All About Amino Acids
Amino Acids are the building blocks of the body. Besides
building cells and repairing tissue, they form antibodies to
combat invading bacteria & viruses; they are part of the enzyme
& hormonal system; they build nucleoproteins (RNA & DNA); they
carry oxygen throughout the body and participate in muscle
activity. When protein is broken down by digestion the result is
22 known amino acids.
As the building blocks of protein, amino acids are vital to
health. Next to water, amino acids in the form of proteins make
up the greatest portion of our body weight. They comprise
tendons, muscles and ligaments; organs and glands; hair and
nails; important bodily fluids, and are a necessary part of
every cell in the body.
There are over 20 amino acids, separated into two categories -
essential and non-essential. Essential amino acids are those
that cannot be manufactured by your body, hence, it is essential
that you obtain them from your diet. Non-essential amino acids
can be manufactured by your body, however, your body must have
the right combination of essential amino acids and supporting
nutrients to optimize healthy protein maintenance, so
supplementation may be desirable. Twenty amino acids are needed
to build the various proteins used in the growth, repair, and
maintenance of body tissues. Eleven of these amino acids can be
made by the body itself, while the other nine (called essential
amino acids) must come from the diet. The essential amino acids
are isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine,
threonine, tryptophan, and valine. Another amino acid,
histidine, is considered semi-essential because the body does
not always require dietary sources of it. The nonessential amino
acids are arginine, alanine, asparagine, aspartic acid,
cysteine, glutamine, glutamic acid, glycine, proline, serine,
and tyrosine. Other amino acids, such as carnitine, are used by
the body in ways other than protein-building and are often used
therapeutically.
Who is likely to be deficient?
Dieters, some strict
vegetarian body builders, and anyone consuming an inadequate
number of calories may not be consuming adequate amounts of
amino acids. In these cases, the body will break down the
protein in muscle tissue and use those amino acids to meet the
needs of more important organs or will simply not build more
muscle mass despite increasing exercise.
Amino acids are not only absolutely integral to life, but they
can have a profound impact upon how clearly we think and how
well we feel.
Benefits of Amino Acids
* builds cells and repairs
tissue
* assists with wound healing
* increases athletic
performance