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
• builds cells and repairs tissue
• assists with wound healing
• increases athletic performance
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