Genetic Metabolic Dietitian International Conference - April 24-27, 2026

Writing about this conference is a bit tricky because some of the people who will read this are already experts in Inherited Inborn Errors of Metabolism (IEMs) but a majority of you are brand new to this topic.

How to strike a balance? Start with the science, and everyone hang in there, this is worth the read.

Starting from the top – human metabolism is the process by which our body uses and creates energy. Simple right? Not so fast.

Let’s start with protein.

In order for your body to make energy, create enzymes, handle waste, build neurotransmitters, create hormones, regulate immune function, transport nutrients, maintain acid/base balance and basically every single function of life comes back to proteins.

Protein is made up of individual amino acids. There are 20 common amino acids that form together in different configurations to make strands – peptides. The Peptides sting together to make proteins.

I’m simplifying things here, but many IEMs are due to a missing enzyme or biochemical process related to amino acids. Nutrition care is critical because many of these conditions are treated with specialized diets, foods and formulas that work around the missing enzyme. Today, we know more about human metabolism and the genetic causes of IEM’s – but we are still learning!

We are retroactively testing people with underlying conditions like urea cycle disorders (where ammonia builds up to toxic levels) and lysosomal disorders and glycogen storage disorders (imbalance or inability to produce/store sugar).

Enter the conference. Thank you for hanging in there. These conditions are managed by Metabolic Dietitian’s that specialize in the complex nutrition care for these patient populations. This is not easy work. Care of these individuals requires careful monitoring and patient education.

Of all of the IEMs, PKU is considered one of the most treatable with the best patient outcomes. Some of the other conditions are more complex and have a less favorable profile. Almost all are diagnosed in childhood, and through newborn screening.

Where am I going with all of this? Dietitians make a fraction of the salary of physician assistants, nurse practitioners and doctors. The general public is confused by what we do, and the training we require. Spending 3 days working, learning and engaging with this community was fantastic.

What I learned will be reflected in numerous ways going forward, the topics I write about, and the way I care for every single person in my private practice. Thanks for hanging in there – and if you have any questions about all of this, please feel free to reach out.