N-acetyl-L-methionine is nutritionally and metabolically equivalent to L-methionine. Methionine is a dietary indispensable amino acid required for normal growth and development of humans, other mammals, and avian species. In addition to being a substrate for protein synthesis, it is an intermediate in transmethylation reactions, serving as the major methyl group donor in vivo, including the methyl groups for DNA and RNA intermediates. Methionine is a methyl acceptor for 5-methyltetrahydrofolate-homocysteine methyltransferase (methionine synthase), the only reaction that allows for the recycling of this form of folate, and is also a methyl acceptor for the catabolism of betaine. Methionine is also required for the synthesis of cysteine.