Amino acids are the molecular units that make up proteins. All
proteins are various compositions of twenty specific naturally
occurring amino acids.
Protein is required for the growth and development of all animals
including human beings. Body proteins serve many functions, they
include structural components of cells and tissues, enzyme catalysts of
biochemical reactions, hormone messengers, and components of the immune
system.
Proteins are hydrolyzed by digestive enzymes to peptides and amino
acids which are absorbed and transported by the blood to various body
tissues. Tissue proteins are continually being broken down and
resynthesized, ingested amino acids being incorporated and those
already present being eliminated. Certain amino acids necessary for
growth and maintenance must be included in the diet, but others can be
synthesized from non-protein precursors.
Alanine
Alanine is synthesized in your muscle tissue from branched chain
amino acids. It helps regulate your blood sugar levels and chronic
deficiencies may lead to muscle loss and poor glucose tolerance.
Alanine is the major amino acid utilized by the liver for
gluconeogenesis under normal conditions.Arginine
This amino acid is necessary for the normal functioning of the
pituitary gland. Together with ornithine, phenylalanine, and other
neuro chemicals, arginine is required for the synthesis and release of
the pituitary gland's growth hormone.
The need for arginine is especially important for males, since seminal fluids contain much of this amino acid.Aspartic acid
Aspartic acid helps in the expulsion of harmful ammonia from the
body. When ammonia enters the circulatory system it acts as a highly
toxic substance. By disposing of ammonia, aspartic acid helps protect
the central nervous system.Cysteine and Cystine
Cystine is the stable form of the sulfur-containing amino acid
cysteine. The body readily converts one into the other as needed, and
the two forms can be considered as a single amino acid in metabolism.
When cystine is metabolized it yields sulfuric acid which acts with
other substances to help detoxify the system.Glutamic acid and Glutamine
Glutamic acid is primarily
used by the brain. It has the ability to pick up excess ammonia, which
inhibits brain functioning, and convert it into glutamine. Since
glutamine produces an elevation of glutamic acid, a shortage in the
diet can result in a shortage of glutamic acid in the brain.
Glutamine has also been shown to help in the control of alcoholism,
shorten the healing time of ulcers and alleviate fatigue, depression,
and impotence. It has also been used successfully in the treatment of
schizophrenia and senility.Glycine
Glycine has been found to be helpful in the treatment of low
pituitary gland function and, because it supplies the body with
additional creatine, it has also been found effective in the treatment
of progressive muscular dystrophy.
It is also used for the treatment of hypoglycemia. Glycine
stimulates the release of glucagon, which mobilizes glycogen, which is
then released into the blood as glucose.Lysine
This essential amino acid is vital in the makeup of critical body
proteins. It's needed for growth, tissue repair, and the production of
antibodies, hormones, and enzymes.
It promotes better concentration and properly utilizes fatty acids needed for energy production.Methionine
Methionine helps in some cases of schizophrenia by lowering the
blood level of histamine, which can cause the brain to relay wrong
messages. It also helps remove toxic wastes from your liver, assists in
the regeneration of liver and kidney tissue, infuences hair follicle
health, and can be an effective antistress factor.
A deficiency of methionine can inhibit the body's ability to process
urine and result in edema and susceptibility to infection. A methionine
deficiency has also been linked to cholesterol deposits,
atherosclerosis, and hair loss in laboratory animals.Phenylalanine
Phenylalanine is an essential amino acid that is a neuro-transmitter
(a chemical that transmits signals between the nerve cells and the
brain).DL-Phenylalanine (DLPA)
This form of the essential amino acid phenylalanine is a mixture of
equal parts of D (synthetic) and L (natural) phenylalanine. By
producing and activating endorphins it intensifies and prolongs the
body's own natural pain-killing response to injury and disease.
Certain enzyme systems continually destroy endorphins, but
DL-phenylalanine effectively inhibits these enzymes, allowing the
pain-killing endorphins to work.
People who suffer from chronic pain have lower levels of endorphin
activity in their blood and cerebro-spinal fluid. Since DLPA can
restore normal endorphin levels, it can assist the body in reducing
pain naturally. It is effective as a natural pain-killer for conditions
such as osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, lower back pain,
migraines, leg and muscle cramps, postoperative pain, and neuralgia.Threonine
Excessive use of threonine can cause the formation of too much urea
and consequently ammonia toxicity in your body. To be used effectively,
threonine requires vitamin B6, magnesium, and niacin. Both serine and
glycine can be synthesized from this amino acid.Tryptophan
Tryptophan is an essential amino acid that's used by the brain along
with vitamin B6, niacin, and magnesium to produce serotin, a
neurotransmitter that carries messages between the brain and one of the
body's biochemical mechanisms of sleep. It acts as an antidepressant
reducing anxiety and tension.Tyrosine
Tyrosine is a neuro-transmitter and is important because of its role
in stimulating and modifying brain activity. For instance, in order for
phenylalanine to be effective as a mood elevator and appetite
depressant, it must first be converted into tyrosine.
Clinical studies have shown that tyrosine supplementation has helped
control medication-resistant depression and anxiety, as well as enable
patients taking amphetamines (as mood elevators or diet drugs) to
reduce their dosages to minimal levels in a matter of weeks.
Known Hazards: An excess of protein can also cause the
formation of toxic substances and become a burden to our digestive
system. There has been much research done showing the negative and
dangerous results of diets with too high a protein content. It has been
deemed prudent to maintain an upper bound of no more than twice the RDA
for protein.
