence of adults with a major depressive episode was highest among individuals aged 18-25 (10.9%). The association (NIMH) also mentions that these disorders are highly treatable thereby propelling opportunities for growth of the global phenylalanine market.

Moreover, high prevalence of chronic pain diseases is expected to foster the growth of phenylalanine market over the forecast period. For instance, according to the American Academy of Pain Medicine (AAPM), in 2011, around 1.8 billion people suffered from chronic pain. Moreover, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) estimates that one in 10 people in the U.S. suffer from chronic pain. According to a study published in the British Medical Journal in 2016, nearly one-third to half of the population in the U.K. suffers from chronic pain. Moreover, according to the NIH estimates published in 2015 by the American Pain Society, around 50 million people in the U.S. suffered from chronic pain.

Furthermore, increasing prevalence of pain and chronic diseases such as cancer and others are driving growth of the phenylalanine market. For instance, according to the National Cancer Institute, in 2018, around 1,735,350 new cases of cancer are expected to be diagnosed in the U.S. and 609,640 people are expected to die from the disease.

Phenylalanine Market Restraints

Phenylalanine should be avoided in people with certain inherited disorders such as Phenylketonuria (PKU), where body build up too much phenylalanine. People with phenylketonuria can develop mental retardation, high blood pressure, stroke, and many other serious health issues if they consume phenylalanine. PKU is severe disorder due to which infants are generally screened at birth to determine whether they have the disorder and will need a special diet to avoid these problems.

Phenylalanine Market – Regional Analysis

Geographically, the global phenylalanine market is segmented into North America, Latin America, Europe, Middle East, Asia Pacific, and Africa. Increasing incidence of cancer and rising number of trauma cases worldwide is propelling demand for pain management associated with it. North America phenylalanine market is expected to witness significant growth during the forecast period. As per statistics published by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in 2014, trauma accounts for 41 million visits to the emergency ward each year in the U.S.

Furthermore, developed economies such as the U.S., U.K. and Germany experience high rate of adoption due to better healthcare facilities and easy availability of depression medication in these countries. According to the American academy of pain medicine, every year, over 100 million people suffer from chronic pain, 25.8 million from diabetes, 16.3 million from coronary heart disease, and 11.9 million from cancer in the U.S. This number is expected to further increase in the near future.

Increasing research and development initiatives by various government and non-governmental organizations such as National Institutes of Health (NIH) Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies (BRAIN), which aims to better understand the human brain and harness the same for various therapeutic applications, including effective pain management, is expected to create a conducive environment for market growth in these region.

Phenylalanine Market – Competitor

Some of the key players operating in the phenylalanine market include Amazing Nutrition, LiftMode (Synaptent LLC), NutraMarks, Inc., NOW foods, healthvit, and Shijiazhuang Jirong Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.

Phenylalanine Market Taxonomy

By Type

• L-phenylalanine
• D-Phenylalanine
• DL-phenylalanine

By Application:

• Depression
• Chronic Pain
• Vitiligo

By Distribution Channel:

• Hospital Pharmacy
• Retail Pharmacy
• Online Pharmacy

By Region

• North America
• Latin America
• Europe
• Asia Pacific
• Middle East
• Africa