Urea Cycle
Liver nitrogen disposal — converts ammonia from amino-acid catabolism to urea
Burning protein for energy, or building and breaking down amino acids, releases ammonia — which is toxic, especially to the brain. The urea cycle is the liver's disposal system: it converts ammonia into urea, a safe, water-soluble compound the kidneys excrete in urine. Arginine and citrulline are intermediates in the cycle itself, magnesium powers the ATP-dependent first step, and B6 + biotin (B7) support the amino-acid handling that feeds it. When the cycle can't keep up — as in liver disease — ammonia builds up and causes the confusion and brain fog of hepatic encephalopathy.
How your supplements + diet feed this pathway right now — the cofactors driving it, where the gaps are, and your own lab readouts.
The load-bearing nutrients — if these are deficient, this pathway slows down. Click any to see daily targets, food sources, and supplements that supply it.
Nutrients that contribute to this pathway but aren’t the single load-bearing inputs.
Pathways that share a load-bearing cofactor with this one.