Blood cancer treatments may one day include special dietary restrictions: researchers have found that an essential amino acid plays a crucial role in the creation of blood stem cells—a discovery the scientists say could lead to a potential alternative to chemotherapy and radiation. Valine is one of 10 essential amino acids—protein building blocks that are crucial to life but cannot be made by the human body. It must therefore be obtained through diet and is found in protein-rich foods such as meat, dairy and legumes.
