Istanbul Rumeli University's Department of Nutrition and Dietetics recently held an event titled "Living with Phenylketonuria from a Dietitian's Perspective" at the Kadıköy Practice and Research Campus. The event featured guest speaker Specialist Dietitian Zelal Tandoğan, who highlighted the significance of phenylketonuria (PKU) and shared her personal experiences as a patient living with this condition. Tandoğan stands out as one of only two dietitians in Turkey with PKU.
During her presentation, Tandoğan detailed the challenges of managing PKU, a genetic disorder in which the enzyme phenylalanine hydroxylase is either deficient or absent. This deficiency leads to the accumulation of phenylalanine in the blood, causing irreversible brain damage if not managed properly. Tandoğan explained that PKU is inherited in an autosomal recessive pattern, requiring both parents to be carriers or affected for the condition to manifest in their offspring. The likelihood of PKU is higher in children of consanguineous marriages.
Patients with PKU must avoid foods high in phenylalanine, including meat, dairy products, eggs, fish, poultry, seeds, regular bread and flour, legumes, and foods containing aspartame. Tandoğan discussed the difficulties of adhering to such a restricted diet and noted that she has never tasted the prohibited foods. She emphasized that lifelong adherence to the diet is crucial and that early diagnosis through mandatory screening tests can enable effective management of the condition.
The event significantly raised awareness about PKU and provided students with valuable insights into the dietary and lifestyle challenges faced by those with the condition.
